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"If we don't bring those two things together in an impactful way, it is hard to help an individual make better decisions, drive to a better outcome, or support themselves or a loved one," Dr. Jaques says. "[It's about] creating benefits that are meaningful to employees."
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Dealing with a stressful system
A survey commissioned by the American Academy of Physician Associates found that adults spend an average of eight hours per month setting up care for themselves and their family, likely during the workday. Seventy-three percent of respondents said the healthcare system is failing them due to factors like high cost of care and long wait times for appointments, and 65% labeled the coordination and management of healthcare as overwhelming and time-consuming.
Without access to better navigation tools, these issues won't improve. Dr. Jaques notes a growing shortfall of clinicians and practitioners, and healthcare costs are expected to increase.
Health insurance still remains the most important benefit in the eyes of employees. Associated offerings that allow employees to connect with highly-qualified, in-network providers and experience end-to-end support — such as a cancer care platform that helps patients through every stage and has a combination of clinical, emotional and financial guidance — are going to give employers a competitive advantage.
"Prospective employees will look at benefits and corporate commitment to employee well-being, and they'll compare employers and decide what qualified offer they're going to take based on those parameters," Dr. Jaques says. "[They will ask], 'Does [this] employer believe in making access available?'"
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Streamlining navigation
Dr. Jaques likens the optimal navigation experience to that which many people use to pick out the best computer or restaurant for dinner: People should be able to put in what they need and get shown the best options in a way that is easy to understand.
"Getting high-quality information and making high-value choices is incredibly hard, and if you don't use the perspective that say the founders of Google or Netflix use in creating positive experiences that are meaningful and relevant to the individual, you're missing the boat," he says.
The first step is to pull as many capabilities as possible into a single platform that is designed to be user-friendly, Dr. Jaques says. Personify Health's platform, for example, offers a mix of AI-generated and expert support in the areas of physical, emotional, social and financial wellness. Its health coaches, navigation experts and other specialists can help employees with everything from managing a chronic condition to finding a provider to understanding their benefits.
Members engage with the platform an average of 19 times per month, and often receive "snackable" suggestions, such as corresponding benefits available to them, challenges like X, or even a shout-out from a coworker for achieving a goal. This creates a platform that employees find easy and fun to interact with, Dr. Jaques says. Giving them guidance and resources in this way can help them make better health choices and keep healthcare costs down, he adds.
The platform also offers employers benefits administration services to assist in health plan management and cost reduction, as well as AI-driven data and analytics to make care more personalized.
"You need an engagement engine and you need an insights engine that can put the experience together," Dr. Jaques explains. "We can now use consumer data and artificial intelligence to understand how an individual will be more likely to respond to a message. Do they want a text message, a phone call, an email, a postcard? Target the population and make [messaging] relevant to them right up front, but deliver it in a way that they'll pay attention and it won't just get lost in the noise."
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Employees should not have to roll the dice with their health. Benefit leaders can partner with a vendor who makes healthcare navigation far more effective, and Dr. Jaques encourages them to have specific questions ready to go in order to find one that aligns with the needs of workers and the goals of the organization.
"[Ask questions like,] 'How do you help my members get to a better decision? How do you help them find a lower cost, high-quality clinician, especially given the variability in cost?'" he says. "If you're going to partner with somebody who's going to deliver you a single platform for individuals to be aware of benefits, make informed decisions in a timely manner and get access when it's meaningful to them, those things have to be part and parcel of the thought process of the partner."
Read more about how to create better healthcare experiences:
Lyra's new AI-powered platform provides benefit managers with immediate ROI A less high-maintenance healthcare plan? Yes, please How AI is simplifying healthcare claims How this AI platform is improving low-cost access to cancer care How to give Americans the healthcare experience they want by prioritizing value
