Axial Exchange Blog http://axialexchange.com/blog/ en davidmillsaps@gmail.com Copyright 2013 2013-05-21T21:56:+00:00 Why it’s so hard to make good decisions http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/why-its-so-hard-to-make-good-decisions http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/why-its-so-hard-to-make-good-decisions Axial helps people help themselves. We consider this an important and noble thing to do. Specifically, we provide patients with the information and tools they need to manage their health and stay well between healthcare encounters. Many people thrive once they have access to the types of services that Axial provides. Others struggle to follow the most basic of care plans. The truth is that we all struggle to make decisions that are consistently in our best interest. We don't always behave rationally, despite what some microeconomic theories suggest.

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 Best Practices to Keep your Smartphone Health Data Secure http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/best-practices-to-keep-your-smartphone-health-data-safe http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/best-practices-to-keep-your-smartphone-health-data-safe More and more patients are using smartphone-based tools to manage their health.  The smartphone is an excellent tool for tracking and managing personal health and sharing that information with their doctor.  With an estimated 30 percent of 7.4 billion mobile phone subscribers in 2015 likely to use a phone-based wellness application (BCG/Telenor Mobile Health Report), billions of people are going to be storing personal health information on their phone.  It is essential that individuals follow basic mobile security best practices in order for this technology to live up to its full potential in a safe and secure manner.

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 I guess we hit a nerve http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/axial-in-the-news http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/axial-in-the-news Last month, Axial debuted its Patient Engagement Index (PEI) with a ranking of Florida hospitals. Last week, we followed up with the Texas ranking. The reception has been incredible. People are evidently very much ready to join the conversation about transforming healthcare through patient engagement. Through the PEI, we've seen some incredible work happening at a select number of health systems. The investments that these health systems are making in patient engagement leads us to be optimistic about the future of healthcare. Here is some of the coverage from our first two installments of the Patient Engagement Index:

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 Axial announces the Texas Patient Engagement Index http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/axial-announces-the-texas-patient-engagement-index http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/axial-announces-the-texas-patient-engagement-index Houston Northwest Medical Center, Park Plaza Hospital and Providence Memorial Hospital Top Texas Patient Engagement Index Ranking


Axial Exchange’s Patient Engagement Index Ranks Hospitals Based on Personal Health Management, Patient Satisfaction and Social Media Engagement Data


Raleigh, NC ­ May 15, 2013 — Axial Exchange, Inc., a pioneer in using mobile apps to deepen the patient’s role in improving outcomes, today announced the results of its Patient Engagement Index (PEI), a groundbreaking index that ranks U.S. hospitals based on an analysis of publically available data in three categories: personal health management, patient satisfaction and social media engagement.  This is the second regional PEI the company has issued; the first ranked top hospitals in Florida. Both states were selected because their demographics make them bellwethers for the rest of the country.

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 How to generate a 15X return on Patient Engagement http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/how-to-generate-a-15x-return-on-patient-engagement1 http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/how-to-generate-a-15x-return-on-patient-engagement1 Patient Engagement is hot, but how do you measure its impact? Specifically, when a health system offers mobile engagement tools to its patient community, how should it measure the return on the investment of the launch and maintenance of the initiative? This post summarizes the return on investment (ROI) of patient engagement initiatives through three components: readmissions reduction, HCAHPS improvement and its impact on the CMS value-based purchasing program, and improved patient loyalty.

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 The ROI of Patient Engagement: Patient Loyalty http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/the-roi-of-patient-engagement-patient-loyalty http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/the-roi-of-patient-engagement-patient-loyalty Much hospital marketing comes down to a simple goal: To attract patients that have good insurance to profitable service lines. An article covering hospital marketing in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch captured this quote:

“Why do hospitals advertise? There is a noble side to it, and also a realistic side,” said Laura Keller, a spokeswoman for St. Louis University Hospital. “I don’t think it ever hurts to remind someone that there are lots of choices that you have if you’re dealing with a major health issue. We need to educate the patient, and there are good messages there. On the business side, people need to understand that without money we cannot support our mission,” she said.

If you take the the 107-mile drive from Raleigh to Winston-Salem, NC, you are likely to see billboards from many of the following health systems:

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 The ROI of Patient Engagement: Value-Based Purchasing http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/the-roi-of-patient-engagement-value-based-purchasing http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/the-roi-of-patient-engagement-value-based-purchasing October 1, 2012 marked the beginning of the 2013 federal fiscal year and the commencement of the payment period for Value-Based Purchasing (VBP). As part of VBP, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin holding back 1% of the base DRG reimbursement paid to hospitals. Through a series of clinical process and patient satisfaction measures, hospitals will compete to "earn back" the withholding. The top performers will earn a premium over their standard reimbursement. The poor performers will see a reimbursement decrease.

Here's how patient engagement can help you profit from Value-Based Purchasing.

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 The ROI of Patient Engagement: Readmissions Reduction http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/the-roi-of-patient-engagement-readmissions-reduction http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/the-roi-of-patient-engagement-readmissions-reduction How do you measure the impact of patient engagement? Specifically, when a health system offers mobile patient engagement tools to its patient community, how do measure the return on the investment of launching and maintaining the app? This post will examine the impact a patient engagement program can have on a readmissions reduction program.

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 I’m guessing you are on drugs http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/im-guessing-you-are-on-drugs1 http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/im-guessing-you-are-on-drugs1 In the United States, we spend more on prescription drugs than we do on clothing. Don't get me wrong, I think prescription drugs can be an essential component of a care plan. I just want to put the scale in perspective. $320 billion buys a lot of 'scripts. Let's take a closer look.

]]> 2013-05-21T21:56+00:00 Hospital Registration:  Step 1 in Transition of Care http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/hospital-registration-step-1-in-transition-of-care http://axialexchange.com/blog/article/hospital-registration-step-1-in-transition-of-care When a patient registers at the hospital, is the patient’s regular doctor identified and recorded accurately?  Effective transition of care would dictate that this information is essential for the hospital to communicate care instructions to the right primary care provider in a timely manner.

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