In a nutshell
The program has been in place for about a year and is aimed at helping frequent ER patients “get the right type of care that they need,” medical center President Tim Bowen said.
It’s an internal program that patients can be referred to in order to address complex issues that haven’t been addressed for many years, he said. The new program is one way the hospital is trying to help high ER users that don’t have a primary care provider, Bowen said.
The program has been successful since it launched and reflects the hospital’s patient-centric approach, Bowen said.
“We have people that may utilize the ER 20-30 times in a year because they just don’t know where to appropriately go,” he said.
In addition to this program, the Baylor Scott & White Health system is putting a lot of resources into its patient app, called MyBSWHealth, as part of its overall strategy, Bowen said. The app is available 24/7 and can direct patients to the appropriate care for their needs, he said.
"We’re not going to solve the growth of this area just by building more hospitals and building more beds,” he said. “It’s got to be done very thoughtfully with the patient in the center.”
