CDPHP® Hospital to Home Boosts Patient Satisfaction and Provides Critical Services

CDPHP has created a Hospital Experience Program, now known as CDPHP^® Hospital to Home, to help members navigate the health care experience from home. Offered at no cost to CDPHP members, the program deploys an in-hospital patient support team to work in collaboration with hospital staff to coordinate members’ care and provide personalized support. The team includes doctors, nurses, social workers, mental health counselors, and benefit specialists who review and facilitate members’ care, as well as provide assistance with insurance-related issues.

Since its 2019 debut at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, the program has been expanded to Albany Medical Center and St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, as well as Saratoga Hospital, and we’ve been collecting data and testimonials to help us determine its efficacy. Results thus far have been positive, as reflected in the rise in patient satisfaction at Ellis Hospital and the first-hand patient account described below.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals severely limited or did not allow visitors, so family members could no longer be by their loved one’s side. Our patient support team quickly transitioned to virtual operations, becoming an even more critical bridge between doctors, hospitalized patients, and their families. Whether virtual or in-person, the team:

• Offers emotional support to members, families, and caregivers;
• Provides daily communication updates between hospital staff, patients, and families;
• Collaborates with hospital care teams to customize discharge planning;
• Identifies any barriers to care, such as access to food, medication, or transportation;
• Identifies community resources/support services that may be needed post-discharge; and
• Facilitates post-discharge phone calls and support.

This service is just part of the CDPHP commitment to keeping our members healthy, happy, safe, and secure.

One Member’s Perspective…

When Robert W.’s employer switched the company’s insurance plan to CDPHP at the beginning of the year, he was uneasy about the transition, unsure how the change might impact his access to care and his benefits.  That sentiment changed when he was unexpectedly admitted to St. Peter’s Hospital for a serious spike in his blood sugar levels.

The hospitalization marked his first awareness that he had diabetes, and understandably, he had a lot of questions.  “I didn’t know much about the condition, and I was concerned how it might affect my ability to work,” he said. Fortunately, the CDPHP patient support team was able to allay some of his concerns.  “All the nurses were very thorough, very positive, and answered any questions I had. They shared videos with me, and sat and talked with me about how to manage my insulin shots, how to prepare meals, and the other adjustments I needed to make in my lifestyle.”

Robert also had the chance to visit with a CDPHP health benefit specialist, remarking “It was nice that CDPHP had an office at St. Peter’s Hospital – you don’t find many insurance companies that make it so convenient for people to get their questions answered. And the representative was very helpful.”

After he was discharged from the hospital, Robert received follow-up phone calls about once a week for three weeks to inquire how he was doing and whether he had any questions about the insulin shots, his diet, or anything else. In reflecting on the service he received from CDPHP, he said, “The experience has been very positive. I was extremely pleased with the way I was treated.”