By The Get Well Team
Emergency Department (ED) visits are a cornerstone of hospital care, accounting for 65% of hospital admissions, yet they come at a significant cost. Treating primary care-treatable conditions in an ED is not only 12 times more expensive than visiting a physician’s office but also 10 times higher than seeking help at an urgent care center.1 Multiple factors drive patients to the ED, including limited access to primary care, behavioral health issues, lack of care coordination, and social determinants of health (SDOH).2
Compounding the cost issue is the growing problem of ED overcrowding, a situation the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) defines as demand outstripping available resources.3 With overcrowded EDs leading to increased wait times and stretched resources, hospitals and health systems face a pressing need to decrease readmissions while still delivering quality care.
Reducing readmissions requires an integrated approach that leverages modern technology to streamline operations and guide patients to the right care at the right time.
Enhancing Post-ED Discharge with Mobile Solutions
A key challenge in reducing ED readmissions is ensuring patients remain engaged with their care plans after discharge. One effective method to improve patient engagement is through mobile health technology that allows patients to stay connected with their care teams even after leaving the hospital.
Mobile communication technology, such as automated text messages, can remind patients to follow up with their primary care providers, complete prescribed treatment plans, and fill their prescriptions, ensuring continuity of care and preventing future ED visits.
For instance, Get Well has worked with a Southern California health system to reach three times more patients in the ED than their previous baseline. The health system implemented Get Well’s ED interactive engagement solution to create a seamless patient experience, using mobile-first outreach to engage patients before, during, and after their ED visit. This personalized experience sets clear expectations for patients, helps them understand their treatment process, gives them immediate access to prescriptions, and ensures appropriate follow-up care after discharge.
In addition to improving the patient experience, the health system saw a 29% increase in patient text engagement and a 25% increase in prescription order volume, as more patients used the on-site pharmacy before leaving the hospital. This approach not only helped reduce readmissions by encouraging medication adherence and follow-up care but also generated additional revenue for the hospital pharmacy.
Preventing Readmission by Addressing SDOH Factors
Social determinants of health (SDOH) play a critical role in the health outcomes of many patients who visit the ED. Factors like transportation challenges, food insecurity, and access to care can lead to higher ED utilization and increase the risk of readmission. Technology can help address these issues by connecting patients with the resources they need before the issue becomes emergent.
Get Well’s SDOH screening and navigation solution is designed to identify and address these barriers, helping patients manage their health outside of the hospital setting. By connecting patients with community resources and support services—such as transportation to follow-up appointments or assistance with medication costs—Get Well empowers patients to manage their conditions and reduce their reliance on the ED for non-emergency care.
These digital SDOH tools allow hospitals to screen patients for social risk factors, document them in the electronic health record (EHR), and provide real-time referrals to community-based services. This level of care coordination helps prevent avoidable ED admissions and ensures that patients receive the right care at the right time.
The future of reducing ED readmissions starts with managing the patient’s care journey before, during, and after the ED visit. By leveraging digital tools like automated text reminders and follow-up messages, healthcare providers can engage patients with post-discharge instructions and ensure adherence to care plans, which reduces the likelihood of returning to the ED.
Furthermore, integrating SDOH screenings into the care journey can help identify external factors—such as housing instability, transportation issues, or food insecurity—that may contribute to poor health outcomes. By addressing these social determinants early, hospitals can offer targeted interventions that prevent patients from returning to the ED unnecessarily.
These strategies collectively form an approach to care that supports long-term health outcomes, improves patient experiences, and reduces the overall burden on emergency services.
To learn more about how Get Well’s can help your organization manage patient messaging more effectively, contact us today.
