The next generation of healthcare consumerism: How companies are boldly engaging employees in their healthcare choices

The blind trust problem

There’s an implicit trust between provider and patient, a trust that can sometimes be misplaced. Diagnoses are often given with certainty, and patients often take the words of a provider as absolute given the provider’s expertise.

Most people don’t look at spending healthcare dollars the same way they look at other purchases. They don’t do the same research, price comparisons, and quality checks. And they don’t question the care plan set out by their provider.

And well-meaning patients can struggle to:

• Research clinicians.
• Understand their condition and all the options.
• Know about rankings by specialty and complication rates.
• Second-guess a doctor out of fear of appearing rude or offensive.

The bottom line:

• Failing to ask questions about a care plan can have serious consequences.
• Health literacy and understanding treatment choices matter, lead to more informed decisions and appropriate care for a given situation.
• 20% of people seeking second opinions had been misdiagnosed (Source: Mayo Clinic)
• 30% of elective surgeries are avoidable with care provided through a less invasive means

The blind trust solution

We have a solution to help put a dent in the fact that 25% of all healthcare dollars spent do not improve health (Source: Journal of American Medicine).

We call it a shared responsibility requirement.

And, looking at our full book of business, it’s saving some of our clients $500,000 to $2 million.

The concept?
Require employees to do what’s in their best interests and yours.

How it works

Employees facing an elective surgery participate in some level of shared-decision support. They may be offered evidence-based information, or receive personalized guidance like how and where to get a second opinion. If they don’t participate, they’re required to contribute $1,000 or more.

The results

• What starts out as a “requirement” soon gets recognized as a benefit.
• Participant satisfaction rates remain high!
• People realize that they can—and should—be more involved in order to get the right care.
• They gain greater confidence in their ability to navigate the system.
• They understand that not all treatments or surgeries are necessary, and that it’s OK to say “no.” (Our infographic can really help with this education.)

Proof positive

There’s significant value in educating, supporting, and empowering employees to make smarter healthcare choices—for employees and employers.

For employees

Once patients realize they have choices and access to trustworthy information, there’s no turning back.

I didn’t realize how valuable it would be for me, and I wish I’d reached out sooner. It’s nice having a resource where you’re getting information based on science and you can continue to receive information and support as you get your treatments. I recommend ConsumerMedical to anyone going through any type of illness.”

– ConsumerMedical Participant

For employers

Switching from an incentive to a requirement can have a big impact on the bottom line.

Here’s some more detailed data from a client with 45K employees who made the switch:

• 94% satisfaction rate
• 360 program participants
• 111 avoided surgeries
• $2,638,279 cost savings

A timely discussion

As we brace for a surge of elective surgeries that were delayed because of COVID-19, it’s all the more critical to understand the value of shared decision support and to help empower people to do what’s in their best interests.

Now is the time to consider a shared responsibility requirement.

It’s a move with an impressive ROI—in terms of healthcare costs and employee satisfaction rates. And we are happy to share our best practices to help you make it.

Resources to share:

Consumer Elective Surgery Whitepaper

Surgery Decision Support and Shared Responsibility Infographic