60% of Referral Sources Would Switch to a Home Health and Hospice Provider that Accepts Electronic Referrals, Survey Reveals

Survey also finds only 4% of home health and hospice organizations are able to accept electronic referrals from a referral source EMR system

The survey was conducted by Porter Research, and is the first to interview both home health and hospice providers (675 respondents) and their referral sources (440 respondents). It found that electronic referrals are high on the priority list:

• 70% of home health and hospice organizations reported an increase in the number of referral sources requesting referral data to be sent electronically over the past 1-2 years;
• 60% of referring providers said they would switch to a new post-acute care provider if that organization were able to accept electronic referrals; and
• Only 4% of home health and hospice organizations reported they were able to accept electronic referrals from a referral source (electronic medical record) EMR system.

This lack of automation and reliance on manual labor takes a toll on post-acute providers’ bottom lines. According to the survey findings, almost two-thirds of home health and hospice organizations require several full-time equivalents (FTEs) each month tracking down data and documents they feel could be obtained with better integration in place.

“Interoperability is no longer an option, but an essential aspect of any home health and hospice business,” said Nick Knowlton, Brightree vice president of strategic initiatives. “We were pleased to find users of our Brightree home health and hospice solution were among respondents reporting the highest ability to receive electronic referrals properly, but there’s still tremendous opportunity to continue bridging the gap.”

Many post-acute care providers are considering interoperability a business necessity. According to the survey:

• 30% of home health and hospice organizations said they are planning to expand their efforts into interoperability this year; and
• 31% claim they would even switch electronic health record (EHR) systems if they found one that could better support their interoperability needs.

Download the survey’s white paper and full results at http://info.brightree.com/SurveyPR.html

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About MatrixCare
MatrixCare provides software solutions to more than 15,000 providers supporting skilled nursing, senior living and long-term care, life plan communities, and home health and hospice care. A multi-year winner of the Best in KLAS award, MatrixCare is trusted by thousands of facility-based and home-based care organizations to improve provider efficiencies and promote a better quality of life for the people they serve. For more information, visit www.matrixcare.com.

MatrixCare Media Contact:
Laura Breton, Director, Marketing
Email: [email protected]