Identity Management

Health plans have been fighting against inaccurate member data, incomplete member profiles and duplicate records for years. Without a watertight way to keep track of patient identities so health data is reliably linked and accessible across multiple services, payers can’t always be confident that the record in front of them matches the member they have in mind. The pandemic has brought this into sharp focus: positive COVID-19 test results aren’t always following members from service to service, and as the vaccination program rolls out, knowing who has had the disease and who has been vaccinated could be difficult to monitor. As health data expands exponentially and the need to share and connect member records becomes more urgent and complicated, the challenges facing health plans will only grow. Could a unique patient identifier (UPI) be the answer? 4 member matching challenges that health plans could solve with a UPI 1. The healthcare ecosystem lacks 21st Century Cures Act data coordination The lack of integrated systems to transfer member data securely contributes to safety issues, payment delays and potential audits and fines. Over a third of denied claims for health systems result from inaccurate patient information, costing them  at least $6 billion per year. While this would seem not to impact the payer, the inability to properly link claims to members could lead to an inability to understand the risk represented by the members being covered. Or worse, an inability to anticipate and monitor trends in members health and provide proactive healthcare options. A unique patient identifier can connect the dots between different parts of the healthcare ecosystem so duplicate and incomplete member data can be detected and eliminated. With a more complete picture of who a member is, health plans can make decisions based on accurate information and exchange data safely and securely. There’s a far lower risk of acting without knowing about recent treatment or test results, or communicating using the wrong address (or even to the wrong member). 2. Healthcare providers have outgrown traditional matching tools With the volume and variability of health data to be matched, traditional matching tools are no longer fit for purpose. For example, an enterprise master patient index (EMPI), which links all versions of a patient’s record across several facilities, may seem reliable. However, by relying on a single source of demographic data, EMPIs likely replicate errors and outdated information, and may combine records for patients who share certain demographic information (for example, if two patients have similar names and the same date of birth). Instead, payers should consider a matching solution that combines member roster information with comprehensive third-party reference data. Member records are matched using referential and probabilistic matching, and connected using a UPI. This gives health plans a more complete picture of their members, built on reliable health, credit, and consumer data sources, and allows all parties to understand the person at the center of it all. 3. Discrepancies in member data make care coordination impossible Members may use different names or nicknames, their address may change, and they may even share a Social Security Number (SSN) with someone else. How can health plans help to coordinate care if they’re not sure they’re tracking the right member? A single electronic health record (EHR) can follow the member throughout their healthcare journey with a UPI, so health plans can be confident that the person on the phone or in the office matches the record on screen. They can monitor and respond to gaps in care, allowing them to better coordinate care for better patient health, improved member engagement and money-saving operational efficiencies. 4. Members present to multiple facilities, inhibiting care plan tracking How can health plans reliably track medication adherence, especially when members present to multiple locations? Is there really a gap in care, or did the member just attend a different facility? And if members go to different pharmacies, how can a pharmacist be sure the prescription is going to the right person? All of this can create risks to patient safety and increased costs for payers. A UPI can help. Experian Health has teamed up with the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP), which sets standards for pharmacy services to exchange electronic healthcare data. A framework has been built for a UPI-based patient matching solution that the entire US healthcare network can use. Not only will this improve patient safety, it’ll minimize staff time spent on reconciling incorrect records, thus boosting financial performance too. When it comes to mismatched records, prevention is better than cure. With a Universal Identity Manager, health plans can have confidence in the accuracy and security of the data they’re using and sharing, promote patient safety, and improve staff productivity. Contact us to learn more.

Experian Health products referenced in this blog post: Patient Engagement Solutions Patient Scheduling Precise ID Patient Payment Estimates Patient Payment Solutions To access more insights and trends, download the entire white paper:  How has the pandemic affected consumer attitudes toward patient access? What kind of digital experience do consumers expect from their healthcare provider in 2021? Are patients and providers on the same page when it comes to self-service in the healthcare journey? Providers must answer these questions if they are to improve their digital front door, boost patient loyalty and withstand the financial impact of COVID-19. While we know that a satisfying patient access experience translates to a stronger revenue cycle, change can feel risky without knowing what consumers really want. Experian Health surveyed hundreds of healthcare consumers and providers to find out what each expects from patient access in 2021, and uncovered opportunities for providers to lay the groundwork for future financial success. Survey findings: 4 revenue-boosting opportunities for patient access in 2021 1. More control and convenience for consumers Nearly eight in ten consumer survey respondents want to be able to schedule their own appointments, at any time of day or night, from their home or mobile device. They can already order groceries and view their bank accounts this way – and they want the same level of control and convenience when managing the non-clinical aspects of their healthcare. Digital patient engagement solutions allow providers to offer consumers the flexibility and accessibility they crave. Patients can schedule appointments online, complete registration from home and pay bills from a mobile device. Convenience also delivers health benefits: no-shows are less likely, and patients find it easier to adhere to care plans. And while COVID-19 remains a concern, self-service options minimize face-to-face contact, keeping staff and patients safe. Automating patient access even contributes to better collection rates, for example, by reducing errors that can lead to denied claims. 2. But don’t deliver convenience at the expense of safety and security Patients want convenience, but they also want their data to be kept safe. More than half of consumers surveyed, particularly the younger age groups, say they worry about security when accessing their personal details online. Security can be challenging for providers: they need multi-layered solutions that can adapt to security threats that evolve with ever-increasing complexity, without creating cumbersome log-in processes for patients. But with the right technology, providers can  safeguard patient data with confidence. Experian Health’s patient portal security tools use leading-edge identity proofing, risk-based authentication and knowledge-based questions to reliably verify patient identities. Patients can book appointments, register for care or view their health information. Calls to IT support are likely to drop too, saving staff and patients valuable time. 3. Contactless care requirements are driving long term, systemic change While many of these changes were already simmering in the background, the pandemic has turned up the heat and accelerated the need for contactless care. Will this be a long-term trend? Both patients and providers believe self-service technology is here to stay and seven in ten providers surveyed say they don’t expect patients to feel comfortable in waiting rooms until at least summer 2021. While face-to-face care will always be important, it seems likely that a digital front door will become the default to make the non-clinical portion of the healthcare journey easier and quicker for everyone. “As providers expand the use of patient portals, there is a huge opportunity to demonstrate the true value of virtual care – and transform healthcare for the long-term." - Tom Cox, general manager, head of product, Experian Health 4. The financial conversation between consumers and providers must be based on trust, transparency and empathy When the final bill bears no resemblance to initial estimates, patients feel frustrated and misled. With deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses on the rise, patients are demanding simple and clear pricing information so they can plan accordingly. Providers that offer consumers transparency, understanding, control and convenience when managing their financial responsibilities are going to have the competitive edge. Providers can achieve this with clear, upfront and accurate pricing estimates to help patients understand their financial obligations before their visit. Next, support to check coverage and advice on tailored payment plans will provide patients with as many tools as possible as they plan to meet those obligations. Experian Health’s Patient Payment Solutions can check for patient coverage, identify a payment plan(s) that suits a patient’s individual situation, and then make it easy to pay via a mobile device. Future provider revenue hinges on investment in digital healthcare. A welcoming, convenient and secure digital front door translates to patient loyalty, which in turn can mitigate losses in challenging times. Wherever are in digital patient access journey, there’s an opportunity to improve the experience for patients and build a revenue cycle that not only survives the tumult of the pandemic, but also thrives in the years ahead.

As 2020 draws to a close and headlines hint that the end might finally be in sight for the pandemic, the healthcare industry is considering COVID-19’s legacy. The sudden shift to contactless care, financial consequences of widespread social distancing measures and changing expectations of the patient experience have upended the world of healthcare and health IT – but which changes are here to stay? And what do these changes mean for the patient experience in 2021? We asked several leaders across Experian Health for their predictions in the areas of patient access, collections, and identity management, and here is a preview of what they had to say: “Patients will choose providers that give them control over their healthcare experience” Patients have more opportunity today than ever before to manage their healthcare experience from the comfort of their own home, whether that be through patient portals, online self-scheduling and registration or online payment tools. As lockdowns and social distancing prevented patients from presenting in person, providers were forced to offer patients with more options for self-service. Unsurprisingly, this was a move a lot of patients have been waiting for and many welcomed this new technology with open arms. Jason Kressel, senior vice president of consumer products and analytics at Experian Health, expects that, as patients become more accustomed to this level of self-service, more than half of consumers will change providers in favor of one that offers premium digital healthcare services: “Providers who can meet patients where they are—through web-based services and via their mobile devices—will have the most success with retaining and attracting patients.” Online self-scheduling can put patients in the driver seat while also avoiding unnecessary contact while many remain cautious about on-site visits. With access issues removed, the patient experience will improve, in turn improving health outcomes (and providers’ bottom lines!). “With hospital finances on shaky ground, collections will be a top priority for survival” As COVID-related unemployment leads to an unstable insurance landscape, many providers are worried about maintaining effective collections processes, and they cannot afford to spend time chasing payments. Guarding against uncompensated care and tightening up the collections process will be essential. Automated collections software can help collections teams focus their efforts on patients who are most likely to pay, while also helping patients manage their financial obligations with as little stress as possible. Providers can also quickly determine which patients qualify for financial assistance, helping them get them on the right payment pathway for their circumstance without delay. Not only will this provide a much better patient financial experience, it’ll prevent “lost coverage” and allow providers to collect a larger portion of dollars owed. “The surge in portal usage means providers need to watch out for fraudsters” What does the rapid growth in portal uptake mean for data security? The speedy rollout of telehealth and other digital services has exposed security concerns for many providers, who fear a rise in fraudulent activity in 2021 as cybercriminals sniff out opportunities to steal patient data. To protect patient information and avoid costly reputational damage, providers must adopt more sophisticated identity management solutions. By combining cutting edge identity proofing, risk-based authentication and knowledge-based questions, providers can more easily verify a patient’s identity when they log on to their portal, greatly eliminating the risk of fraud. Interested in learning more about other trends that could affect the patient experience moving forward?

Halloween might be over, but healthcare fraud – or simple input errors – can transform a patient’s identity into something completely different. The negative impacts are potentially far-reaching, haunting both patients and providers. Is the patient standing in front of you really who they say they are? Learn more about Experian Health's identity management solutions and how we can help you match, manage and protect patient data with:  

A consumer-first healthcare revolution has been simmering for years. Despite efforts to create more human-friendly services, the industry still lags behind other consumer-centric sectors. Patients want healthcare to be simple, convenient and on-demand, but a persistent lack of coordination, accessibility and affordability leaves many struggling to navigate the healthcare landscape with ease. Is this about to change? Has COVID-19 flipped the switch? The pandemic has prompted people to engage with their own care in a way the industry hasn’t seen before, with a surge in telehealth and virtual care. Infection-control forced much of the patient journey online, while providers were pushed to find new ways to communicate quickly and clearly. Now, those with an eye on the road to post COVID-19 financial recovery are optimizing these digital strategies to meet new consumer expectations and improve patient loyalty. Embracing digital technology and automation throughout the entire patient journey will be key to patient acquisition and retention. Where should providers focus first? 4 consumer-led strategies to keep patients loyal 1. Prioritize convenience across the entire consumer experience Eighty percent of patients would switch providers for convenience factors alone – ranking ‘convenient, easy access’ ahead of insurance coverage and quality of care. Creating a digital experience that gives patients the flexibility and simplicity they desire should be priority number one in any patient loyalty plan. Providers can start by reviewing their digital platforms. Encourage patients to use their patient portal to access information, book appointments and manage their healthcare when appropriate. Telehealth and virtual care solutions can be future-proofed with reliable identity protection, so patients can safely access care from home and not worry about cumbersome log-in procedures. 2. Make patient access…accessible The patient experience shouldn’t begin with time-consuming forms, long waits and error-prone manual intake processes. Rather, providers can make it easy for patients to complete as many tasks as possible BEFORE they set foot in the office by automating patient access. Online patient scheduling lets patients book, cancel and change appointments online – which 77% of patients say is very important. It has the potential to reduce delays and no-shows, and can minimize the administrative burden for provider staff. While patients remain concerned about the risk of infection during COVID-19, providers can ease their concerns by reducing face-to-face contact with online pre-registration. 3. Respond to affordability and pricing pain points One Experian Health study found that the top pain points in the consumer journey center on the financial experience, from shopping for health insurance to understanding medical bills. Patients may be unsure what their insurance covers, whether their deductible has been met and whether they can afford the out-of-pocket costs. By providing clear, upfront pricing information about coverage and financial responsibility, providers can protect their patients from unnecessary surprises and reduce the risk of missed payments. Self-service patient payment tools can simplify the payment process too: patients can settle their bills anytime, anywhere, and get advice on financial assistance and best-fit payment plans. 4. Personalize the patient experience from end to end A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t cut it anymore. Patients are looking for communications and services tailored to their individual needs. That used to be both technically and logistically impossible, but not anymore. Providers today can use comprehensive data and analytics to personalize the entire healthcare journey, from customer relationship management to patient collections. By combining automation, self-service tools and accurate insights into the patient’s circumstances, providers can help consumers make better decisions about their care and how to pay for it. To ensure data reliability and integrity, providers should consider partnering with a trusted data vendor, who can translate robust, multi-source consumer and financial data into a competitive consumer experience. There is no question that COVID-19 has changed the way we do healthcare, but the industry is perfectly posed to harness the change in consumer behavior and shift towards greater patient engagement. By bringing together a myriad of digital tools, providers can create a healthcare experience that’s convenient, compassionate and in line with consumer expectations. Interested in learning more about how we can help your organization welcome new patients through its digital door, and boost loyalty among existing patients?

For many healthcare consumers, visiting patient portals to check medical records, schedule appointments, renew prescriptions and pay bills is a no-brainer. Accessible from multiple devices at any time of day, patient portals allow patients to manage their health from the comfort and convenience of their own home. COVID-19 has been a catalyst for even more patients to consider remote and virtual healthcare services. But with large healthcare data breaches increasing by nearly 200% between 2018 and 2019, one concern continues to lurk in the background: how do providers keep patient data safe? Knowing the industry is prone to dated cybersecurity measures, hackers zero in on the lucrative medical identities market, with their top targets including: patient medical records billing information log-in credentials authentication credentials, and clinical trial information. As COVID-19 encourages more patients online, the digital doors are open for even more identity thieves to try to steal – and profit from – sensitive data. Healthcare organizations need to be confident that the person logging on is who they say they are, both to reduce the risk of a data breach and minimize HIPAA penalties. One way to balance consumer convenience with data security is to automate the patient portal enrollment process with robust patient identification protocols, making it harder for hackers to access patient information but without burdening patients. 2 ways to automate patient portal enrollment 1. Ditch activation codes that are easily misplaced Many healthcare organizations give new patients an activation code to use the first time they log in to their patient portal. Unfortunately, these tiny bits of paper or codes hidden at the bottom of lengthy enrollment documents are easily lost or forgotten. The patient has to call the office, taking up valuable staff time and resources to figure out how to log on – the opposite of streamlined and scalable. Instead, providers should consider an automated portal sign-up process. Using a combination of out-of-wallet questions, device recognition, risk models and cross-checks with linked patient data, portal access can be secured through a single platform. It’s easier and more reassuring for patients, and with far fewer calls to IT support. 2. Find quicker ways to integrate patient identity tools with existing systems The more people who need to see patient data, the more opportunities there are for cyber thieves to sneak in and access that sensitive information. Being able to share data securely between multiple providers and across different platforms is essential. During the current COVID-19 crisis, integrating authentication tools with other healthcare information systems (HIS) quickly is a huge advantage. One example is Precise ID, which can now integrate directly with Epic’s MyChart portal, Allscripts’ FollowMyHealth platform and many other HIS systems within two weeks. Jason Considine, senior vice president and general manager of Experian Health’s Patient Experience Solutions says: “Patients want to feel reassured that their data won’t wind up in the wrong hands. That’s even more important right now, as COVID-19 means more patients are choosing online services instead of face-to-face contact. With staff and cashflow under pressure, it’s even more important to get systems up and running as fast as possible. That’s why we’ve integrated with leading HIS systems to help them achieve interoperability within just two weeks.” Patient portals have the power to transform the healthcare experience for patients, but only if they can trust that their data will be kept safe. Providers can protect their patients from identity theft by adopting a multi-layered solution that incorporates best practice and cutting-edge data security technologies. Find out more about how Experian Health can help you automate patient portal security to avoid medical identity theft, so you can save money, avoid reputational damage and create a positive patient experience.

With COVID-19 leading to postponed and cancelled medical appointments, more consumers are turning to “contactless care”. Recent figures suggest telehealth adoption has shot up from just 11% in 2019 to 46% over the course of the pandemic, and some providers are seeing up to 175 times the number of telehealth patients than pre-COVID. As they grapple with the surge in patient volumes alongside regulatory change, many are playing catch-up. For patients, rushed implementation means the telehealth experience can fall short of expectations. Compared to the easy one-click services available with online retail and finance platforms, telehealth can feel clunky and frustrating. Technical issues, not knowing how to prepare for appointments, and a lack of awareness of available services can all taint the consumer experience. Providers looking to launch (or re-launch) a patient-friendly telehealth service ahead of a possible second wave should aim to check off these four considerations before rolling it out. 1. Prioritize easy online scheduling for virtual care Allowing patients to book telehealth appointments when it suits them will help to reduce no-shows and minimize delays. A telehealth platform that integrates with physician calendars and other patient management and record management systems will keep things running smoothly at the operational level, while creating a convenient and secure way for patients to schedule care. For example, when Benefis Health System implemented Patient Schedule, more than 50% of patients chose to book their appointments out of normal working hours. Sam Martin, digital developer and web specialist at Benefis, says: “If you’re not allowing your patients to schedule online, you’re behind the times. You can only benefit from it. We’re seeing the number of online bookings continue to grow every month, confirming that this solution is working for patients.” 2. Include quick and reliable coverage checks With the pandemic and resulting unemployment putting both provider and patient cashflow under strain, any available commercial or government coverage must be identified quickly. Providers should run automated coverage checks to find any missing coverage and select the right financial pathway for each patient as soon as possible. Not only will this create a more compassionate patient financial experience, it’ll allow the collections team to focus their attention on the right accounts and minimize the risk of write-offs. Automated Coverage Discovery screens for eligibility through Medicare, Medicaid or commercial plans, without any collections agency getting involved. With this tool, Essentia Health were able to find coverage for 16,990 accounts that were assumed to be self-pay or uninsured. Kathryn Wrazidlo, Patient Access Director, says: “This has helped patients because we’re actually billing their insurance versus billing them for self-pay. It’s helping staff because they’re billing the insurance company much quicker. There’s less rework.” 3. Get telehealth claims right first time Given that the pandemic may cost hospitals an estimated $200 billion between March and June 2020, there’s no room for the added financial burden of claim denials. But as telemedicine expands, so does its regulatory framework. Providers must keep track of changing payer updates and coding rules so that claims are submitted right first time. An automated, data-driven claims management tool can help providers analyze claims with greater confidence and spot any errors well in advance of submission. Telehealth alerts can be included as customized edits, to confirm whether the patient’s current plan includes virtual care. To help providers manage this process, Experian Health is offering free access to telehealth payer policy alerts through our COVID-19 resource center. 4. Protect patient data As with any part of the digital patient experience, a multi-layered approach to protecting sensitive information is a must. Ideally, this will include two-factor patient identity authentication, device recognition and out-of-wallet checks whenever a log-in attempt looks suspicious. Automating this process with a tool such as Precise ID allows providers to integrate multiple data points to check that a patient is who they say they are, in a way that’s HIPAA-compliant. This makes it harder for thieves to access patient data, without burdening the patient with extra checks as they manage their information. Retaining patient volume and rebuilding revenue through “contactless” care won’t be possible unless the entire telehealth journey is as seamless as possible. From scheduling to payment, Experian Health can help you create a virtual patient experience that’s convenient, secure and reliable. To learn more about how to build a better digital patient journey, download our free eBook.

For many of the 36 million Americans who have registered for unemployment benefits during the coronavirus outbreak, losing their job means losing their health insurance. Options for the newly-unemployed are limited yet complicated: while the federal government has declined to reopen enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, several states are supporting those without coverage by opening emergency enrollment periods for state-based health exchanges. Those that can afford it may extend their existing employer plan through COBRA, while those that can’t may apply for Medicaid. But unfortunately, millions will be left without coverage. Now, with these changes happening in both large quantities and at rapid speed, the process for checking a patient’s coverage status is more complex, time-consuming and susceptible to errors than in normal circumstances. Further errors may appear as patients are forced to switch care teams, leading to disjointed care and incomplete, inaccurate or duplicate health records. It’s a huge administrative and financial burden for providers, who must keep pace with changes to the health insurance landscape or risk a surge in denied claims as a result of patient misidentification. How should they guard against patient identity errors and minimize revenue loss in the wake of COVID-19? How to prevent mismatched patient records and avoidable claims denials A 2018 survey found a third of denied healthcare claims were caused by patient identity errors, costing hospitals an average of $1.5 million. We may see this figure creep up following COVID-19, unless providers move quickly to implement robust identity proofing and patient matching processes. Providers looking to do this should consider prioritizing the following three areas: Eliminate errors during patient registration Up to half of denied claims occur earlier in the revenue cycle, which is also when most duplicate medical records are created. Improving identity proofing during patient scheduling and registration is a logical place to focus, to ensure records are accurate from the start. This should include proactively checking for active coverage as early as possible. Using a Coverage Discovery tool that automatically finds available coverage will help avoid bad debt write-offs and give patients peace of mind. Essentia Health’s Patient Access team were able to find 67% coverage pre-service, for patient accounts that were previously considered self-pay or uninsured. Automate identity matching throughout the revenue cycle When patient records are incomplete, duplicated or overlaid with part of someone else’s record, denied claims become an accepted cost – but they’re often avoidable. Instead of time-consuming and error-prone manual checks, providers should consider using automated identity management software to ensure patient records are accurate and complete. Data-driven matching technology supported by a Universal Patient Identifier allows a single view of each patient to be shared safely and securely across multiple healthcare services. There’s no need for tedious reconciliation work and providers can be confident they’re submitting clean claims each time. Improve identity management protocols for telehealth and mobile services More patients turning to telehealth services and patient portals to minimize face-to-face contact, putting pressure on providers to solve the patient matching problem. And with payers expanding coding for reimbursements for telehealth and remote services, there’s an added imperative to make sure patient information is accurate in order to minimize the risk of claims denials. Victoria Dames, Senior Product Director at Experian Health, says portal access has increased by roughly 40% since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, and explains that the rise in telehealth and mobile services means identity proofing must be a priority: “If you don’t already have identity proofing and automated solutions for patient matching in place, you’ll have duplicate records. We don’t want that – it’s important to have one view of the patient. But we need to move quickly. Automating for identity proofing eliminates the risk of human error and it’s faster too, which is crucial right now. We know many providers want to get their identity management and claims management systems optimized quickly, so we have a team set up to help.” Using the right technology to verify patient identities and analyze claims, avoidable denials resulting from missing or incorrect information can be caught sooner. Contact us to find out how we can help your organization manage patient identities to eliminate costly claims denials during and after COVID-19.

A hundred years ago, the Spanish flu pandemic led to a revolution in public health. Healthcare systems were overhauled, national health surveys were launched, and cross-border cooperation laid the groundwork for what later became the World Health Organization. Now, with everything from grocery shopping to the global economy upended as a result of COVID-19, thoughts inevitably turn to the legacy of the current pandemic. As healthcare providers struggle to reorganize services, staffing and revenue cycles, change is being forced at a blistering pace. Adjusting is tough, but it’s also accelerating technology trends that healthcare has been slow to leverage until now. Could the coronavirus pandemic bring the future of healthcare to us sooner than expected, just like what happened in the years following 1918? What more can providers do to prepare for  challenges in the new normal? Here to stay: telehealth and virtual care Necessity drives innovation – and one key example now is the telehealth explosion. Only a few months ago, remote healthcare was a business choice, selected for being more cost-effective and more convenient for patients, and for reducing the service-load on busy physicians, compared to traditional face-to-face care. Today, it’s an operational essential in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, giving patients a safe way to speak to their doctor without leaving their homes. Relaxed regulations, clearer payment rules and a hundreds of millions of federal cash injection are giving the roll-out a helping hand. Not only is this promoting better patient care and mitigating some of the revenue loss from reduced patient visits, it’s giving providers an unexpected opportunity to conduct a large-scale experiment in the use of telemedicine that would otherwise have been impossible. And it’s working. Patients, physicians and providers are getting used to the benefits of virtual care. Telehealth and self-service patient engagement will likely become the norm once the pandemic settles. Future-proofing healthcare services for a post-pandemic world Even though COVID-19 is far from over, now is the time to plan ahead for managing the pandemic fallout and to protect against future risks. As leading trends forecaster Mary Meeker suggests in her coronavirus trends report, what we really need to prepare for the aftershocks of COVID-19 is better integration of healthcare and technology. We already have the tools at our fingertips – and telehealth is just the start. Where are the gaps? Improving contact tracing and syndromic surveillance The medical community highlights contact tracing as essential for getting a handle on the spread of the coronavirus and potential future outbreaks. Unfortunately, we don’t yet have a system of universal patient identification, which could aid disease tracking by monitoring patient interactions with different touchpoints across multiple health services and generally aiding more accurate patient records. Still, many providers are turning to universal identity managers to track healthcare interactions and share accurate patient information safely and securely within their own networks. Prioritizing data protection and security With the surge in remote care and mobile health, keeping patient data safe through robust identity protection and matching is even more important. A tool such as Precise ID can give providers reassurance that only patients engage with  their information – whether on their phones or visiting a provider’s health portal – without  creating long wait times or adding complexity to the sign-up process. Strengthening the revenue cycle Estimates suggest health systems could lose an average of $2,800 per COVID-19 case, with many losing up to $10,000, if payers do not raise reimbursement premiums. Ceasing revenue-generating services to accommodate COVID-19 cases only compounds the financial strain on the healthcare system. With revenue cycles at breaking point, there is no room for inaccurate coding or claim denials. To help hospitals and healthcare organizations stay on top of rapidly changing payer policies, Experian Health is offering free access to COVID-19 and telehealth payer policy alerts, so providers can avoid delayed payments and costly claim denials. While the 1918 pandemic led to a complete revolution in our understanding of public health, the legacy of this virus may be more of an evolution – accelerating technological progress already moving forward. The organizations that adapt the quickest to the new normal will be most likely to survive. Find out more about the free resources and support available through Experian Health’s COVID-19 Resource Center to help your organization tackled the most pressing COVID-19 concerns.