HIStalk Practice Interviews Geeta Nayyar, MD Chief Healthcare & Innovation Officer, Femwell Group Health

Geeta Nayyar, MD is chief healthcare and innovation officer at Femwell Group Health in Miami.

Tell me about yourself and the organization.

I am the chief healthcare and innovation officer for TopLine MD and Femwell Group Health, one of the largest management services organizations in the state of Florida. We manage about 500 practices in the state, primarily focused on women’s health and primary care. As a board-certified practicing physician who specializes in rheumatology, I maintain an active practice, serve on the medical school faculty at Florida International University and George Washington University and host "Topline MD TV," Florida’s premiere medical digital news channel.

I’ve always loved science and people, and I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. The best part about my current position is that I am able to make an impact beyond just one-one-one patient care. I can help influence changes in the industry that could potentially impact thousands of people in a positive way for better care and better outcomes, and that is supremely gratifying.

Femwell decided to roll out patient engagement technology from HealthGrid several months ago. What prompted that decision?

Given the paradigm shift in healthcare and a more consumer-driven and value-based care model, we were looking for a strategic partner and, after a thorough and competitive vetting process, determined that HealthGrid was the right partner for us to help us achieve a higher level of patient engagement and better outcomes. We need 50 percent of patients to have a mobile connection with their providers to get meaningful outcomes via patient engagement technologies. HealthGrid is the only company we found that had 50-70 percent of their customers’ patients engaging on their mobile devices to review their care summaries and adhere to their care plans. In addition, the company also guaranteed attestation for all patient engagement MU/MIPS measures.

When patients are engaged in their care – which means meeting them where they are on their mobile devices – they have better outcomes. HealthGrid has a health management engine with patient engagement built into it, which ensures quality continuum of care in their healthcare journey. Physicians also see and appreciate the measurable ROI afforded by such a comprehensive system that harnesses the power of the value-based care model.

Femwell rolled out telemedicine services last year. How has adoption been? How has that service impacted access and outcomes?

Our adoption of telemedicine services continues to grow. We have seen a significant growth across specialties and across groups. This in part is due to the ease of access for both physicians and patients. Telemedicine has allowed our physicians and patients to connect after-hours and on weekends, when needed. Patients are comforted knowing their own doctor has adopted new technologies to enhance their care. It’s an extension of the brick-and-mortar physician offices, in the palm of their hands.

With the adoption of telemedicine services, TopLine MD has seen better outcomes for patients simply by enhancing their continuum of care and lessening the need for patients to visit other physicians in emergency rooms or urgent care centers.

What unique challenges do OB/GYN practices face when it comes to selecting and implementing health IT?

OB/GYN practices have specific challenges just by the nature of care they need to deliver. Many appointments need to be done face-to-face because physical exams are required for proper care. As far as the patient engagement component of maternity care is concerned, telemedicine and interactive patient engagement tools allow physicians and patients to stay connected, and can help alleviate stress and anxiety of an expectant mom. Tools tailored specifically for young families on the go, such as accessing a physician’s note for school officials, without having to visit the school or the physician’s office, is just one of the ways real patient engagement tools make a difference in the everyday lives of families.

Aside from technology, what are the top two or three challenges your physicians are facing today? How is Femwell helping them work through these?

Physicians at TopLine MD face the same challenges as most. Physicians want to be physicians and the challenges surrounding the business of healthcare, including processes, marketing, and policies, should not affect the precious eight-10 minute patient visits with a physician. We offer innovative foundational support for physician practices, including robust patient engagement technology that enables physicians to focus on the patient.

Getting back to technology, what’s next for Femwell physicians?

The technology platforms at Femwell have evolved and telehealth capabilities are increasing. Femwell is planning to further expand by increasing utilization up to 10 times through connecting patient engagement technologies to telehealth. We’re also looking forward to strengthening the partnership with HealthGrid through data analytics and leveraging strategies for reporting to various regulatory agencies, enabling it to excel in the value-based care world..

Do you have any final thoughts?

This is just the beginning for Femwell. It has proven to be a leader in helping physician practices succeed by working with strategic partners such as HealthGrid to facilitate meaningful communication with patients in this new paradigm in healthcare. We believe having the right tech partners at the table will ensure the best delivery model of healthcare possible.

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Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

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