OSF HealthCare Taps CRM to Drive Portal Usage and Qualify for Meaningful Use Incentives

// By Lisa D. Ellis //

Judy Winkler, strategic marketing director at OSF HealthCare

Health systems today are looking for ways to engage patients, and one important way is through electronic health records (EHRs) and patient portals. To spur organizations to expand their use of EHRs and improve patient engagement, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the EHR Incentive Program in 2011.

This program has been rolled out in a multistage process. It is designed to encourage organizations to establish electronic medical records systems, use them to deepen their engagement with patients, and track improvements in quality of care, efficiency, and health outcomes. To receive incentives, qualifying organizations must attest to meaningful use as defined by each stage. CMS reported that “more than $24.8 billion in Medicare EHR Incentive Program payments have been made between May 2011 and January 2018.”

Jennifer Baker-Grogg, lead client strategist for Tea Leaves Health

Judy Winkler, strategic marketing director at OSF HealthCare based in Peoria, Illinois, shared her organization’s experiences at Greystone.net’s Healthcare Internet Conference (HCIC) in October 2017. She was joined by Jennifer Baker-Grogg, lead client strategist for Tea Leaves Health, a Welltok company, OSF’s CRM provider. Winkler and Baker-Grogg discussed the strategy and tactics OSF used to drive increased portal engagement, and also provided a blueprint for other groups looking to tackle similar challenges. The results to date reveal that this strategy is making a difference — particularly in one specific age group. Hint: It’s not millennials.

Patient engagement is the key to solving healthcare’s most challenging problems, and technology tools such as patient portals close the gaps between in-person encounters, helping patients stay connected with providers and more effectively manage their health. The EHR Incentive Program is designed to support health systems with their patient engagement efforts. Is your organization taking advantage of this program, which generates additional revenue, and solidifies your relationship with patients? 

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