How a Telehealth Provider Helps More Veterans Access Mental Healthcare

The Problem

Accessing mental health care through the VA’s partners like our client is convenient and often lifesaving. But when it came time to renew authorizations, endless paperwork and clunky systems created frustrating delays, leading to gaps in care.

Manual processes created several problems. First, patients often weren't notified when their authorizations were set to expire, which could lead to an unintentional lapse in care. When a veteran’s authorization lapsed, they would either have to pay for services out of pocket or lose access to their care completely.

Furthermore, physicians were unaware of current patient authorization status, upcoming authorization expirations, or renewal statuses. They couldn't proactively discuss these critical issues with their patients, leaving a major communication gap and missed opportunities to encourage renewals. That would ultimately increase the risk of patient churn.

Our client needed a solution that could help alleviate the burden on Veterans to renew their authorizations by involving both patients and providers in the renewal process. That would ensure veterans could continue their care without interruption.

The Solution

Penrod created a series of journeys in Salesforce Marketing Cloud to automate the entire communication workflow for renewing authorizations, ensuring patients and providers remain aligned throughout the renewal process.

Everything begins 120 days before a veteran's authorization is set to expire, starting with an automated email or SMS message to the patient. The message notifies them of the upcoming expiration and asks if they intend to renew or decline. Early notification gives both the patient and our client’s team enough time to complete the renewal process before authorizations expire.

A task is automatically created in Health Cloud for our client to follow up and begin the necessary paperwork.

Providers were also integrated into the workflow. Penrod designed three key email communications to keep them informed:

Initial Appointment Notification
When a new patient is scheduled, the provider receives an email with information about the patient's VA authorization, including its type and expiration date.

Follow-Up Renewal Reminder
If a follow-up appointment is scheduled within 120 days of the authorization's expiration, the provider receives a notification. This notification includes whether the patient has indicated their intent to renew, decline, or if they haven't responded yet. This empowers providers to have a conversation with the patient during their session, reinforcing the importance of continuing care.

Authorization Renewal Confirmation
Once the patient’s authorization is successfully renewed and a new record is created in the system, the provider receives a final notification with the updated expiration date.

The Results

After implementation, our client started seeing the positive impact on patients and providers alike.

Improved Patient Retention
By sending automated notifications and involving providers, the new process significantly reduced the risk of veterans accidentally lapsing in their care. This not only ensures better health outcomes but also strengthens the patient-provider relationship.

Reduced Administrative Burden
Our client is no longer manually tracking authorization expirations or chasing down renewal paperwork. The automated task creation in Health Cloud allows them to work more efficiently and focus on high-value patient interactions.

Enhanced Provider Engagement
For the first time, providers have full visibility into their patients’ authorization statuses. Now, they can have proactive conversations with veterans, ensuring continuity of care and becoming a partner in their mental health journey.

Ready to transform your patient journey?

If your healthcare organization is struggling with manual processes, communication gaps, and patient retention, it’s time to talk to an expert. Penrod specializes in creating custom solutions that address your unique challenges and drive real results.