July 8, 2022 – PRC, a leader in the healthcare intelligence space, announced today that it will be including CARES™ Connect—an innovative discharge solution designed to improve patient perceptions, increase HCAHPS scores, and reduce hospital readmissions—as part of their exclusive Vizient member offerings.
Created by PRC and Healthcare Experience Foundation, CARES™ Connect contacts patients via live CARES™-certified interviewers or SMS text within 24 hours of hospital discharge, ensuring their safe transition home, answering patient questions, verifying adherence to discharge instructions, and identifying safety risks that could cause readmissions if left unaddressed.
CARES™ Connect was introduced in June 2021, with PRC offering calls and texts to clients that cater to their patient demographics’ needs following inpatient, emergency department, and ambulatory surgery support. Unlike IVR technology commonly used in discharge communication, the live interviewers conducting CARES™ Connect communication provide a personalized experience for recently discharged patients that convey genuine compassion for patient well-being and dedication to their recovery.
“Through our agreement with Vizient, we’re thrilled to offer CARES™ Connect to its members and bring meaningful post-discharge communications to patients across the country,” said Katie Owens, President, Healthcare Experience Foundation and SVP, PRC Excellence Accelerator®. “During its launch year, we’ve seen CARES™ Connect support client improvements in safety outcomes, and its inclusion in our Vizient solution packages gives it a new platform to support even more organizations moving forward.”
To ensure clients have a complete solution, CARES™ Connect is accompanied by PRCAlertView.com, a reporting platform that uses CARES™ Connect data to notify hospital clinical staff of safety risks. Additionally, all clients receive evidence-based coaching to optimize their discharge planning, communication, and follow-up.
Together, this complete solution creates a performance improvement loop for healthcare professionals to efficiently triage post-discharge risks and identify opportunities to improve quality of care.