Alleviating Patients' COVID Concerns, One at a Time—With a Digital Touch

In this unprecedented healthcare era brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, one possible silver lining is that the industry has shown the potential to innovate fast when needed. This transformation was on full display during health systems’ rapid transition to telehealth when most non-essential in-person visits were halted. Another example of quick innovation has been providers finding new ways to engage with, communicate and educate their patients during a global health crisis. The importance of these strategies will only ramp up as COVID-19 vaccines continue to be rolled out to the general population.

To get out in front of these issues and proactively connect with patients, Prisma Health, the largest system in South Carolina, serving 1.2 million patients annually across 18 hospitals, has been working with virtual care and communications provider Conversa Health on a program to tackle the challenge of communicating with patients about vaccines—specifically, what they need to know, when they can schedule their appointments for the two doses, and how to ensure they come in for both visits.