Finding Value in Primary Care: Why Organizations Should Prioritize Primary Over Chronic Care

March is National Kidney Month, which highlights the 37 million people in the U.S. – more than 1 in 7 adults – who suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD). What’s even more alarming: Approximately 90% of those with CKD don’t know they have it. One in three American adults is at risk of developing the chronic condition, which can cause chest pain, persistent itching, and high blood pressure.

While chronic care is critical to the management of an illness like CKD, this data highlights the important role of primary care – particularly wellness visits – can play in prevention and chronic condition management.

Unfortunately, wellness visits were down dramatically in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. One New England-based healthcare system conducted 722 initial wellness visits in 2019, and only 136 in 2020.

So, how do practices and systems get patients back in for those critical well visits, which not only can drive improved patient outcomes, but much needed revenue? (The New England-based system’s data reveals each wellness visit drives an average of three referral appointments.)

A well-designed and executed patient engagement strategy will pro-actively connect with patients on their terms, via their preferred channels, and ensure the prioritization of individuals at highest risk for conditions, like CKD.