Redirecting ED Volumes to Primary Care Case Study

Goal

The healthcare system set out with the goal of increasing primary care physician volumes by educating patients about the benefits of establishing a PCP and also redirecting lower acuity level Emergency Department and Urgent Care visits by explaining the appropriate times to use an Urgent Care Center versus an Emergency Department.

Integrated Solution

The hospital engaged CRM partner, LionShare, to develop a targeted audience for this direct mail campaign.

Utilizing data analytics via DIATA® (LionShare’s business intelligence tool), specific list criteria to support the project goal was determined. The audience included patients living within the market area who had been to Urgent Care or ED three or more times in the past three years or one time in the past year. Patients who have been to the six primary care locations were also suppressed.

A direct mail piece was then implemented aimed at increasing PCP visits among the 21,000 households targeted. The hospital communicated via a personalized letter in a closed-face envelope to appear as a personal communication from the hospital. The letter contained information regarding when it is appropriate to use an Urgent Care Center or ED, along with a primary care brochure to educate the audience. The letter also provided a call-to-action to contact the call center or visit the primary care website.

Success Criteria & Results

Once six months of revenue data was available, LionShare compared downstream and utilization between the mail and control groups to measure marketing lift.

With a return of $9.14 for every $1.00 spent, it was determined the campaign met and exceeded the success criteria.