8x8, Inc. (NASDAQ:EGHT), a provider of cloud-based unified
communications, contact center and collaboration services, today
announced that ChenMed, a family-owned, physician-led organization with
an innovative, industry-recognized primary care model for seniors, has
deployed 8x8 Virtual Office services at 36 Chen and JenCare Neighborhood
Medical Centers and two corporate offices in six U.S. states.
Based in South Florida, the ChenMed family of companies provides
integrated healthcare to at-risk seniors, many of whom are low to
moderate income. ChenMed’s unique, outcome-based healthcare model
significantly increases patient face-to-face time with both primary care
and specialist doctors, and allows for same-day walk-up appointments
when needed. ChenMed also strategically leverages end-to-end
technologies to continually improve health outcomes and the patient
experience.
“Our primary focus is on improving patient health outcomes, but we are
keenly focused on improving the patient experience,” said Christopher
Chen, MD, ChenMed Chief Executive Officer. “Our physicians typically see
350 to 450 patients a year – a fraction of the national average of 2,300
patients per doctor – so Chen and JenCare Neighborhood Medical Center
doctors really get to know their patients. Our doctors build strong
relationships with each of the seniors they serve.”
The results of ChenMed’s innovative approach continue to attract
national and international attention. On average, ChenMed patients
annually spend nearly 40% fewer days in the hospital, and patient
satisfaction, as measured by Net Promoter Scores, is extraordinarily
high. Chen and JenCare Neighborhood Medical Centers enjoy Net Promoter
Scores in the low- to mid-90s.
Phenomenal Growth Drives Need for Rapid Deployment and Nimble
Technology
Over the past five years, ChenMed has experienced annual growth
exceeding 60%, as new neighborhood centers have opened. Prior to
deploying 8x8 cloud communications, ChenMed had a centralized
premises-based PBX phone system that routed all company calls through
Miami and then back out to geographically dispersed neighborhood centers.
Tasked with upgrading telephony companywide for a rapidly growing
medical practice, ChenMed CIO Oliver Degnan, concluded that it would be
significantly more reliable and less expensive to move ChenMed’s
communications to the cloud, an IT infrastructure he understands very
well.
“As a fast growing family of companies, we needed the elasticity and
scalability of a cloud solution,” said Degnan. “With 8x8’s rapid
deployment model, we were fully functional on one seamless solution
across 38 sites and more than 1,400 users in five weeks, and we can
quickly deploy new locations as we grow. This would be virtually
impossible with any premises-based system.”
Only 8x8 Provides a Business Associate Agreement to Ensure HIPAA
Compliance
At the same time, Degnan recognized that a cloud solution would have to
comply with the federal government’s stringent HIPAA requirements in
order to support ChenMed and its mission.
“Phones are an essential asset for us. They are the primary way we
communicate with patients around frequent face-to-face appointments with
their doctors,” he explained. “As such, our phone system is an integral
part of our integrated healthcare delivery model. But as a healthcare
provider, we must also ensure our patients’ confidential medical
information is secure no matter how it is transmitted or electronically
stored.” After evaluating several cloud-based systems, Degnan found that
8x8 was the only provider that offers the Business Associate Agreement
mandated by federal HIPAA regulations.
8x8 Cloud Services Save ChenMed Millions
Another important benefit of 8x8 service is that ChenMed can now
anticipate its communication costs and budget accordingly. 8x8 provides
unlimited local and long distance service for a flat monthly fee,
eliminating charges for individual calls. “8x8 will save us millions of
dollars over the next few years,” said Degnan. “We no longer have to
worry about our phone bills because we know exactly what the charges
will be.”
As new employees join ChenMed, 8x8 can activate their phone service
typically within an hour, accelerating the onboarding process.
Similarly, 8x8 has helped ChenMed configure complex, customized call
routing rules to align with the company’s workflow and ensure patients
get the help they need, even if they call after hours.
“We are proud to be supporting ChenMed’s innovative healthcare strategy
and exceptional growth with our industry-leading cloud communications
services,” said 8x8 CEO Vik Verma. “HIPAA compliance has become a
non-negotiable requirement for business communications, not just for
healthcare organizations like ChenMed that deal directly with patients,
but also for subcontractors who have exposure to sensitive patient data.
With 8x8’s services, ChenMed can be confident that their patient
communications are secure and that the cost savings they are realizing
can be applied to fulfilling their healthcare mission.”
Leveraging Technology to Reduce Risk and Improve Patient Care
Degnan believes that other healthcare providers should not be afraid to
embrace new cloud-based technologies that can improve patient care. “We
deal with high-risk patients, so we need to reduce our risk on the IT
side,” said Degnan. “Moving communications to the cloud is not risky if
you work with a highly reliable, HIPAA-compliant partner like 8x8. By
deploying the best possible communication system in our neighborhood
centers, we enable our physicians to deliver the best possible patient
care.”
About 8x8, Inc.
8x8, Inc. (NASDAQ:EGHT) is the trusted provider of secure and reliable
cloud-based unified communications and virtual contact center solutions
to more than 40,000 small, midsize and distributed enterprise
organizations operating in over 40 countries across six continents.
8x8's out-of-the-box cloud solutions replace traditional on-premise PBX
hardware and software-based systems with a flexible and scalable
Software as a Service (SaaS) alternative, encompassing cloud business
phone service, contact center solutions, and web conferencing. For
additional information, visit www.8x8.com, or
www.8x8.com/UK or connect with 8x8
on Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
About ChenMed, Chen and JenCare Neighborhood
Medical Centers:
ChenMed is a privately-owned healthcare organization working to
positively change American healthcare through primary care innovation.
Based in Miami Gardens, ChenMed operating units include Chen
Neighborhood Medical Centers, bringing better healthcare to Florida
seniors; JenCare Neighborhood Medical Centers, bringing better
healthcare to seniors in Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and
Virginia (Richmond and Tidewater); ChenTech, and Primary Management
Resources (PMR), delivering outstanding technology systems and
management consulting services to improve operations and patient
experiences at diverse medical practices nationwide.
In late September 2014, The Economist featured the integrated
medical practice, with lead noting that: “ChenMed is devoted to poor
elderly people who may have half a dozen chronic conditions. It profits
when they are kept well and their health-care costs are kept low.” The
Economist concluded its profile by reporting: “Medicare patients at
ChenMed spent nearly 40% fewer days in hospital than the national
average.”
Copyright Business Wire 2014