Throughout the United States, there over 3,200 local and county jails housing more than 700,000 inmates. Providing adequate medical care to the inmate population is challenging to say the least, which has led to many states contracting out their jail healthcare to private companies. Unfortunately, many of the leading jail healthcare vendors have been on the receiving end of hundreds of lawsuits, some with multimillion dollar judgements.  

As the telemedicine industry continues to boom, we’re seeing more and more new forms of telehealth emerge in the marketplace. Telehealth variations include tele-rehab, remote patient monitoring and even utilization of “avatar-like” nurses by hospital systems and providers. In this new world of telehealth, we need to continually be looking for innovative modes by which triage and telephonic case managers can connect with the individuals they serve and engage them on their road to recovery.

As healthcare evolves, public entities are looking for new programs that promise savings and improved outcomes. However, if a change is initiated but poorly managed, it can have a detrimental effect—disrupting members’ access to care. It’s essential to consider the following best practices to ensure a change goes smoothly with minimal disruption: 

Medical costs are expected to grow again in 2019 at a rate that will outpace inflation. As a result, many public entities are being pressured to consider new and innovative approaches to their health benefits. This type of change in strategy can help them achieve both quality and affordable care. However, organizations must also ensure that the value to employees will far outweigh any risk or disruption the change will bring. Here are three good reasons to consider such a change: