Medical Network Launches Targeted Telehealth Visits to Help Health Plan Members

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the entire U.S. population on some level, people at highest risk are older Americans and those with multiple chronic conditions. With states implementing stay-at-home orders and the likelihood of seclusion extended into the foreseeable future, Matrix Medical Network (Matrix) announced that it has launched telehealth visits to help health plan members across the country to prepare and cope during the pandemic.

Knowing that these members have now been urged not to leave their homes, or to have visitors that might put them at greater risk, Matrix now offers the ability for its healthcare providers to visit with health plan members virtually.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for this type of service; we’ve answered the call from many of our clients on a need to find alternative ways to support their members,” said Keith Henthorne, Chairman and CEO of Matrix. “Until the time when in-home visits can resume, telehealth visits offer an opportunity to connect with health plan members who need our help, allowing us to address member COVID-19 concerns while completing a comprehensive health assessment.”

Matrix has implemented a targeted program that uses its proven clinical excellence to help members not only identify the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, but to address concerns about their care and well-being. That includes ensuring they have taken the steps to secure a sufficient supply of their medications, learning coping strategies for loneliness and depression, and helping them initiate and navigate the necessary care management and community referrals that are available to help them access health services, food and supplies in this time of need. Additionally, Matrix providers can connect members with the resources and benefits that are readily accessible from their health plan. Now more than ever, Matrix is helping this population get informed about safe practices and ensure they become active in protecting their health during these difficult times.

“In light of this national crisis, telehealth capabilities quickly rose to the top as a capability we needed to provide to ensure member well-being while serving the needs of our clients,” said Ian Worden, Chief Information Officer for Matrix. “Our teams came together quickly to enable real-time, secure audio and video communication in combination with our proprietary clinical platform allowing our providers to address COVID-19 concerns as part of completing this essential virtual visit.”

In these unprecedented times, health plans now have the ability to deliver an invaluable and convenient virtual experience to their members. Additionally, Matrix continues to seek ways to bring value to the members and communities it serves, while coordinating with its health plan and health system clients, to ensure the safety of its providers and members across the country.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a memorandum on the Health Plan Management System (HPMS) pertaining to COVID-19 and the use of telehealth. Additionally, under the 1135 waiver authority and the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, CMS expanded the use of telehealth and encouraged its application where possible.

Matrix Medical Network helps health plans and providers create an affordable, patient-centered approach to successfully navigating value-based care. The clinical services organization’s unmatched network of healthcare professionals meets difficult-to-engage members where they are to assess health and safety, identify and close care gaps and offer life-changing services that activate them to manage their own health. Matrix then uses AI and machine learning to harness the massive amounts of data captured to drive better clinical decision-making, improving outcomes and member satisfaction while reducing the cost of care and delivering unparalleled ROI.