March 2022 Release Notes
March at ACP Decisions was busy with security updates to our tech infrastructure and blog posts. A new release is underway and coming your way in the next few months!
ACP Decisions’ technology infrastructure upgrades and work continue and we always welcome your feedback on how we can better meet your needs and the needs of your patients.
Here's more information on what we've been up to:
Catching Up On Our Most Recent Blog Posts
3 Transformative Benefits of Telehealth
(3 minute read)
For many years, telehealth lingered on the fringes of healthcare. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. The utilization of telehealth services skyrocketed from less than one percent to as much as eighty percent of provider visits in the early months of the public health emergency as temporary policies were enacted to promote a safer mode of care delivery.
Telehealth connects patients to health services through virtual means, such as videoconferencing, wireless communications, electronic consults, and remote monitoring. In studies that looked at the widespread use of virtual care during the pandemic, patients reported high satisfaction with telehealth services.
Many stakeholders now consider telehealth an indispensable part of the U.S. healthcare system. In light of the tenuous policies supporting its continued use, it’s important to remember the fundamental benefits of telehealth.
In this Case Study, Novello Physicians Organization (NPO) implemented ACP Decisions’ Video Library to support a whole-person care approach across a network of independent providers. This initiative has helped NPO achieve its goal of decreasing Emergency Department visits, hospital admissions and readmission rates.
ACP Decisions Videos Re-Certified by the Washington State Health Care Authority
(2 minute read)
ACP Decisions is pleased to announce that ten of its decision aids focused on end-of-life care have been re-certified by the Washington State Health Care Authority. ACP Decisions is one of a few organizations in the U.S. to receive certification within the end-of-life care category. This certification is valid for five years.
Washington was the first state to establish a formal process to review, certify and advocate the use of decision aids across the health continuum. As part of the “Healthier Washington” shared decision-making initiative, the state certifies tools that help people engage in health decisions with their health care providers and provide the information they need to make informed decisions.
Advance Care Planning: A Tool for Healthcare Empowerment
(4 minute read)
The onslaught of COVID-19 cases early in the pandemic derailed the process of shared decision making in healthcare by forcing in-the-moment medical decisions. The pandemic elucidated how health can deteriorate suddenly and unexpectedly, driving a call to action for individuals, families, and providers to initiate advance care planning (ACP) discussions and ensure end-of-life care wishes are documented.
In a research study recently published in JAMA Network Open, Dr. Angelo Volandes, principal investigator and Co-Founder of ACP Decisions, and an investigative team set out to determine if uptake of ACP during the pandemic would increase following implementation of video decision aids and clinician communication skills training. The team also wanted to find out how these interventions would impact ACP documentation among patients from ethnic and racial minority groups, specifically African Americans and Hispanics.
The Latest Technology Platform Fixes & Enhancements
👷🏼🔨Ongoing Infrastructure Update🔨👷🏼
Since the Fall of 2021, ACP Decisions’ technology has been focused on all-around upgrade beginning with our infrastructure. Now through 2022 is an exciting period of growth to advance the technology in several areas including but not limited to new capabilities, HIPAA readiness, EHR integration, and security. New updates are scheduled to be released starting March 2022. Your feedback is essential to the upcoming roadmap and release schedule.
Any Questions or Feedback?
Please reach out to our wonderful partner success manager, Shira Gabry-Kalikow MPH, LMSW at shira@acpdecions.org to provide feedback or get assistance using the platform.