Background
In July 2024, a patient presented at the Emergency Department (ED) for alcohol-related issues but initially declined treatment services. The Rely Health navigator attempted to follow up with the patient three times, but each attempt was unsuccessful due to the patient not responding or declining services. As a result, the patient was removed from the immediate follow-up list and placed on a 30, 60, 90 day outreach initiation plan.
Patient Initiation
One month after the initial ED visit, the patient independently reached out to the navigator, expressing a desire for support and treatment. This change was inspired by a friend who had encouraged the patient to begin their recovery journey. The patient had retained the navigator's contact information from the previous interactions.
Challenges in Treatment Initiation
Upon the patient's request for help, the navigator connected him to Kaiser Addiction Medicine. However, several obstacles emerged:
These challenges led to the patient and treatment team feeling discouraged about the treatment process.
Navigator Intervention
The navigator took several key steps to support the patient:
1. Maintained open communication, encouraging the patient to express his feelings and concerns
2. Reassured the patient, taking responsibility for resolving scheduling issues
3. Leveraged strong relationships with the Kaiser Addiction Medicine team to advocate for the patient
4. Worked closely with the treatment team to arrange intake appointments that accommodated the patient's schedule
5. Secured transportation for the patient to attend appointments
Outcome
The navigator's persistent efforts and support yielded positive results:
Key Takeaways
Summary
This case study highlights the importance of patient-centered care and the significant impact that dedicated Rely Health navigation support can have on an individual's recovery journey and the effectiveness of reducing administrative burden and significant costs to the healthcare
