At Your Service: Concierges Connect Patients with Care

Each month, more than 1,600 patients come to Johns Hopkins Medicine from out of state, often seeking a specialist’s opinion for diagnoses such as cancer. It can be overwhelming to coordinate appointments with a new provider and trips to another state, but with a single call, they can be connected to Johns Hopkins USA’s medical concierge services. Concierges use Epic to coordinate with providers in a single place as they advocate for these patients and help them get scheduled for care.

“Our concierges act as partners and guides for patients throughout the process,” said Susan Hilton, operations specialist at HUSA. “An integrated system makes it easier for concierges to coordinate care with scheduling staff and providers and keep the process moving smoothly.”

When a patient calls HUSA, staff review the patient’s medical history in Epic and use this information to connect the patient with a concierge. The concierge acts as the patient’s personal advocate through every step of the medical journey and records each call in the chart. Concierges find specialists and schedule appointments in Epic to fit the patient’s trip schedule. They also help the patient plan the trip to Johns Hopkins, from deciding how to travel to the hospital and where to stay while receiving care to knowing what to bring for the visit.

The concierge is part of the patient’s care team in Epic and can track the patient’s treatment from start to finish.

“We’re able to communicate more effectively, and quicker, because everything is in one system,” Susan said. “We can work together to make sure the patient has the best possible experience.”

Epic community members can learn more about using CRM to follow up on patient phone calls in the CRM Communications Setup and Support Guide on the UserWeb.