“In order to provide high-value care concordant with patient wishes, we needed just-in-time electronic access to the most recent, legally valid POLST form. Our goals included this functionality to exist for our patients even outside our own walls and our EHR could not achieve this. Vynca allowed us to achieve all our goals with their EHR-integrated solution that allows POLST access to all participating providers across the state.”

Kathy Blanton, Director, Clinical Integration, Office of Patient Experience — Sutter Health

Leveraging Digital Advance Care Planning During a Pandemic

COVID-19 has required healthcare providers to rapidly adopt new ways to discuss and complete advance care planning (ACP) documents. As many visits shifted from in-person to telehealth, the traditional way to completing these documents – pen and paper – was no longer an option. This was quickly recognized by our current healthcare partners who have been leveraging Vynca for all their ACP needs, as well as new partners who adopted our ACP Emergency eRegistry to make a quick shift to digital ACP.

Access to Advance Care Planning Documents Lowers In-Hospital Death and Increases Hospice Use

Vynca took a look at client data from a health system to understand if there is a correlation between the presence of a POLST form in Vynca and the place of death, one full year (1/1/18 to 12/31/18) of death data was examined. Included were patients who died of natural causes (N on death certificate) and were 65 years and older at the time of death. This resulted in 3,029 decedents and 1,753 POLST forms.

Advance Care Planning/POLST Effect on Acute Care Utilization in Last 30 Days of Life

Vynca took a look at client data from a health system to understand if there is a correlation between the presence of a POLST form in Vynca and acute care utilization in the last 30 days of life. One full year (1/1/18 to 12/31/18) of death data was examined. Included were patients who died of natural causes (N on death certificate) and were 65 years and older at the time of death, resulting in 3,029 decedents and 1,754 POLST forms.

Leveraging Vynca to Increase Advance Care Planning Document Completion

ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK (AHN.org), a Highmark Health company, is an integrated health care delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The network is composed of 13 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home- and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. AHN provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, cardiovascular disease, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women’s health, diabetes and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff, and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Advance Care Planning Billing Guide

Leverage this guide to better understand how and when you can bill for ACP conversations.