Radix Health, a vendor of patient access and engagement technology, has launched a new product aimed at enabling physician practices and hospitals to improve communications and scheduling as they roll out COVID-19 vaccines at multiple locations.

WHY IT MATTERS

This vaccination messaging and scheduling system aims to help mid-level and large organizations efficiently and securely roll out their COVID-19 programs, first for staff and healthcare workers and then for patients as additional populations open up, state-by-state.

As part of the launch, Radix Health is working closely with a nonprofit health system in rolling out a plan to engage with its hundreds of thousands of associates and affiliated providers at more than 150 hospitals, enabling them to search for and schedule a vaccination appointment at a time and location convenient to the patient.

To date, nearly 200,000 appointments have been scheduled and nearly 100,000 vaccinations have been given, representing one of the largest independent vaccination efforts in the country, the vendor said.

The COVID-19 vaccine management system is designed to help medical groups and hospitals through pre-appointment engagement, online appointment scheduling and reminders, post-appointment communications, and collection of clinical data. These tools aim to streamline scheduling by leveraging digital and mobile solutions, rather than burdening staff or call centers with managing vaccination appointments.

Additionally, Radix's DASH software will continue to provide messaging to practices and hospitals, which will assist with providing education and additional communication needed in future phases of vaccinating patients who want more information.

THE LARGER TREND

Many states so far have been relying on an array of different IT systems to manage COVID-19 vaccine distribution, with some relying on ad hoc approaches to meet demand, manage allocation and schedule appointments.

Healthcare IT News recently asked several healthcare CIOs what communication and scheduling tools they find to be most useful when it comes to vaccine administration.

Regardless of the technology at work, a robust patient engagement strategy is key to effectively distributing vaccines to those who need them.

ON THE RECORD

"While COVID-19 has devastated communities all over the world, it represents a once in a 100 year opportunity to drive meaningful change in how patients engage with the healthcare system. We have the opportunity to help organizations roll out vaccinations and also meet consumers where they start their healthcare journey to support them throughout their entire experience," said Dr. Arun Mohan, cofounder and CEO of Radix Health, in a statement.

Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: bsiwicki@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.