Transforming the Patient Experience
at Gastro Health® Charlottesville
With NAVGI 360™
Transforming the Patient Experience at Gastro Health® Charlottesville With NAVGI 360™
CHALLENGE: An inefficient system for providing pre-procedure information and bowel prep kits led to patient confusion and poor compliance, resulting in unacceptable rates of inadequate preparations and missed appointments, along with a less-than-optimal patient experience
Before the implementation of NAVGI 360™, patients at Gastro Health® Charlottesville encountered a challenging and often confusing colonoscopy preparation experience. The pre-procedural process expected of patients presented several barriers, including comprehending complex and, sometimes, conflicting instructions, cost uncertainty, and the need for access to a retail pharmacy to collect their prescribed bowel prep kits. This contributed to increased patient anxiety, frequent miscommunications, and concerning rates of inadequate preparations and missed appointments.
Gastro Health® Charlottesville saw these challenges as opportunities to improve the patient experience and quality of care. By implementing NAVGI 360™, the practice transformed the preparation process by improving the experience for both patients and practice staff.
“ Patients are appreciative of the cost savings with NAVGI 360™. Their prep is sent via mail from Gifthealth®, the cost is capped, and some patients even receive it for free. It’s a much greater saving compared to other pharmacies, even with other discount programs.”
– Annika McNamara, RN, BSN
Endoscopy Administrator
“ We’ve received positive feedback from patients on the benefits of low-volume prep. For those who have had high-volume preps before, it’s an easy sell. And surprisingly, about 50% of our patients love the pill prep option — we didn’t expect it to be accepted to this degree.”
– Daniel J. Pambianco, MD, FACG, FASGE
Medical Director, Gastro Health® Charlottesville
Past President, American College of Gastroenterology®
CHALLENGE
Co-pay clarity
- Patients often faced uncertainty regarding co-pay amounts, leading to stress and confusion about the total cost of their bowel prep
- Unexpected out-of-pocket costs led to dissatisfaction and often caused patients to use lower-quality over-the-counter preps, resulting in confusion and inadequate preparation on the day of the procedure
Convenient mail-order delivery
- Patients had to visit pharmacies to pick up their prescriptions, leading to inconveniences and delays
- Issues with pharmacies not stocking the prep or using the incorrect coupon were common, causing frustration
- Pharmacies frequently substituted the prescribed prep, often switching from a low-volume option to a high-volume or over-the-counter alternative, further complicating the process for patients
Pre-procedure patient contact via text messaging
- Limited or no communication via text left patients feeling disconnected and unsure about their prep status and next steps
- Lack of reminders contributed to forgetfulness, with late cancellations (within 72 hours of a scheduled procedure), no-shows, and day-of-procedure cancellations representing 13% of scheduled appointments that were not completed
- 85% of same-day procedure cancellations were for reasons that could have been addressed prior to the appointment time
- Instructions were often confusing or inconsistent, leading to uncertainty about how to properly follow bowel prep instructions
- Patients sometimes received conflicting information from different sources, adding to their confusion and anxiety
NAVGI 360™ Solution
Co-pay clarity
- Co-pay amounts are clearly communicated upfront, with a maximum of $50, providing peace of mind about costs
- Nearly 20% of patients receive their prep for free, enhancing patient satisfaction and compliance†
Convenient mail-order delivery
- Bowel prep kits are conveniently delivered to patients’ homes via mail order, eliminating the need for pharmacy visits
- Reliable and timely delivery ensures patients receive their prep on time, reducing stress and preparation delays
Pre-procedure patient contact via text messaging
- Automated text messages keep patients informed and engaged, providing updates on prescription delivery and reminders about prep timeline and appointment scheduling
- Takes less than 10 minutes per day for practice staff to complete
- Reduced cancellations and no-show rates†
- Clear and consistent instructions are provided both with the mailed prep and through text messages, ensuring patients can easily understand and follow the preparation process at every step
- Step-by-step guidance ensures patients feel confident in their preparation, promoting better compliance and procedure outcomes
“ I tell patients that this is an investment in their health — not just for them, but for their family, kids, and grandchildren. When we frame it this way and explain the improvements in the prep process, patients are much more engaged and willing to follow through with the procedure.”
– Dr. Pambianco
“ The NAVGI 360™ dashboard is outstanding. We can monitor patients’ progress and forecast compliance. Knowing when patients have received their bowel prep and seeing their engagement with the process gives us a good indication that they’re going to show up for their procedure.”
– Annika McNamara
NAVGI 360™ revolutionizes the bowel prep process by enhancing the patient experience and increasing practice efficiency
By addressing the challenges faced by an inefficient pre-procedure process, NAVGI 360™ has transformed the patient journey at Gastro Health® Charlottesville. NAVGI 360™ standardizes patient communications and coordinates bowel prep kit distribution via mail order, offering clearer guidance and support for patients. Since adopting NAVGI 360™, Gastro Health® Charlottesville has reduced cancellation rates, improved patient preparedness, and boosted workflow efficiency, highlighting its value in improving both the patient experience and reducing the administrative burden for practice staff.
†Data on file. Experience reported reflects data from a single office. Results are dependent on factors unique to each practice site.
