Engaging your patient community and reducing tasks

As a federally qualified health center (FQHC), Tapestry 360 Health provides essential, comprehensive healthcare services to a diverse patient population in the Chicago area. Tapestry 360 Health has over 28,000 patients across 15 clinics, including integrated care and school-based sites, and plays a crucial role in ensuring that all individuals in the community have access to quality healthcare.

However, like many healthcare organizations, they faced significant challenges in engaging patients and managing administrative tasks effectively as they grew.

Before transitioning to athenaOne, Tapestry 360 Health's patients had difficulty accessing their health information, as a lack of self-serve, automated pathways put the burden on front desk and administrative staff to navigate phone calls and inquiries. This not only overwhelmed staff but also created barriers to patients taking an active role in their healthcare journey. As Meghan Murphy, the Digital Learning and Development Manager at Tapestry 360 Health, noted, “We needed a solution that would empower our patients and reduce the manual work for our staff.” 

Increasing engagement while reducing administrative burden

In 2023, Tapestry 360 Health made the strategic decision to adopt athenaOne, recognizing its potential to enhance patient engagement and streamline operations. The robust suite of patient digital engagement tools was particularly valuable, as it offered features that would allow patients to access their lab results, communicate with providers, and manage their healthcare information without needing to call the office. Murphy emphasized, “I really appreciate [athenaOne] automating things that should be automated and allowing staff to communicate with patients in more meaningful ways.”

The implementation of the Patient Portal transformed the way Tapestry 360 Health stays connected to its patient community. 

Driving adoption and measuring success

After transitioning to athenaOne, Tapestry 360 Health wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity in front of them. They developed various initiatives to facilitate patient engagement, including developing patient handouts, creating staff pins that say, “Ask me about the portal,” and hosting workshops focused on digital literacy. These efforts have ensured that both staff and patients are well-equipped to utilize the Patient Portal effectively.

Between August 2023 and August 2024, Tapestry 360 Health saw a 17.5% increase in Patient Portal adoption. Every patient in that pool is better equipped to take charge of their healthcare, and Murphy has heard from patients proactively requesting to update information such as medication history.

This increase in adoption has also led to a significant rise in the number of monthly payments made through the portal, which increased 18.5% during the same timeframe. The more patients can make self-serve payments through the Patient Portal, the less time and effort front desk staff need to spend on staying connected. Of the large population registered to the Patient Portal, 80% of those users are considered active, meaning they have logged in at least once outside of registration.

As Tapestry 360 Health continues to explore the full potential of athenaOne, they remain focused on improving accessibility and engagement for all patients, particularly those in underserved areas and those who speak languages other than English. With 23% of their Patient Portal users coming from non-English-speaking backgrounds, Tapestry 360 Health understands that offering accessible pathways is essential. 

A commitment to continuous improvement

Tapestry 360 Health's journey with athenaOne illustrates the transformative power of technology in enhancing patient engagement and streamlining healthcare delivery. By addressing the challenges of low patient engagement and administrative burden, Tapestry 360 Health has successfully empowered its patients and improved operational efficiency, and they’re far from done. They know that athenaOne has a host of features that improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden, and Murphy is excited to continue reducing the amount of work on her staff’s plates so they can focus on their mission to enhance the quality of patient care.

If you're ready to discover how our innovative solutions can help you engage your patients, reach out to us today.