Until recently, healthcare organizations have had little or no influence over their providers’ profiles in health plan digital directories – and inconsistent profile data between health system and health plan websites has long been a point of friction across the channels. It’s also a source of frustration for people seeking care online.

The good news is that connecting the Kyruus and HealthSparq platforms is enabling provider data integration and scheduling options between health systems and health plans – and data integrations are already paying off for those forward-thinking organizations who are leading the way by implementing them. Like any important initiative, the key to a successful implementation starts with a solid, well-mapped plan. Below are some of the most important needs to address as you begin to build a plan for integrating your provider data into digital health plan directories. 

Get Organizational Buy-in

Whether you’re just beginning to think about provider data integration with health plans or you’re ready to take action, there’s a lot to consider, including how your organization’s provider data is maintained today, how it will be kept up-to-date in the future, and what type of online scheduling experience is preferred for health plan members. These are important topics that may require additional investments, such as upgrading or replacing your provider data management platform. That’s why it’s a good idea to socialize your ideas with key stakeholders in your organization – you’ll gain additional insight that can enhance the plan and it can help you smooth the path to receiving full approval for the project so it is included in the organization’s overarching digital roadmap.

Think Like a Health Plan Member

Use your own experience with health plan directories to help you envision how your organization’s provider profiles should appear to health plan members. Were you able to choose a provider based on the information presented? What information would have made your search easier? There’s a good chance your answers to these questions sync to responses from health plan members in a recent survey conducted by our colleagues at HealthSparq: members want more robust information from their plan’s provider directory, such as number of  years in practice (79%), specialization in a condition or age group (77%), treatment philosophy (74%), and languages spoken (64%). You’ll also want to consider self-scheduling options, because as you’d expect today, members want to book care as easily as they book a dinner reservation. 

Build Your Team

Establishing a cross-functional team of internal stakeholders, including colleagues from your organization’s technology, digital strategy, operations, and patient access teams helps ensure your plan addresses requirements and obstacles that you may not have considered. You can also enlist this team to help evaluate and select a strong technology partner – one who is experienced in provider data management as well as integrations with health plans. Choosing the right partner will enable you to take the pressure off internal resources – and yourself – while ensuring the project culminates in a successful integration.