Papa

Every Sunday, #PapaPal Jean drives one of her regular members who has struggled with addiction to and from her weekly support group meeting. She’s not the only member Jean drives to these important meetings, and the women trust her with their stories on the drive. Jean’s role extends beyond just transportation—she has become a trusted confidante for these members and many others who share their thoughts, trials, joys, and memories with her. In just a year, Jean has gathered countless heartwarming stories and has formed just as many strong bonds with members in her community.💚 Read her story here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e7D5xy9f

Indianapolis, get ready! 🚀 We’re gearing up for #MHPA24, where we’ll meet with Medicaid plans about how Papa addresses unmet needs, advances health equity, and helps build healthy communities among their members. Curious to learn how we can support your plan’s populations? Schedule one-on-one time with us at the event: https://lnkd.in/e9yfFqDP. 🌟

It’s more important than ever for SDOH industry companies to evaluate their interventions and prove their value. I wish quality of life outcomes were enough, yet we all know the question of cost savings is always number one. BUT there’s one huge challenge: we rarely have access to healthcare claims data to do this type of evaluation routinely. Rather than relying on hand-wavey ROI calculations, the industry needs an evidence-based metric that can act as a proxy for cost savings in the absence of claims data. In our recent publication, we share results of a study using the CDC’s Healthy Days Measure to do just that. Using claims data and patient-reported data, we found each additional unhealthy day reported was associated with an increase in 30-day medical costs of $60 and $34 for physically and mentally unhealthy days, respectively. Our findings support using unhealthy days as a health-related quality of life measure and an important tool for cost estimations. Special thanks to my co-authors for all their work on this study: Ellen Rudy John Rogers Zachary Goldberg, MD Howard Friedman Prakash Navaratnam David B. Nash, MD, MBA

Social prescribing could be a powerful tool for addressing unmet social needs, but its impact is limited if people can’t access the resources prescribed to them. Transportation remains a significant barrier, especially for those facing loneliness and isolation. 🚘 Recent research by Papa’s Kelsey McNamara and University of California, Davis’ Bethney Bonilla-Herrera, MA and NA'AMAH RAZON, presented at AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting, reveal a troubling reality: Medicare Advantage members who are lonely or lack reliable social support face more transportation barriers. Transportation for social visits and activities was the most common transportation barrier reported. And even though many Medicare Advantage plans offer medical transportation, many members still struggle to get to appointments or pick up prescriptions—and this gap widens for members who are lonely and/or lack reliable social support. These findings underscore the need to expand transportation assistance beyond just medical needs. Following through on referrals and doctors’ orders and getting out in the community are vital to living a full, healthy life. At #Papa, we’re dedicated to breaking down these barriers, ensuring that all members have access to the care and support they need. Learn more about the intersection of loneliness and transportation barriers: https://lnkd.in/exucYCEc

In health care, one thing is certain: No two patients are the same. 👥 With upwards of 80% of health outcomes driven by factors outside of the doctor’s office, we need to embrace the reality that each individual’s needs are unique. That’s why personalized healthcare strategies and solutions that consider the whole person are no longer just a nice-to-have—they’re essential. The #HealthcareRethink podcast kicked off its Tech Tour at Papa’s office in Miami with a discussion that went deep into the importance of integrating social drivers of health into personalized care strategies. The talk between Andrew Parker, Nebeyou Abebe, Mendel Erlenwein, Eduardo G., and Brian Urban emphasizes how all corners of health care—providers, payers, support networks—must work together to ensure members can access the tailored resources they need to thrive. At Papa, our national network of #PapaPals fill in the gaps of traditional care models, meeting members where they are with personalized, hands-on support. Whether it’s help with everyday tasks, companionship, or connecting members to vital resources, like the food bank or pharmacy, Papa Pals ensure that each person gets the care and support that’s right for them. 🔉 Listen to the full conversation and learn how we can all contribute to more personalized, effective care solutions: https://lnkd.in/geMVFU8N

We all need that friend who stands by us through life’s highest highs and lowest lows—someone who lifts us up in tough times and shares in our joy during the bright moments. Papa member Linda and Diana, her #PapaPal, have formed this deep connection through their visits. Their bond is a beautiful reminder of the power of companionship, and we’re grateful to Select Health and Emma Benson of KSL 5 TV for bringing their story to light. 💙 Watch their segment here ⬇ https://lnkd.in/evXDd_Rb

Last week, we introduced a brand new web experience that makes it easier than ever for Papa members to manage and schedule visits—without having to contact our call center. Custom-built for older adults and individuals with varying levels of cognitive and physical abilities, this new tool increases the accessibility of our service and improves our members’ experience. At the same time, it frees up valuable resources that can be redirected to our members who need them most. In the attached demo, you’ll notice a few important features that make all the difference: 🔑 Password-free login: We know from the tens of thousands of tech help visits we’ve completed that managing and remembering passwords can be challenging for our members, so we created a secure login process with no password required. 📲 One task per screen: There’s a lot that goes into a Papa visit to ensure we and our Papa Pals can best meet our members’ needs. Focusing on one question at a time removes complexity and the potential for cognitive overload so that members with varying levels of abilities or finite motor skills can schedule and review visits with ease. ✅ Confirmations throughout: Confirming inputs and providing education at regular intervals instills confidence that visits are scheduled correctly. And with a simple home-screen experience, members can revisit this information by logging into their portal at any time. We’re so pleased to offer this custom-built experience for our members and look forward to continually improving their experience with additional features and functionality.

How can I tell my patient that of everyone on my list she might be the most at risk and the least likely to get attention?” asks Australian oncologist Dr Ranjana Srivastava OAM, referring to a patient who has visited her hospital 14 times in one month. The patient’s diagnosis? Loneliness. Traditional healthcare systems weren’t designed to meet the social needs like loneliness that disproportionately drive health outcomes. And we cannot continue to rely on frontline workers to solve for them. Human connection is the solution and we’ve seen its effectiveness time and time again at Papa. In one study, a cohort of Medicare Advantage members who took at least one visit with a Papa Pal had 34% fewer emergency department high utilizers – like the patient Dr. Srivastava describes in her article – when compared to a matched cohort. Human connection and companionship should be core components of integrated care delivery models and must be revered in health care, just as blockbuster drugs are. Because so often, the Rx is human. Read Dr. Srivastava’s article in The Guardian here:

You never know the effect a simple conversation can have on someone. For #Papa member Sumaiyya, it's a reminder that we all deserve compassion regardless of the challenges life throws at us. Connecting with her #PapaPal Rosy has brought her the sense of normalcy she's been craving for so long. Learn how Sumaiyya has persevered through homelessness and other challenges and has found a sense of hope with the help of her Papa Pals: https://lnkd.in/e-A7WVPe 💙

As we reflect on all that we’ve accomplished together over the first half of the year, we’re truly inspired by the positive impact #PapaPals have made in our members’ lives. Since January, they have: 🚙 Driven members 1.6M miles across 99,500 transportation visits 🩺 Helped members attend more than 36,600 doctor’s appointments 🛒 Supported members with 19,000 grocery trips 📱 Assisted members with 3,700 technology needs 🚶♀️Got members moving across 2,100 exercise visits These visits are more than just numbers. They represent hundreds of thousands of times Papa Pals have helped members overcome barriers to their health and well-being. They tell the story of members without family or friends nearby, who struggle to find transportation to their next appointment. Members with limited mobility, who face challenges navigating the grocery store. Members recovering from surgery, who are unable to pick up their prescriptions or may be ready to start moving again, but need of some motivation. And so many more scenarios — each unique in their own way. 💙 We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to make a difference in the lives of our members and their communities this year and beyond. Thank you to our #PapaPals and clients who make this vital social support possible. 💫