Crossover Health Publishes First Peer-Reviewed Referral Management Study of its Kind in The Journal of General Internal Medicine

Team-based care with embedded care navigation addresses longstanding referral management challenges of patient satisfaction and cost

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., August 25, 2022 — Crossover Health, a leader in delivering value-based hybrid care, today published the first peer-reviewed study of referral management among employer-sponsored health centers. Published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine, the study reveals that when referral management via care navigation is embedded in an integrated, team-based model such as the Crossover Primary Health model, self-insured employers should expect to achieve reduced referral rates, increased employee satisfaction and overall reduced costs. 

There have been very few published studies on the impact of referral management among commercially insured populations and none on referral management from employer-sponsored health centers. With these published results, Crossover has demonstrated for the first time the value of full-service Primary Health centers for employers looking to streamline the healthcare experience and reduce the rate and cost associated with  specialty referrals .

Notably, Crossover’s integrated, multi-disciplinary Primary Health care model was able to decrease the number of outside specialty referrals by 22% compared to the community. This lower referral rate is driven by several key factors including integrating primary care, physical medicine, mental health, and coaching in a team-based environment, thereby reducing the need for outside referrals. Also, Crossover members reported they were highly satisfied with their specialist visits, rating them on average a 4.33 on a scale of 5. 

Crossover Health Chief Medical Officer Stephen Ezeji-Okoye, MD added, “Not only is it incredibly costly for payers, but the standard practice for managing specialist referrals can be frustrating for patients who shoulder the burden of unnecessary treatment in today’s fragmented and confusing healthcare landscape. To achieve better clinical outcomes, it’s clear that Crossover’s outcomes-driven, value-based Primary Health model is a win-win.”

Additionally, the data support the continued trend of Crossover’s Primary Health care teams’ ability to reduce specialist costs by 35% to 17%, representing significant savings for self-insured employers in a time of heightened financial pressures.

To view and download the full The Journal of General Internal Medicine study, visit the Springer website here. 

About Crossover Health

Crossover Health is the leader in delivering value-based hybrid care. The company’s national medical group delivers – at scale – Primary Health, a proven care model driven by an interdisciplinary team inclusive of primary care, physical medicine, mental health, health coaching and care navigation. With a focus on wellbeing and prevention that extends beyond traditional sick care, Crossover builds trusted relationships with its members and flexibly surrounds them with care – in-person, online, and anytime – based on the member preference. Combining a sophisticated approach to data analytics that incorporate social determinants of health, Crossover delivers concrete results and measurable value for employers, payers and most importantly, members. Together we are building health as it should be and engaging a community of members to live their best health. To learn more, visit crossoverhealth.com or follow us on social media @crossoverhealth.

Media Contacts:
Sydney Bronstein 
Media Relations
Crossover Health
Sydney.bronstein@crossoverhealth.com
312-330-5336

Brittany Sell
Weber Shandwick for Crossover Health
Bsell@webershandwick.com
952-346-6293