Maximizing your Five-Star Season prep time

Even though Five-Star happens every year, it can sneak up on you. We understand how difficult it is to be ready, and even if you’re not, there is still time to adjust this year’s course.

Here are the top five ways to prepare for CMS survey season:

1) Direct Member Outreach – It’s the old-fashioned way, but it works. Telephone every member to tell them they could be contacted by CMS and what to expect from the survey experience. Follow up with the recap letter.

2) Member Recap Letter – A reminder that lists what survey-centric care the member received from their plan in the past year.

3) Member Newsletter – If you already publish newsletters, make this a special edition focused on Five-Star. We’ve done these before, we can provide a template.

4) Doctor Tip Guide / Care Guide – A brochure in two versions, one that helps the Plan docs communicate more effectively with members and another that helps members better communicate with their doctors.

Again, we have these on the shelf and can tailor them to your needs.

5) Already Sunk? – If your ship is on the reef for 2013, all is not lost. TRAFFIK Health can audit your membership and help you build plan models and a strategy for looking your best in the 2014 surveys.

It is true that stakes continue to get higher in the ratings game—both monetarily and in member retention. You can’t afford to lose stars, and only stand to gain if you earn an additional one or two.

Let us help you build as big or as small a Five-Star strategy as you need to be more confident of the 2013 outcome, and know how to prepare for 2014.