When members or Spring Health staff reach out, a prompt response helps support continuity of care, and strengthens trust. Timely communication is an important part of providing quality care.
Why Response Time Matters
Members often feel vulnerable when they reach out. Your response is the first signal of the care they’ll receive. Staying responsive helps you build a stronger bond and helps keep members engaged.
Prioritizing Staff Outreach
Spring Health teams, typically reach out when there is a question or issue that may affect a member’s care or operations. Responding to staff outreach in a timely manner is just as important as responding to members. It ensures:
- Members are assisted quickly: Sometimes, we can’t assist members without your input.
- Smooth coordination: Quick replies prevent gaps in care and keep the clinical "gears" turning.
- Friction-free practice: Solving administrative or quality flags early stops them from becoming bigger headaches later.
Setting Boundaries and Expectations
You don’t need to be on call 24/7. Use these steps to protect your time while supporting your members and our team:
- Set expectations early: communicate with members your typical hours and when they should expect a reply.
- Send a quick placeholder: If a message needs a long reply, send a brief note. Tell the member (or staff member) you've seen the message and will follow up.
- Use Spring Health internal messaging to keep all messages in one place.
How to Get Back on Track
If you fall behind, don't worry. Follow these three steps to catch up:
- Acknowledge the wait: A brief apology for the delay helps rebuild trust quickly.
- Triage your inbox: Use your clinical judgment to answer urgent member needs first, then urgent staff requests.
- Handle admin second: Save non-urgent scheduling or billing questions for after you've handled clinical tasks.
The Bottom Line
Prompt communication is part of the therapeutic alliance. Even a short reply shows your members and the staff at Spring Health that you're present and attentive to care.
Additional Resources
- Review How You Communicate with Members for more information on member communication.
- Review How We Communicate With You for more information on Spring Health communication.
- Need help? Contact support.