#1

Cost Efficiency with Carrier Spending

With rising costs and CIOs looking to
be as efficient as possible with
spending, they're asking whether
they are overspending on wireline
and wireless services.

Cost Efficiency with Carrier Spending

Overspending?

With rising costs and CIOs looking to be as efficient as possible with spending, they're asking whether they are overspending on wireline and wireless services. It goes beyond trying to compare rates from one carrier to another. There's the question of usage. How do you ensure everything is being used and nothing is going to waste? It's a chore for financial teams to try to dig into the data and make the necessary assessments for strategic actions.

Home health providers can be challenged by their relationships with traditional carriers. In addition to connectivity, they often get their phones from carriers, which locks them into paying for higher-cost plans. They also often have to manage several carriers to get the right coverage—meaning they over-pay and don't have the ability to save by pooling data amongst users.

Voice and Data?

Another question is whether to buy voice and data services or just data. The latter offers significant cost savings, but when is it appropriate? Use cases like IoT for remote patient monitoring are obvious, but collaboration apps like Microsoft Teams work on data-only services, too, so some organizations may be able to move off voice services completely.

Connectivity?

Because home health workers are out in the field across large geographic areas, connectivity is a frequent issue. "There are times where we do not have any kind of service out there, which creates challenges when trying to make contact with the patients and using our EVV systems," Vince Moffitt, CEO of Basin Health Companies, told Home Health Care News recently. One carrier may be stronger than another at a particular patient's home, and the solution is a Smart SIM that automatically connects to the best available network. It does away with manually switching out SIM cards and managing multiple carriers—meaning home health workers always get the best connectivity available. Smart SIM services also manage the carrier plans, ensuring the best deals possible.