A Smarter Path to Care: How Outreach Unified Telehealth, AI and Analytics to Improve Outcomes 

Here’s a telling statistic on the state of modern healthcare:

Approximately one-third of behavioral health and human services visits occur through telehealth—nearly three times the rate of other healthcare specialties, according to data firm Epic Research. However, many providers still struggle to integrate that technology into the broader care experience. (Source)

Which brings up the question: given all the recent advances in healthcare technology, why do such barriers to integrated care still exist?

At the 2024 OPEN MINDS Technology & Analytics Institute, Kelsey Silver, Assistant Vice President of Quality & Data Analytics at Outreach, offered a compelling case study on what full integration can look like. Outreach didn’t just implement a new system—they adopted a unified care platform, invested in data analytics and augmented their clinical workflows with AI-driven documentation assistance.

The result?

A measurable leap in performance across every level of the organization.

An Integrated Platform with Measurable ROI

Outreach deployed the Netsmart CareFabric® platform to unify electronic health record (EHR) operations across the organization. The organization also layered into its strategy advanced AI-supported tools like Bells Documentation Assistant and Bells Virtual Scribe, both designed to improve documentation accuracy and reduce the time it takes to complete clinical notes.

The impact was immediate and quantifiable:

• Greater revenue opportunities: A 9% increase in billable services
• Accelerated notetaking: Documentation completed at more than 3x the previous speed
• Improved outcome tracking: A 10% increase in client recoveries for those who attended at least one telehealth session during treatment

As Ms. Silver put it: “We wanted to use meaningful data for basic demographic exploration, payment trends, addressing potential gaps in care as well as other elements of our operation.”

In other words, data wasn’t simply collected via AI—it was put to meaningful use for the care team across the care platform.

Reducing Documentation Burden with Ambient AI

One of the key differentiators in the approach of Outreach was the integration of ambient listening technology via Bells Virtual Scribe. Developed with the unique needs of clinicians in mind, the tool passively captures and transcribes sessions, supports proper terminology, summarizes key points and facilitates documentation even during group interactions.

This advanced automation enhanced one of the most time-consuming tasks clinicians face—making them more available for direct client care without sacrificing documentation quality. The result was not only faster workflows, but more complete records and greater clinician satisfaction.

“The data didn’t just tell us where we were—it showed us where we could go,” Silver noted.

That forward-looking view of data is critical for organizations striving to modernize care delivery while maintaining compliance and quality standards.

Leveraging Analytics for Agility and Clarity

The Outreach leadership team utilized the CareFabric® platform’s built-in data visualizations to better understand operational trends in real time. This was especially valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic, when care models had to shift quickly and with precision in response to a chaotic healthcare crisis.

“Easy visualizations within our integrated KPI Dashboard solution makes it possible to see where things need to be quickly switched to address, which is a must during a volatile situation like COVID,” Silver explained.

These insights empowered Outreach to respond quickly to changing needs, maintain continuity of care and keep staff aligned across all levels.

Improving Access Through Integrated Telehealth

Equally important was the integration of telehealth solutions within the same platform. By leveraging tools that allow virtual care to be delivered from virtually any device or location, Outreach expanded access for individuals with mobility limitations and those in remote areas.

The flexibility of this setup allowed providers to conduct virtual visits, coordinate care and access patient data from smartphones, tablets and computers—without switching systems or duplicating records.

Clients responded well to the intuitive nature of the service.

“Our clients are more comfortable using telehealth—they just click the link on the text and it’s done,” Silver said.

That ease of use is not only a convenience—it’s a critical driver of client engagement, care plan adherence and improved health outcomes.

A Unified Framework for Future-Ready Care

The Outreach story underscores a growing imperative in healthcare: digital tools must not only exist—they must work together. The organization’s adoption of a fully integrated EHR, augmented intelligence and flexible telehealth infrastructure created a foundation that is not only more efficient but also more adaptable to future demands.

By reducing documentation time, lessening provider burden, improving visibility into operations and increasing access to care, Outreach positioned itself to serve clients with greater precision and agility.