Broadening access to a better way forward

When someone is faced with a health challenge, there’s nothing more important than knowing how to move forward. This is a core principle of Celeste, and one that influenced our decision to integrate with market-leading 2nd.MD by Accolade, a virtual expert medical opinion service.

Read on to find out how together, we are showing up differently for members and guiding them to greater certainty.

High-caliber and extensive expertise, virtually anywhere

2nd.MD by Accolade has established a network of more than 700 specialists across hundreds of subspecialties (and thousands of conditions) from top-tier medical institutions. Specialists are selected to be a part of the network based on their level of experience in their subspecialty, research endeavors and academic publications. These selection criteria sets 2nd.MD by Accolade apart from its competitors, as does its ability to connect a member to a specialist within five days instead of weeks or months.

For someone living in a rural area with limited access to high-quality specialty care, it’s clear how critical a service like this can be. A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic highlights that getting a second opinion reduces the rate of diagnostic errors by as much as 50%.¹

For all kinds of cases

Members can use 2nd.MD by Accolade to confirm a diagnosis, validate or adjust a treatment plan, explore alternatives to surgery, discuss a chronic condition that isn’t improving, learn about innovative therapies or clinical trials, explore other treatment options or medications and reinforce confidence in their treatment plan.

Cancer, heart disease, stroke, digestive problems, immunological disorders, women’s health, mental health and musculoskeletal issues are just some of the conditions that 2nd.MD by Accolade can help with–by connecting members to an expert specialist when they need help making a critical decision.

Powerful integration enhances effectiveness

On its own, this service opens up access and helps improve health equity. When paired with Celeste’s navigation and support, it becomes even more powerful.

Leveraging a wealth of data, Celeste proactively engages members with care recommendations that meet their specific needs. If a 2nd.MD by Accolade consult is recommended, Celeste helps pair that member with a specialist, schedules their consult, helps them prepare for it and compiles their medical records.

Following the consult, Celeste helps yield the best possible outcome by providing referrals to in-network, high-quality providers for treatment, facilitating peer-to-peer discussions with local physicians, guiding members to the appropriate programs and point solutions and providing ongoing support as care needs evolve. This coordination with a member’s care team and their health plan ensures that everyone remains informed and aligned on the member’s health status and treatment strategies.

It comes down to impact

“Is this going to save me money?” That’s the first thing an employer may want to know. Our studies suggest that the answer is yes. An average of $5,700 per consult, to be specific.² Supporting this savings is the fact that 81% of members who use 2nd.MD by Accolade receive an alternate treatment plan, 28% receive an alternative diagnosis altogether and 26% of consults result in a surgery cancellation.²

From a member experience standpoint, we’re happy to report that 100% of members who use 2nd.MD by Accolade receive follow-up outreach from Celeste.³ And, 88% of members would recommend the service to a family member or friend.²

These metrics all point to better work productivity and worker satisfaction with their health benefits, but they also point to something even harder to measure, and arguably the most important metric of all: peace of mind that you are making the right decision about your health. For someone dealing with a difficult health challenge, knowing how to move forward can be life changing.

Contact us today to learn how Celeste and 2nd.MD by Accolade can enhance your healthcare benefits, improve outcomes and provide your members with the confidence and support they need to move forward.