The Communication Cure: How Better Payer-Provider Coordination Can Improve Patient Experiences

At the heart of every successful relationship – in business and in life – is an essential ingredient: communication. For health plans and providers, effective communication makes all the difference in building trust. When it doesn’t happen or it happens too late, they often find themselves with frustrated members/patients on their hands. 

Some common communication breakdowns in healthcare that are sure to leave member/patients feeling irritated include:

• Outdated provider directories
• Lack of clear benefits information
• Miscommunication about costs
• Unexpected delays due to complicated preauthorization
• Delays in getting answers

And the Research Says….
Dental and vision providers across the nation who participated in SKYGEN’s Pulse 2025 research revealed a game-changing truth: enhanced payer-provider communication on all levels is vital. Nearly 9 in 10 providers are hungry for more collaborative care, with 40% saying improved communication is the key to forging stronger provider-payer partnerships. About one third (34%) call for a free flow of research and best practices to take collaboration to the next level.

Members are interested in strengthening connections, too. In SKYGEN’s 2024 PULSE research with 5,000 U.S. consumers nationwide, participants said that among all preferred improvements, digital connectivity would improve the dental and vision care experience the most.

Three Opportunities for Payers
SKYGEN helps payers build stronger ties with providers and members through technologies that transform communication and interactions. With SKYGEN digital connectivity and automation technologies, health plans can be efficient, effective and targeted in their provider and member relationships:

• SKYGEN Dental Hub offers a single point of connection between payers and providers that streamlines day-to-day interactions and simplifies provider directory management. Dental Hub enables providers to get instant treatment plan processing and the ability to convert authorizations into claims with a single click. Providers also get instant, accurate patient responsibility reports, so they can collect payment and answer patients’ questions about cost of service and benefits coverage during the office visit. 
• SKYGEN Member Mobile App offers digital tools members can use to easily manage their dental and vision benefits. The app also enables health plans to send push notifications directly to members’ mobile phone, collect member feedback on their service experience and provider interaction, and use custom surveys and messaging to drive member engagement. 
• SKYGEN Member Portal helps payers enhance member communication and outreach, and connect members with providers who meet their needs.  

Strengthening provider and member relationships, and ultimately, the satisfaction of these stakeholders, hinges on effective communication. SKYGEN can help health plans communicate more efficiently, build trust, and establish partnerships that lead to better outcomes for everyone. 

Announcing new connections for the dental marketplace: Dental Hub is trailblazing the way for insurers to modernize relationships with dental practices, insurers, members and industry partners. Now accepting forward-thinking payers and providers at dentalhub.com.