If you get a life-altering diagnosis, it is natural to feel scared, angry, or worried.
What we don’t want you to feel is confusion about where to turn next.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) Clinical Rapid Response Team is here for you. The Rapid Response Team can assist members who are experiencing a health scare or are being assessed, recently diagnosed, or in treatment for a clinical condition like cancer, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson’s, or epilepsy. The team of clinicians can support you in navigating the healthcare system or clearing barriers when delays to care could be detrimental to your health.
The Rapid Response Team can assist with things like:
- Accelerating necessary approvals for procedures, treatments, and medications
- Speeding up appointment timelines with in-network providers
- Identifying solutions to support care from unique specialty providers who are out of network
- Making connections with our experienced Care Managers and other supportive community resources
We partner with Arizona providers who could, for example, help prioritize a member’s appointments if needed to cut down on wait times and worry. The Rapid Response Team has a direct email that takes AZ Blue members to the right person, at the right time – connecting them to support when they need it most. The Rapid Response inbox is monitored 24/7. When you reach out to the Rapid Response Team and it’s determined your case needs swift attention, senior-level clinicians are notified and you will be assigned a Care Manager who will keep you updated every step of the way.
Impact in action
Since its launch in November, the Rapid Response team has helped nearly 70 members understand issues, resolve issues, and get the immediate care they need. Here is an example of a recent case the team worked on:
- A member was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
- The member planned to travel to Phoenix from northwest Arizona to start chemotherapy but received a denial for her chemotherapy before the trip.
- The family reached out to the Clinical Rapid Response Team about this denial.
- The team discovered the member’s oncologist was out of network, and immediately started to problem-solve by connecting with in-network oncologists in Phoenix, considering the family’s preference for treatment in that area because the member has a support system there.
- The team found an oncologist within network who could administer the chemo the member needed on time.
- Necessary reviews and approvals for the member’s treatment were fast-tracked thanks to the quick coordination between AZ Blue Integrated Care, Care Management, Clinical Network Analytics, Pharmacy, and provider partnerships.
- The member received chemotherapy on schedule despite the initial roadblocks.
After the issue was resolved within 28 hours, a family member reached out to the Clinical Rapid Response Team saying:
“I will never be able to express to you what it means that you all figured this out. Thank you doesn’t seem like enough but thank you so very much.”
Messages and moments like this are the reason we do what we do. At AZ Blue, we know that timing is everything when it comes to potentially life-saving care. That’s why we aim to resolve cases within 48 hours of an email hitting our inbox. It often happens quicker! Reaching a resolution will look different for everyone as every case is different, but we do everything we can to help.
If you would like to learn more about the Clinical Rapid Response Team, visit: AZBlue - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Is Here For You.