BLOG: NowPow Helps Provide Essential, Non-Medical Services
by As a dietitian/nutritionist at Henry J. Austin Health Center in Trenton, Susan Jones often refers patients elsewhere for help with supportive resources like food pantries, meal programs and health education as well as concerns. She wants to be sure patients connect with the agencies she recommends, and that agencies she contacts on her patients’ behalf actually meet the need.
Fortunately, an easy-to-use online tool called NowPow helps her find organizations she can rely on, and track referrals she makes to them. This video shows how Susan puts NowPow to work for her clients.
NowPow features an updated services directory connecting users to Trenton’s many community resources. While Jones focuses on the health needs of her clients, she recognizes they often face multiple challenges, such as problems with housing, transportation and poverty. So she turns to other community agencies to help her clients.
“NowPow connects our medical clients to other services that help them overcome obstacles that adversely affect their well-being,” Jones said. “That includes crucial issues like getting access to food, but it’s also important to help with seemingly simpler tasks like getting a ride to a doctor’s office or finding someone to watch their kids when they have a medical appointment.”
NowPow provides Jones with confidence that community-based resources she may be unfamiliar with will accept and respond to clients she refers. “Using NowPow lets me know that these crucial interactions actually happen,” Jones said. “Without that assurance, I’m reluctant to send people somewhere new. I need to be sure the organization will meet our expectations.”
Clients have responded positively to the program, Jones added. They’ve been enrolling in the programs she refers them to, the organizations have responded back to her patients – and clients like their services.
Jones strives to respond to as many clients as quickly as possible, and she’s found that using NowPow is fast and efficient. “It’s easy to build referrals into my workflow, and I am also easily able to track the outcomes from them,” she said.
NowPow also has introduced Jones to a broader spectrum of community services – a surprise for this veteran caregiver. For example, many Henry J. Austin clients are diabetic and need access to healthy, inexpensive food sources, as well as nutrition-based programs. “I know this community very well,” she said. “I know all the food pantries, social resources and non-profits in the area. But my biggest need is access to better education for residents and healthy food sources for them after I am done with my sessions. NowPow connected me to two programs that are relatively new in the community.”
The first is Snipes Farm, a local – organic – Community Supported Agriculture organization. Jones’ patients can pick up healthy, fresh food from Snipes at a local Trenton church or Snipes can arrange for delivery for those without transportation. The other is Project Dulce, a six-week education program for people living with diabetes, or taking care of a loved one living with diabetes.
“Our community members really like both services, and it’s become part of my routine to refer people to them,” she said. “These are entities that I now know will deliver. I can count on them, and so can my patients.”
Put NowPow to work for your clients today! Contact Population Health Program Manager Jessica Burnett.
