Progress being made with the WVU Medicine Health Track Hub

Since its launch on July 1, the program Health Track Hub has already begun delivering on its promise to improve access to specialty care for patients whose conditions simply cannot wait. In just a short time, we are seeing firsthand how this innovative resource is helping providers navigate barriers, expedite referrals, and connect patients with the right specialists more quickly across our Health System.

Through a streamlined intake process, dedicated nurse coordinators work directly with specialty clinics to identify the earliest available appointments for patients with high-acuity or time-sensitive needs. By coordinating across practices and locations, the team can often uncover appointment opportunities that may not be visible through traditional scheduling pathways, helping patients receive care sooner while reducing the burden on referring providers.

Chris Goode, MD, FACEP, executive vice president and chief clinical integration officer for the WVU Health System, recently received a note from Brittanie West, DO, of WVU Medicine United Hospital Center Family Medicine, describing the positive impact the Hub has made for her team and their patients.

“The centralized pathway and dedicated nurse coordinators have been invaluable in streamlining referrals for our medical optimization clinic, where our patients require timely specialty evaluation before surgery,” Dr. West wrote. “The ability of the Hub team to uncover appointment opportunities that are not visible through traditional scheduling has allowed us to keep pre-operative workups on track and avoid unnecessary case delays and cancellations.

“Equally important has been the improved access to emergent and time-sensitive specialty care lines, such as maternal-fetal medicine. For patients whose conditions cannot wait weeks for evaluation, having a reliable, expedited pathway has been essential.”

We appreciate Dr. West’s feedback and Dr. Goode’s leadership. We want providers and staff to know that we will continue to tweak and refine the process to best serve our patients and providers. I look forward to future developments of the Health Track Hub and hearing about our successes!