Frequently Asked Questions
BridgeCare works in conjunction with outpatient providers, hospitals, and home cares to smoothly connect gaps in care and strengthen the support of their services.
What can a patient expect with BridgeCare services?
Discharge Services:
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Full access via technology. Patients will be able to reach a BridgeCare doctor via phone, webcam, email, or text.
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Extended Visits. Face-to-face visits are scheduled for a minimum of 60 minutes.
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Scheduling as soon as possible and as in-depth as patients need it to be. Since Transition Care is the only service BridgeCare provides, patients feel the personalized difference.
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Late/weekend appointments because health issues don’t always arrive between 9 am – 5 pm and you shouldn’t have to miss work/school/etc to be seen.
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Transparency! BridgeCare bills your insurance. There are no hidden fees, ever.
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Specialty Care Coordination. BridgeCare contacts patients' specialists as appropriate to ensure they understand their options and prognosis.
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Hospital and Emergency Room Coordination. In the case a patient needs to go back into the hospital during the 30 days following their discharge, BridgeCare staff can be contacted to assist in care coordination.
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BridgeCare can order any lab tests or medications that were missed while a patient was in the hospital.
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Weight Management, Mental Health, Smoking Cessation Counseling, and Health Coaching. All services to help jumpstart healthier lifestyle changes after a hospitalization can be provided.
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Health literacy - BridgeCare explains medicines, options, and what to expect in ways the average person can understand. Patients are free to ask any number of questions to best understand their care.
Does BridgeCare replace a patient's primary doctor?
BridgeCare does not provide long-term primary care services. Rather BridgeCare offers temporary (up to 6 weeks) of advanced primary care during critical times of discharge from a health facility. BridgeCare works closely with patient care teams to provide the best team-oriented care. Our services help ease patients' and care teams' interactions and management goals. We also partner with community partners to coordinate care and prevent avoidable poor outcomes. All BridgeCare's services are to complement a patient's existing care or help to establish long-term care.
If a patient enters the hospital during BridgeCare service window, does BridgeCare stop providing care?
With BridgeCare's discharge services, the ultimate goal is to help prevent avoidable readmissions to the hospital. However, there are circumstances that require an admission that is not avoidable and is medically warranted. In this case, BridgeCare will be able to restart discharge services after the patient is discharged from the hospital again.
Is BridgeCare a type of insurance?
No. BridgeCare is a medical service group. BridgeCare accepts the vast majority of Michigan's insurances.
How does BridgeCare get paid?
BridgeCare gets paid by billing a patient's insurance. Patients may still be responsible for copays and deductibles per their respective insurance plans. A certain percentage of BridgeCare's transitional care services are also donated through BridgeSupport for patients without insurance as an effort to assist those at the greatest risk of poor outcomes.
How does BridgeCare get referrals?
BridgeCare gets referrals from health care providers in the inpatient setting or from home cares as patients are discharged. Patients can express interest in BridgeCare services by calling our office while they are still in the hospital. Patients MUST be discharging from an inpatient or observation stay to qualify for BridgeCare services. Patients leaving an Emergency department or urgent care are not eligible for BridgeCare services.
How do I know if BridgeCare accepted a referral?
Once BridgeCare receives a referral form (via online, fax, or email) the referral process is started. A BridgeCare staff member will contact the patient to secure a signed Consent Form and schedule their first video appointment. This typically occurs within 1-2 business days of the patient coming home. The appointment is officially confirmed once a discharge summary is reviewed by a BridgeCare physician. Rarely, a discharge summary may not be made available within the first 14 day window after discharge. In those instances, BridgeCare will close the referral. Most referrals are successfully completed and an email will be sent to the referee as to completion.
Is there anyone BridgeCare doesn't see?
At this time, BridgeCare cannot accept any insurance plans that fall under HMO status. All PPO, State, and Federal plans are accepted. If you are unsure if a particular insurance is accepted, you can send us a contact message or give our office a call.
BridgeCare does not deny patients because of their age, race, religion, sexual orientation, economic status, or employment status. We also do not deny anyone for pre-existing conditions of any kind. BridgeCare see all conditions and all forms of qualifying discharges. BridgeCare physicians focus only on discharge services and provide this service during the critical period when a patient is moving between two settings. The starting setting must be one of the following: inpatient admission, partial admission, inpatient psychiatry admission, observation care, or inpatient rehab. The patient can be going home, to a nursing home, to assisted living, or to a friend or family home.
What if I need help and I'm traveling?
With the aid of technology, once a Michigan-based patient is accepted in BridgeCare's care, BridgeCare can assist patients wherever they are. We will locate the nearest pharmacy to the patient and send any medications most appropriate for the patient's present circumstances. If additional help is needed, BridgeCare will not hesitate to ask the patient to seek in-person care in their area of travel.
How is BridgeCare different from the doctor down the street?
Did you know that most Primary Care Physicians have between 2,500-3,500 patients? BridgeCare knows primary care doctors are some of the hardest-working doctors in the field of medicine. However few services are offered to assist them with their hard work. Discharge care is time-specific and affects primary care's overall quality scores. Your regular doctor may see you by appointment for any of your needs. BridgeCare specifically only specializes in discharge services.BridgeCare services are intensive and comprehensive but only last up to 6 weeks. Our goal is to safely transition a patient back to a permanent primary doctor.
Do I have to live in Michigan to receive services?
Yes, a patient must have primary residence in the state of Michigan.