Trust is the foundation of quality healthcare. But for many people living with serious illness, past experiences with the healthcare system have left them feeling unheard, overlooked, or even neglected. At Tuesday Health, we believe that compassionate, consistent engagement can rebuild trust and improve patient outcomes.
This is the story of Sarah, a woman living with end-stage COPD, who was initially hesitant to accept help but found a trusted partner in Tuesday Health.
Sarah is a woman in her 80s who had grown deeply skeptical of the healthcare system. She lived alone and rarely allowed providers into her home. Despite her worsening symptoms, she often canceled appointments, believing that no one truly cared about her well-being.
When Tuesday Health first reached out, Sarah was resistant. She had previously felt dismissed by providers and was reluctant to engage. She was also struggling to manage her medications and had frequent hospitalizations due to COPD exacerbations.
Rather than pushing Sarah into care, the Tuesday Health team took a different approach:
A social worker reached out regularly, even when Sarah didn’t respond. Over time, she began to see that Tuesday Health wasn’t just another healthcare entity passing through.
The team focused on addressing Sarah’s immediate needs, such as making sure she had her medications and helping her coordinate her appointments.
Sarah expressed frustration about past experiences. Instead of rushing to solutions, her care team took the time to listen—validating her feelings and making her feel heard.
Over time, Sarah’s outlook changed. She began answering calls, then accepting in-home visits. She engaged with her care team and followed recommendations to better manage her COPD. Most importantly, she no longer felt like she was facing her illness alone.
By focusing on trust first, Tuesday Health helped Sarah reconnect with the care she needed—on her own terms.
Sarah’s story highlights a key challenge in serious illness care: engagement barriers can drive unnecessary hospitalizations and increase costs. Without proactive, trust-based interventions, patients like Sarah fall through the cracks—leading to avoidable ED visits, worsening conditions, and lower quality of life.
At Tuesday Health, we specialize in building relationships with hard-to-reach populations, helping health plans improve member engagement, reduce costly acute care utilization, and enhance the overall member experience.
Let’s work together to transform serious illness care. If you’re a health plan executive looking to improve outcomes for your most vulnerable members, let’s connect. Learn more about how Tuesday Health partners with health plans: Tuesday Health Partnerships
