How the Rapid Treatment Clinic personalizes post-surgery care

Terry’s story

For more than a decade, Terry struggled with her weight. She tried exercise and diet pills, but nothing seemed to work. Frustrated and searching for a lasting solution, Terry decided to explore a complex surgery with Dr. Rachlin at Optum’s Kelsey-Seybold clinic in Houston. 

When Terry needed high-quality care post-surgery, Terry’s care team immediately suggested the Rapid Treatment Clinic (RTC) to ensure her personalized care continued. 

The RTC is an alternative site of care for acutely ill patients. The clinic treats patients with acute medical needs such as (but not limited to) asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation, congestive heart failure (CHF) exacerbation, acute kidney injury, severe electrolyte abnormalities and urgent thoracentesis and paracentesis. Services are provided the same or next day.

Convenient, seamless care

The clinic, designed to provide urgent care without the need for an emergency room visit, was a game-changer for Terry. “What we focus on is patient satisfaction,” says Dr. Dang, managing physician at the RTC. “And in the back end there’s cost control. Of course, we’re providing great quality of care for the patients because you’re still getting the same kind of care you’d get in the ER or hospital.”  

Because of personalized care, Terry's complications were fixed at the clinic

The RTC is a popular resource for anyone who needs care and doesn’t need to be in the emergency room. Patients appreciate the convenience, lower out-of-pocket costs and the ability to receive high-quality treatment while minimizing disruptions to their daily lives. The RTC saves them time and provides them with the care they need. 

Seventy-five percent of patients treated in the RTC for conditions commonly seen in the emergency department are successfully diverted from needing an ER visit within a 30-day follow-up period, according to Kelsey-Seybold data analysts. This group of patients are in full-risk care arrangements — health care models where providers are paid a fixed amount to manage all aspects of their care.