New Smart Choice Functionality Enhances Find a Doctor Searches

UnitedHealthcare recently enhanced the search function of the Find Care & Cost tool, which we use for Find a Doctor searches on the Employee Benefits website, with Smart Choice functionality. Smart Choice results return more relevant provider matches based on participant’s point-in-time care needs and selected preferences for primary care providers and some specialists. Smart Choice matches participants with these providers based on five key factors:

• Quality: Uses UnitedHealthcare’s Premium Care designation (evaluates providers on effective and efficient quality care and total cost of care) plus provider credentialing qualifications.
• Benefits (Cost): Uses cost tiers and efficiency ratings plus comparisons of the average total costs of care of the participant’s in-network providers.
• Convenience: Includes distance to provider plus access to care considerations—evening/weekend appointments, after-hours call support and care setting (i.e., in-office versus virtual care).
• Personal Fit: Participants can view consumer ratings and reviews plus choose language, gender and board certification preferences.
• Provider Information Accuracy: Adds reliability ratings for provider listings.

While the weighting of these factors may change to best optimize search results, quality is set as the primary factor. Provider Information Accuracy is a new component giving participants more confidence in the information.

Smart Choice results, when returned, provide participants with more customized information to help them with their health care decisions. Providers are never excluded from search results based on Smart Choice criteria, and participants aren’t required to set preferences or choose care based on Smart Choice results.