Careforth SVP Kelli Tungate Featured in Modern Healthcare

Kelli Tungate, Careforth’s SVP of Strategic Partner Relations, joined Checking In with Dan Peres by Modern Healthcare. In the video series, Dan speaks to top executives across the healthcare industry about everything from policy to patient care to technology, giving viewers an inside look at how the future of healthcare is being shaped. In this installment, Kelli speaks about the vital role family caregivers play in the larger healthcare system and underscores the potential for healthcare providers and payors to enhance the support and resources available to these essential individuals.

With 25 years in the healthcare industry and firsthand experience as a family caregiver, Kelli brings a unique perspective to her work supporting family caregivers and the daily challenges they experience. 

The Importance of Family Caregivers

 “Caregivers really are the backbone of the healthcare system. They have to be viewed as a member and part of a healthcare team. If you have a caregiver who lacks knowledge in terms of how to care for their loved one, or that lacks the information and access to the resources available to them, that care recipient is twice as likely to end up back in a hospital, an emergency room, or an unnecessary visit to a medical facility. So helping that caregiver understand how to care for their loved one is paramount to helping reduce the cost of care for that individual.

Because of the stress and strain associated with caregiving, that caregiver is less likely to fully take care of themselves, which ultimately leads to their declining health and increased physician visits. As I mentioned before, anxiety, depression, increased pharmaceutical costs—there’s a tremendous downstream effect to the healthcare network when a caregiver does not have access to the resources they need to properly care for themselves and their loved one.”

Watch the full conversation in Modern Healthcare here.