Beyond Referrals: The Future of Connected Care

In today’s healthcare landscape, no one questions the importance of addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH). From housing and food insecurity to transportation and behavioral health needs, these non-medical factors have a profound impact on patient outcomes. What remains in question, however, is how effectively health systems and health plans can identify, address, and follow through on these needs.

The industry has made progress with referral platforms, but simply generating a referral to a community-based organization is not enough. Without tracking delivery, confirming services, and measuring outcomes, referrals remain open loops—leaving both patients and providers in the dark. Closing the loop is where the true impact lies.

The Problem With Open-Loop Referrals

Imagine a physician identifying that a patient with uncontrolled diabetes is struggling with food insecurity. The provider sends a referral to a food pantry through a digital platform. On paper, the referral looks complete. But did the patient actually receive the food? Did the service help stabilize their health? Was follow-up care coordinated?

In many cases, the answers are unclear. Referral platforms that stop at “sending” create blind spots for care teams. These gaps result in:

• Poor care coordination: Providers can’t see whether patient needs were truly met.
• Frustration for patients: Patients may feel abandoned if referrals don’t lead to tangible support.
• Missed opportunities for impact: Health plans can’t measure whether interventions reduce ED visits or lower costs.

Without closing the loop, referrals risk becoming little more than digital paperwork.

Why Closing the Loop Matters

Closing the loop means more than checking a box. It involves a cycle of tracking, confirmation, and reporting that creates accountability across the care ecosystem.This process transforms referrals into actionable insights that drive better outcomes and lower costs. Most importantly, it ensures patients don’t fall through the cracks.

• Tracking: Care teams monitor referral status in real time.
• Confirmation: Providers and payers confirm services were delivered.
• Reporting: Outcomes are measured and fed back into care plans.

Wellup’s Closed-Loop Approach

At Wellup, we’ve built technology with this philosophy at its core. Our platform is designed not only to connect patients to services but to ensure those services translate into real results.

• Referral + Tracking: Every referral is tied to an outcomes workflow. Care navigators and providers can see status updates at each step.
• Confirmation: Once services are delivered, completion is confirmed and logged in the system.
• Reporting & Analytics: Outcomes are measured, aggregated, and reported to providers, health plans, and community partners.

By integrating medical, behavioral, and social care in one ecosystem, Wellup helps health systems and health plans move beyond referrals to true accountability.

The Benefits for Providers, Health Plans, and Patients

Closing the loop isn’t just good practice—it’s transformative:

• For Providers: Clinicians gain visibility into whether patients’ social needs are being met, allowing for more effective care planning.
• For Health Plans: Plans can quantify the ROI of SDOH programs by linking interventions to measurable outcomes such as reduced readmissions and lower ED utilization.
• For Patients: Patients experience a smoother journey, with consistent follow-up and real support rather than one-off handoffs.

When each stakeholder benefits, the system as a whole becomes stronger.

Real-World Impact

Consider a high-utilization patient with comorbidities who frequently visits the ED. Without addressing underlying social needs—such as housing instability or lack of transportation—ED diversion programs fall short.

Through Wellup, this patient’s care team can refer them to housing support, confirm when services are secured, and track improvements in ED utilization over time. Instead of guessing at the impact, health plans and providers see measurable reductions in unnecessary hospital visits and costs.

This type of closed-loop accountability not only supports patients but also strengthens value-based care performance measures like HEDIS and CMS quality metrics.

Why Now?

Healthcare is at an inflection point. Federal mandates are expanding requirements for SDOH data collection, Z and G code reporting, and community-based care integration. Health systems and health plans that continue operating with open-loop referrals will struggle to meet compliance, let alone capture the benefits of true SDOH integration.

Meanwhile, patients are demanding more holistic, connected care. Community organizations are stretched thin and need accountability to prove their impact. The industry cannot afford to treat referrals as the finish line—they must be the starting point for measurable change.

A Smarter Way Forward

Closing the loop on referrals is not just a technical upgrade; it’s a mindset shift. It requires healthcare leaders to move beyond “checking the box” and commit to accountability, transparency, and measurable outcomes.

Wellup was built to support this shift. By combining technology, workflows, and network management, we help providers, health plans, and community partners work together to deliver results—not just referrals.

The healthcare system can no longer afford open loops. It’s time to close them, for the sake of patients, providers, and the future of value-based care