Overview
HealthArc supports multiple Care Management programs, each with its own clinical requirements, billing guidelines, workflows, and documentation standards. The Program Switching feature in Care Plan 2.0 enables care coordinators to change a patient's active care management program without losing historical Care Plan data.
Whether a patient transitions from one program to another or becomes eligible for multiple services over time, Program Switching ensures that care remains continuous while preserving the complete history of previous Care Plans.
When switching programs, HealthArc creates a new Care Plan associated with the selected program while retaining prior Care Plans as historical records. This allows organizations to maintain an accurate clinical timeline and comply with documentation requirements.
Purpose of Program Switching
Program Switching enables organizations to:
Transition patients between care management programs.
Preserve historical Care Plans.
Maintain program-specific documentation.
Prevent loss of clinical history.
Support patients whose care needs evolve over time.
Ensure compliance with program-specific workflows.
Continue patient care without recreating historical information.
Before You Begin
Before switching a patient's program, ensure that:
The patient is eligible for the new program.
Current Care Plan documentation has been completed.
Any required physician approvals have been obtained.
Billing requirements for the current program have been satisfied.
Clinical staff have reviewed the patient's ongoing care needs.
Navigation
Log in to the HealthArc Portal.
Navigate to Patients.
Select the patient.
Open the Care Plan tab.
Locate the current Care Plan.
Select Switch Program.
The system displays the available care management programs configured for your organization.
Understanding Program Switching
Every Care Plan is associated with a specific care management program. Examples include:
Chronic Care Management (CCM)
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)
Principal Care Management (PCM)
Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM)
Annual Wellness Visit (AWV)
When a patient changes programs, a new Care Plan is created for the selected program while existing Care Plans remain available for historical reference.
When to Switch Programs
Program Switching should be performed whenever a patient's care management services change. Common situations include:
A patient enrolls in an additional care management program.
A patient transitions from one program to another.
Clinical needs change and a different program becomes appropriate.
An organization updates the patient's care management enrollment.
A provider recommends a new care management service.
Switching a Patient to a New Program
To switch programs:
Open the patient's Care Plan.
Click Switch Program.
Select the new care management program.
Review the available Care Plan templates (if applicable).
Choose whether to create a new Care Plan from:
A template
A previous Care Plan
A blank Care Plan
Confirm the program change.
Save.
The newly selected program becomes the active Care Plan while previous Care Plans remain accessible.
What Happens During Program Switching?
When a program is changed, HealthArc:
Creates a new Care Plan for the selected program.
Associates the Care Plan with the new program.
Preserves previous Care Plans.
Maintains historical documentation.
Keeps evaluation history intact.
Preserves physician approval history.
Retains previous PDFs and version history.
Historical Care Plans remain read-only unless organizational policies permit further editing.
Using Templates During Program Switching
Many organizations use templates to accelerate Care Plan creation after switching programs. For example:
Patient transitions from CCM to RPM
The coordinator can:
Switch to the RPM program.
Select the RPM Care Plan template.
Review imported goals.
Customize interventions.
Finalize the Care Plan.
Templates reduce documentation effort while ensuring program-specific requirements are included.
Copying Information from Previous Care Plans
Instead of creating a completely new Care Plan, organizations may choose to copy relevant information from an earlier Care Plan. Commonly copied information includes:
Medical History
Diagnoses
Medications
Allergies
Family History
Lifestyle Factors
SMART Goals
Interventions
Self-Management Activities
Users should review all copied information to ensure it remains clinically appropriate for the new program.
Program-Specific Documentation
Each care management program may require different documentation. For example:
Chronic Care Management (CCM)
Typically focuses on:
Multiple chronic conditions
Long-term care coordination
Medication management
Care planning
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
Typically emphasizes:
Connected device monitoring
Vital sign review
Device compliance
RPM interventions
Abnormal reading follow-up
Principal Care Management (PCM)
Typically focuses on:
A single high-risk chronic condition
Disease-specific interventions
Specialist coordination
Annual Wellness Visit (AWV)
Typically includes:
Preventive services
Health Risk Assessment
Screening recommendations
Personalized prevention planning
The selected program determines the structure and clinical emphasis of the new Care Plan.
Reviewing the New Care Plan
After switching programs, review the newly created Care Plan to ensure:
Correct program assignment.
Appropriate template selection.
Accurate diagnoses.
Relevant SMART Goals.
Program-specific interventions.
Correct preventive services.
Updated evaluation schedule.
Appropriate Risk Classification.
Any information that does not apply to the new program should be removed or updated.
Historical Care Plans
HealthArc maintains all previous Care Plans as part of the patient's permanent record. Historical Care Plans can be viewed to:
Review previous goals.
Compare interventions.
Track clinical progress.
Review evaluations.
Reference physician approvals.
View previously generated PDFs.
Maintaining historical Care Plans supports continuity of care and provides a complete longitudinal view of the patient's care management journey.
Program Timeline Example
A patient's care history may look like this:
Date | Program | Status |
January 2026 | Chronic Care Management (CCM) | Completed |
April 2026 | Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) | Active |
September 2026 | Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) | Active |
Each program maintains its own Care Plan while remaining linked to the patient's overall clinical record.
Best Practices
Confirm patient eligibility before switching programs.
Complete the current Care Plan before initiating a program change.
Use program-specific templates whenever available.
Review all imported or copied information carefully.
Update goals and interventions to align with the new program.
Preserve historical Care Plans for future reference.
Coordinate with providers if the program change affects treatment or billing.
Ensure required physician approvals are completed for the new Care Plan.
Common Scenarios
Transitioning from CCM to RPM
A patient with hypertension begins transmitting blood pressure readings through a connected RPM device.
Recommended Workflow
Switch the patient to the RPM program.
Apply the RPM Care Plan template.
Add device monitoring interventions.
Update SMART Goals to include blood pressure monitoring.
Review physician approval requirements.
Enrolling in a New Care Management Program
A patient with COPD becomes eligible for Principal Care Management (PCM).
Recommended Workflow
Switch to the PCM program.
Create a new Care Plan.
Import relevant historical information.
Add disease-specific interventions.
Finalize and submit for physician review.
Updating Program Requirements
An organization introduces a new care management service with its own documentation standards.
Recommended Workflow
Switch eligible patients into the new program.
Apply the appropriate Care Plan template.
Review copied information.
Customize the Care Plan to meet the new program's requirements.
Troubleshooting
I don't see the Switch Program option.
Verify that your user role includes permission to manage Care Plans and that your organization has multiple care management programs configured.
Will switching programs delete the existing Care Plan?
No. Existing Care Plans are preserved as historical records. A new Care Plan is created for the selected program, ensuring no historical documentation is lost.
Can I return to a previous program?
Yes. Historical Care Plans remain available for review, and users can switch back to another program if permitted by organizational workflow and patient eligibility.
Are previous physician approvals retained?
Yes. Each Care Plan maintains its own approval history, including physician approvals, evaluations, comments, and version history.
Does switching programs affect billing?
Program Switching changes the active Care Plan but does not automatically update billing workflows. Organizations should verify that the patient's enrollment, documentation, and billing processes align with the requirements of the newly selected program.