Keep Evaluating the Patient Experience

Healthcare consumers continue to change the landscape for the medical system as we know it.

We know they want more access to online options, whether that’s telehealth or online appointment scheduling. And many people still jump online to Google, Facebook, and Yelp to share their experiences,  good and bad.

While not every patient interaction can be perfect (a trend not unique to the medical industry), most healthcare organizations strive to keep patients at the center of their efforts. Read on to learn more about ways our partners continue to lean in to improving the patient experience.

Help People Navigate the Basics

Health insurance dictates or at least attempts to direct most patients where they get healthcare services. Accenture’s 2019 Digital Health Consumer Survey showed insurance and cost as the top two factors influencing healthcare choices. Navigating insurance policies, referral requirements and copays is confusing. Let patients know your team can help them manage this process. And if you say you do, follow through.

Think Outside the Box

One of our partners identified that people whose weight prevented them from having joint replacement surgery needed more support to help them meet their goals. OrthoIllinois created the JOYNT program to connect patients with nutrition education, aquatic fitness, and counseling to lose weight and improve their overall health. Case management is a big part of the program’s success, so this is a great example of a company identifying an issue, creating an actionable plan, and, ultimately, going above and beyond to help patients succeed.

Ask for Feedback

Have you ever heard the phrase “what gets measured gets improved”? There are variations – “what gets measured gets done” and “what gets measured gets managed.” Think of all the quality measures that already exist for hospitals and healthcare organizations and the patient satisfaction surveys you’re already required to do.

Reputation management resources – whether that’s in-office technology to collect reviews or software that allows you to text/email review requests for sites such as Google – are worthwhile investments. They can help you identify good experiences that can be shared on your website and social media, and possibly be repurposed as longer-form patient stories and testimonials. And the negative reviews help identify areas – whether that’s wait times, billing or staff interactions – that need improvement. Staff positions (like a patient experience officer) dedicated specifically to addressing these issues are ideal, but at the very least, responding to negative online reviews must be on your to-do list. Our expertise in healthcare marketing and experiences with our partners allow us to provide insight on how you might be able to improve the patient experience. If you need help navigating options for your organization, give us a call.