Consumerism in the healthcare industry is an inescapable growing trend. Patients are increasingly taking an active role in their care experience and are evermore empowered to choose their own care alternatives. With the current state of the economy, the cost of care and, most importantly, the quality and ease of service are crucial factors in determining patient satisfaction. Implementing a consumer-driven health plan is the right first step but that alone is not sufficient to meet patient needs in our era of mobile technology and social media.
Given the evolution of technology, today’s patients are used to having mobile tools at their fingertips to access and manage information anywhere, anytime. There is a greater expectation for personalized experience in healthcare. Healthcare technologies that seek to know each patient remember preferences and engage with them effectively, and via the communication channels they are used to in daily life will be at the forefront of taking patient care to its next inevitable level. Such technologies will help organizations to build loyalty and customer satisfaction, which then leads to higher patient volumes, revenue, profitability and an overall standard of care.
The first step in devising such pro-patient-experience technology platforms is to know your patient. In a traditional healthcare encounter, providers only capture patient demographics and insurance and health history information. They normally pay very little attention to patient preferences and other personal attributes that are deemed less critical at that point of time. However, it is important to know more information than the mundane data registration elements so that one can provide a more personalized experience to patients. Some examples of such data points are:
- Preferred name
- Communication preference (mode of contact, time)
- Language preference
- Reminder preferences
- Diet
- Religious preferences
- Beverages
- Preferred TV channels
- Preferred Magazines
- Care giver preferences
- Payment preferences
Gathering such information will provide a more robust sense of the patient’s personal preferences and habits. Organizations can use this data to drive personalized experience to each individual.
The key to driving a more consumer-based healthcare experience is to devise a cost-effective method to capture and analyze such information. One way would be to provide a multichannel, self-service option to patients so that he/she can enter this information at his/her convenience. Providers can also provide tablet devices to patients and have them enter this information during their first visit to the hospital while waiting for treatment. The most important aspect of this process is to create one single profile for each customer, no matter which channel (online, mobile or tablet) they use in order to interact. It is important to make this a seamless experience to patients and hospital staff.
Then, once information is captured, providers can use this in various ways. For example, providers can communicate with patients via the channel that they prefer (e-mail, SMS, home phone, etc.) and during the time they prefer (before 10am, after 5pm etc). They can address each patient with their preferred name and use preferred language.
Moreover, the consumerization of healthcare will see to it that healthcare communication becomes more targeted and relevant for each patient. Right now, many providers send mass communication. However, those patients with diabetes might not be interested in the same news as patients with cancer. Using patient data and health conditions, you can identify the right target group and customize communication.
The next wave of healthcare consumerization also means utilizing your patient’s context, localization and mobility preferences in relationships with local industry. For example, if Patient-X is on a diabetic diet and walks into a restaurant, your provider application can assess what can be eaten from the menu. If there is a promotion at a fitness club in the community, a provider should be able to notify a patient and encourage them to start their exercise. Targeted promotions at pharmacies could also be delivered to patients in need of particular medicines on sale via e-coupons.
Increased consumerization of healthcare can also mean that providers give a personalized experience to patients during their hospital visits. For example, during inpatient stay, hospitals can ensure that patients have their preferred magazines (either via tablet or paper) and TV channels programmed in their room. Or, if a patient has a religious preference – for example, they do not wish to donate organs or receive blood transfusions – the hospital can be aware of that ahead of their visit and act accordingly.
The future of healthcare technology will rely on hospitals using business intelligence tools to derive patterns and consumer trends. Driving loyalty and providing personalized care is a key factor for sustaining long term growth for a healthcare organization. Increased consumerization is crucial for today’s modern healthcare provider seeking to pioneer change in an ever-evolving industry.
Edited by
Brooke Neuman
