“Why Patient Engagement Requires a Full Platform”
In the healthcare consumer experience, reality does not always meet expectations. Patients are demanding a virtual care, digitized healthcare experience. Although these tools have been in the market for some time, providers are not yet using them to their full potential to enhance the patient journey. As a result, patients are not selecting—and staying loyal to—healthcare providers, which ultimately leaves revenue on the table. To cater to these digital demands and accelerate healthcare delivery, healthcare organizations need platforms that enable patient self-scheduling, appointment reminders, digital patient intake, and a consistent communication experience that eases patient interactions with their healthcare
provider. Targeted patient communications with appointment
reminders, information to help consumers prepare for
appointments, and tips for encouraging preventive care are
vital to getting the patient in for virtual care. Meanwhile,
streamlined patient intake technology can boost operational
efficiencies to meet patient and provider needs. Together, these
digital tools provide a connected patient experience.
A growing population of patients are looking for providers that
offer flexible appointment options beyond in-office visits. Virtual
care options like telehealth and on-demand services have grown
significantly, offering patients a seamless experience from the
comfort of their own home or through the use of mobile kiosks
strategically placed in remote locations.
Many patients prefer to use digital tools to check in to their
appointment in advance. Digital check-in offers a convenient way to speed up the intake process and spend less time in the waiting room. Now facing COVID-19 concerns and now, monkeypox, patients want contactless check-in options that help avoid touching pens, clipboards, and other surfaces that can carry viruses.
In a recent study conducted by Salesforce, 71% of healthcare consumers feel responsible for managing their health, but only 23% completely trust the healthcare
industry has the technology to enable them to manage
their own care. Many healthcare organizations likely fall
short in their digital offerings and patients are taking
notice. The study demonstrated a strong correlation
between the availability of consumer-oriented online
technology and the likelihood of high-trust patient-
provider relationships. Nearly two-thirds of study
respondents (64%) associated the availability of three or
more online services with the likelihood of a better
experience.
Patient engagement technologies, like patient self-
scheduling, can help fulfill these patient expectations,
yet providers are slow to adopt these solutions. Ninety
percent of patients, including Baby Boomers, told
Salesforce they want access to self-scheduling tools,
yet only 53% of providers actually offer them—and many
of those are simply online request forms that are not
designed to consider provider rules and preferences or
integrate into existing workflows.
The patient experience is not linear. It is cyclical as
patients move from self-scheduling to preparing for the
appointment, receiving care, and back to scheduling
their next check-up. The digital patient experience needs
to reflect that pattern and support an ongoing cycle that continues to evolve. Therefore, to better meet patient expectations, I have joined Sirach Health and Wellness to not only offer patients an opportunity to tap into these digitized resources but to also offer a streamlined healthcare experience through the use of virtual care
solution kiosks.
If you are in the Tucson, Arizona community, please click the link (https://www.sirachhealthwellness.com/book-online) to sign up for your personalized subscription to receive care from licensed and board-certified clinicians.
