There has been a lot of recent chatter about the "consumerization of healthcare." While the patient becoming the customer may seem like a small shift in terminology, it's not.
It's a new reality for providers that will fundamentally change how they operate, both inside their four walls and long after patients have walked out the door.
This reality brings with it a key question: How can providers connect with patients in new ways that are more meaningful and relevant? The answer can be found in a place that they have traditionally ignored—outside the industry.
Yet, the idea of looking outside the industry has historically been disregarded by healthcare executives. "That's great but we're different. We're healthcare," they would respond. But the consumerization of healthcare has changed what patients expect. It means that patients aren't just comparing you to other providers—they're comparing you to everyone.
That's why leading providers are hiring Chief Experience Officers, from JD Power award-winning organizations, such as American Express. They know that best practices from other industries can be applied to healthcare to engage and empower patients.
So, what should providers be doing? See which companies are known for their customer service experiences. Then, emulate them.
Here are three best practices to inform your strategy:
1. Make it easier to take action: Customer-focused companies simplify life for consumers. For example, DirecTV developed a process to send text message reminders to customers about late payments—but they were just reminders. Customers still had to remember to make a payment later via another channel. DirecTV realized that with one change their reminders could be actionable. Now, customers can reply 'yes' to pay with a card on file—no additional steps required.
To adapt that lesson for healthcare, think about making reminders actionable for patients. If you need to capture a biometric reading, don't ask patients to sign into a separate portal. Rather, allow them to respond via text or interactive voice call to provide the information. It's a win for patients who can report their reading more easily and for providers who now have that important data.
2. Use resources wisely: T-Mobile, US Bank Mortgage, and Nationwide Insurance send automated late payment notifications to customers. Automating the reminders makes sense since most of the customers intend to pay but also because the companies' resources are finite. To make the best use of their specialized agents, those companies want them to focus on customers who are struggling to pay. They spend time working with those who need partial payment plans or loan modifications. The end result is more satisfied customers and more engaged staff, who feel that their time has been spent making a difference on complex cases.
To adapt that lesson to healthcare, think about patients who are discharged from the ED. Many are never contacted again by the provider—not because of a lack of effort but rather because of limited time and resources. However, better communication prior to discharge can make a difference. Let patients know that they will receive a couple of automated, follow-up calls, to help them receive better care moving forward. Calls can be designed to assess a patient's likelihood of re-admission. Marrying patients' responses with key factors such as historical readmission rates, DRG codes, and the complexity of care plans, helps nurses to know where to spend their time. They can focus on helping at-risk patients adhere to their care plans, get medications, or schedule follow-up appointments. This maximizes outcomes, limits readmission penalties, and improves the patient experience.
3. Get personal with patients: Other industries have long understood the value of and ensuring that customers don't feel like "just a number." In fact, based on poor experiences with contact centers, we've been conditioned that the next call will also be unpleasant. However, many companies have made advancements to personalize call center interactions. Now, if I call Delta, it says "Welcome back, Michael. I see you have a flight today that has been delayed, is that the reason for your call today?" Once I answer 'yes' I'm automatically connected to a representative who can help.
To adapt that lesson for healthcare, think about use data and technology to help inform why patients are calling. Think about replacing "how can we help you today?" with "Hi Michael, I see that your blood pressure has declined for 3 straight weeks now. Great job!" or "I see that you cancelled an appointment last week. Can I reschedule that for you?"
The key takeaway here is that the shift from patient to customer doesn't have to be daunting for providers. It should be empowering. Ways to better serve patients are all around us—and it's time to get started.
Mike Snyder is a leader in consumer engagement. For over a decade, Mike has helped Fortune 100 companies across all industry verticals develop strategies to better engage their customers, drive down cost of service, strengthen loyalty, and increase revenue.
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