An estimated 25-30% of total healthcare spend in the U.S. can be traced to inefficient patient throughput, delayed access to treatment, excess length of stay, preventable readmissions and over-utilization, and unaddressed social determinants of health (SDOH).i ii The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) prioritization of health equity is converging with the rise of value-based healthcare, prompting hospitals and healthcare systems to look for new ways to drive down inefficiencies.

Critics are raising concerns about the use of generative AI to respond to patient MyChart messages, The New York Times reported Sept. 24.

Food is medicine programs are trending among U.S. hospitals, according to the American Hospital Association. 

UC Davis Health opened a special blood draw clinic for children with autism, Down syndrome and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Paramus, N.J.-based Valley Health System opened a new hospital in April after years of identifying and implementing patient-focused technology.

Data shows patients overwhelmingly want self-scheduling options when booking healthcare appointments. It’s convenient and is more in line with today’s consumer experience expectations. Self-scheduling is not only about improving patient satisfaction, however, practices also benefit. Staff turnover, staff and provider burnout, and obstacles to timely care delivery plague practices today, and advanced, automated self-scheduling tools can alleviate many of the operational pain points contributing to these challenges.

The digital age has set new standards for the capabilities at individuals' fingertips, and healthcare leaders are determining how this extends into patient experience.

Covenant Children's Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, has opened a hospital-based school for long-term patients to stay on track with their education. 

In 2007, CMS started publishing star ratings on the web for healthcare consumers to review as part of their healthcare decision-making process. The application of those ratings now covers an array of hospital performance metrics including quality, safety, efficiency and patient experience. Every quarter, hospital star ratings are updated and published. 

From real-time communication updates to bedside interactions, hospitals and health systems are increasingly focused on enhancing personalization to drive patient experience improvements. 

Female emergency room patients are less likely to be prescribed pain medication, according to a study published Aug. 5 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

After implementing an "always on" feedback and employee rounding tool, Louisville, Ky.-based Norton Healthcare has raised satisfaction scores 15% in one year, closed gaps in communication, and re-engaged staff. 

In 2021, a provision under the 21st Century Cures Act granted patients immediate access to medical test results. Three years later, some members of the healthcare community are advocating for change, The Washington Post reported July 26.

Clinician leaders might want to enourage their teams to meet hospitalized patients at their eye level, according to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. 

Patient scheduling is one of the most crucial steps in healthcare delivery. Despite significant advances in healthcare technology, accurate and timely scheduling remains challenging, particularly when care transitions providers.

Patient experience measures are showing signs of rebounding after falling dramatically during the pandemic, and a few elements are entering the spotlight after having notable effects on hospital scores.

Nashville (Tenn.) General Hospital has launched a "no-wait ER" program that reduces the time patients wait to receive care to four or five minutes, wkrn.com reported July 8.

Healthcare organizations must prioritize the healthcare experience of Gen Z and millennial patients with "new intensity and rigor," Press Ganey wrote in a June 26 report. These generations have far less brand loyalty and significantly higher expectations for fast, convenient care compared to previous generations. 

The frequency of nurse rounding can significantly affect hospitals' patient experience performance, though preferences still vary by unit and patient type, according to a June 26 report from Press Ganey.

Cardiac surgery patients reported the highest patient experience scores of any specialty in 2023, according to a June 26 report from Press Ganey.