During an executive session in partnership with Genpact at Becker’s 12th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, leaders from Genpact — Suket Dhir, global healthcare segment leader; Sam Basu, vice president of healthcare; Omer Khan, senior vice president and consumer & healthcare technology leader; and Robby Schoenhoft, client experience partner — led a discussion alongside Sonny Hyare, MD, CEO of Remedi Health Solutions, on digital experience strategies for patients, physicians and helpdesk staff.
The four key takeaways from their discussion are summarized below:
- Personalized technologies are key to improving patient care and outcomes.
Research suggests that personalization can reduce readmission rates and improve patient retention. McKinsey has published studies showing that personalization in healthcare can increase revenue growth by 10% to 15%. One leading health system is exploring ambient technology, given its potential to create more efficiency for clinicians and patients, provide data-driven insights and promote cost-savings across the care continuum.
Ambient listening tools record and process patient-provider conversations in real-time, automatically documenting key details. This frees clinicians to focus on the patient instead of notetaking. Patients also appreciate quick, easy opportunities to provide feedback on their care experiences. Some hospitals and health systems offer brief surveys via text message or email immediately after patients’ visits or treatments.
- Physician and caregiver experience is as important as patient experience.
The last four years have transformed care delivery, highlighting how a physician’s empathy directly influences treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Clinician wellness and burnout are therefore real concerns. Organizations need to optimize workflows and reduce the administrative burden so providers can focus on patient care.
Addressing these challenges with the right technology can enhance both the provider experience and, by extension, the patient experience. Physicians can focus on delivering care with fewer administrative burdens when supported by enhanced clinical decision tools, tailored training programs and a comprehensive 360-degree view of patient data.
Genpact has found that technologies that make healthcare employees’ experiences better, faster and more automated free up time and drive a more all-encompassing patient experience.
- Digital tools can enhance patient self-service, as well as phone-based interactions.
For many patients, the primary way they initially interact with healthcare services is through a digital interface like portals, apps or mobile devices. This makes it critical to integrate solutions that create meaningful, seamless interactions by supporting the emotional and psychological needs of patients.
It is important to provide patients with a clear entry point, such as an interactive voice response phone system, which allows callers to interact with organizations without speaking to a live agent. Even if technologies are self-service, interactions should be followed by human assistance as needed.
Some organizations find it valuable to offer a help desk or other self-service digital entry point so patients can find answers to administrative questions, reset their passwords or ask clinical questions. Further, some call centers have deployed systems that track phone conversations with patients in real-time, and if a call is not going well, the system escalates it to a supervisor.
- Steps to create a meaningful digital experience.
Ultimately, technology should serve to amplify the human elements of care, not replace them. With the right investment in the right tools, healthcare organizations can humanize the patient experience and foster stronger, more meaningful connections between patients, caregivers and the broader healthcare system.
Leaders should consider these five steps to create this environment:
i. Invest in centralized access solutions: Establish unified patient experience centers with smooth, interdepartmental transitions using platforms like Epic and ServiceNow.
ii. Empower physicians with simplified workflows: Eliminate administrative burdens and focus on clinical decision-making support.
iii. Leverage ambient technologies: Introduce advanced solutions for data aggregation and usability at the point of care.
iv. Enhance nursing efficiency: Focus on processes and technologies that support nursing workflows, especially in environments with union-related barriers to adoption.
v. Develop peer networks: Encourage collaboration among advanced technology adopters to share best practices and inspire broader industry adoption.
