The study includes survey responses from roughly 3,000 consumers and 300 senior healthcare leaders. Here are nine takeaways from the study.
1. A vast majority (81 percent) of consumers indicated they are unsatisfied with their healthcare experience. Of patients who frequently deal with the healthcare system, 75 percent said they are frustrated, compared to 48 percent who use the system less frequently.
2. Regarding factors that influence a healthcare experience, 42 percent of consumers said their treatment by physicians, nurses and reception staff is most important. Coming in second and third place were clinical elements of the visit (22 percent) and processes like scheduling and billing (19 percent).
3. Millennials are the unhappiest group of frequent healthcare consumers, with 86 percent dissatisfied.
4. Only 28 percent of millennials visit a physician for an existing condition, compared to 53 percent of baby boomers. And just 22 percent of millennials visit a physician for a new condition, compared to 45 percent of older patients.
5. Perhaps due to their negative in-person healthcare experiences, millennials are the most willing to try alternative sources of care — including on-demand medical centers (used by 73 percent), retail clinics (64 percent) and telemedicine (52 percent).
6. Providers frequently overestimate the overall quality of the experience they give by 20 percent and that may only get worse — as the number of providers declined between 2013 and 2014, patient satisfaction fell 3 percent.
7. Hospital CEOs were asked to rank their top five priorities for the survey, and patient satisfaction did not appear on the list.
8. Nearly all (91 percent) of providers say they understand that digital technologies are essential for acquiring and keeping patients, yet less than one-third (29 percent) are actively investing in digital tools.
9. Although 97 percent of healthcare providers have a department or committee dedicated to improving the patient experience, 85 percent admit they don’t have a clear picture of how to accomplish that goal.
To access the full report, click here.
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