In all the upheaval and uncertainty around healthcare – consolidations, regulations, budget crises, workforce shortages – it can be easy to overlook the person at the center of it all: the patient.
That would be a mistake because patients, long overlooked as passive recipients of healthcare, are exerting an ever-greater influence on what their care looks like, as well as how and by whom it is delivered. Patients, particularly younger ones, are redefining their relationships with their providers and with healthcare in general. And providers who do not adjust to this new reality will have a hard time attracting and retaining patients.
Patients’ increasing autonomy undoubtedly concerns some providers, but they shouldn’t fear it any more than they should ignore it. It’s an opportunity for them to better engage with their patients and improve outcomes, while also realizing new efficiencies and improved workflows.
Amid the rising influence of patients in healthcare, here are a few key factors providers need to stay keenly aware of as the changing role of the patient continues.
Patient experience will become even more important. After decades of adjusting their lives to the timetables and preferences of physicians, patients now expect their providers to conform to their schedule and offer the same convenience options found in other industries. And if they don’t, patients will find a provider that does.
It might help providers to think of patients as consumers. Specifically, consumers who are used to shopping around for services and technology and who do not hesitate to leave one company for another that offers a better product, price, or experience. In the view of many patients, healthcare has become a commodity that can be delivered by any number of providers in an ever-growing number of settings.
Next-generation workflows will improve the patient experience. Improving patient engagement and experience can be a drain on limited workplace resources and a burden on overworked staff. Some healthcare systems have even begun charging patients to respond to messages, at the risk of alienating them. AI is evolving and can deliver automated responses to patients for most questions, while routing more complex inquiries to the most appropriate resource. Generative AI will bring patient engagement to a new level while simultaneously decreasing the amount of human effort to produce it.
Patients will expect better technology. Few things are more off putting to today’s tech-savvy patients than being forced to deal with obsolete technology, like fax machines, paper forms, and voicemails. They use up-to-date technology in their jobs and personal lives, so they don’t see why they should have to settle for outdated systems when it comes to something as important as their healthcare.
Patients expect online scheduling and check-in, responsive two-way communication through text, or secure messaging, and easy-to-navigate patient portals with educational resources. Not providing those features to patients will drive them away.
Engaged patients will power the shift to value-based care. Ever so slowly, healthcare is transitioning to value-based care (VBC) with its emphasis on population health, patient satisfaction and new payment models. Patient engagement is a critical tool to help providers achieve their VBC goals. By satisfying patient demands for technology, providers create a pathway to improve health outcomes, increase patient satisfaction, and find money-saving workflow efficiencies. By focusing on innovative approaches to extend the clinical setting, engage patients wherever they are, and explore staffing models that empower clinicians to work at the top of their licenses, leaders can successfully move to VBC.
Long-term care will modernize. Like every other part of healthcare, long-term care (LTC) was greatly impacted by COVID-19. The pandemic highlighted the vital role LTC facilities play in our nation’s health system and the problems they face. Challenged by increasing demand and staffing shortages, the industry in 2024 will invest in automation and technology that eases burdens on employees. This will include platforms that make communication with residents’ families easier and give organizations the opportunity to manage interactions to create efficient workflows and monitor quality. Adopting new technology will not only improve working conditions that can lead to staff burnout, but it will also help organizations form a teamwork approach with families that builds trust and enhances a facility’s reputation.
While engaging with more empowered patients will be a challenge for some providers, they shouldn’t resist change. Engaged patients are simply better patients. They’re more likely to follow medical advice, make (and keep) appointments, take their prescriptions, and ask questions. It also doesn’t spell the end of patient relationships. While the old model of physician-patient loyalty has irrevocably changed, patients will still seek out and trust those providers who provide the best care. However, the definition of best care will not only include patient-provider relationships and medical decision-making. It will also include access to modern patient engagement tools patients need to be active participants in their healthcare journey.
About the author: Gary Hamilton has led InteliChart since its inception in 2010. He brings a wealth of clinical and technical expertise associated with consumer-patient engagement and provider practice operations. Gary drives corporate strategy, product innovation, and direction toward one common objective: to enable providers to successfully engage and empower their patients to attain successful outcomes. Over the years, Gary's work has led to the evolution InteliChart's Patient Portal into a full suite of engagement solutions that address automated patient scheduling, appointment reminders, digital intake, telehealth, patient feedback, and population health initiatives. Prior to InteliChart, Gary held leadership positions with Integrated Healthcare Solutions and Atlantic Healthcare Management.
This article was originally published on DOTmed on August 2, 2024. You can view the article here.