With the rise of healthcare consumerism, people are looking to hospitals, health systems, and physician practices to deliver the same user-friendly digital experiences they receive from other industries. A recent survey found that more than 80% of consumers believe “shopping for healthcare should be as easy as shopping for other common services.” Specifically, they want streamlined online access points where they can shop for and purchase healthcare, easily make appointments, understand their costs, make payments, and set up payment plans—or even obtain financing for care if the estimated costs exceed their budgets. These digital experiences help providers recruit new patients and keep them engaged, leading to better patient outcomes and the practice’s financial health. Unfortunately, most healthcare organizations aren’t ready to provide this level of convenience, mainly because they have relied on patient portals as their primary digital engagement tool.
The Problem with Portals
Patient portals underdeliver for several reasons. First, portals are only for patients with an existing relationship with a provider. However, the patient experience begins when consumers start shopping for care. Relying on a portal alone is a missed opportunity to generate new patient business.
Second, portals need to mirror what consumers expect from digital solutions. The interfaces could be more precise, the functionality could be better, and the technology only supports a pull strategy, meaning it waits for the patient to come to it rather than periodically reaching out and prompting the individual to take action.
Third, a patient must be logged into a portal before they can do anything with it. This makes scheduling appointments with new physicians harder because there is no established connection. In these cases, the patient must pick up the phone, wait on hold, set up an account, possibly wade through insurance approval and pre-authorization, and then make the appointment.
Finally, portals could be better for communicating costs. While some allow the patient to pay co-pays, they must be designed to give realistic cost estimates, offer payment plans, suggest alternative funding sources, etc. These challenges result in low, inconsistent portal use. Even if a hospital indicates that 50% of its patients access the portal, one-time or limited use should be viewed as something other than patient engagement. Instead, to realize authentic engagement, organizations should think about ways to foster two-way conversations to keep new and existing patients focused on their health and how the hospital, health system, or physician practice can meet their needs. This improves patients’ experience and builds loyalty while reducing leakage and growing revenue.
What are the Risks of Poor Digital Engagement?
Healthcare organizations can retain patients with a well-considered plan to provide a retail-like shopping experience with transparent cost information. This is especially important as the marketplace becomes more competitive and focuses on patient experience, and retail clinics continue to pop up nationwide.
In addition to market changes, regulatory pressures are also making patient-centric financial communications necessary. Several states are implementing price transparency regulations, and a federal requirement is approaching. To meet these standards, organizations need practical tools that reliably determine and share prices with patients before their appointments.
So, Where Do Organizations Go from Here?
Patient portals are not the answer. But how can organizations better serve patients by providing the convenience they seek? Here are four best practices to consider.
1. Evaluate Your Organization’s Digital Tools
The first step is to compare your current digital solutions to those from other industries, such as travel, retail, and financial services. Consumers want a digital, retail-like shopping experience where they can search local providers, compare reviews and costs, schedule their treatment, and even pay—all in one intuitive place.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that only younger people want these tools. Research shows that older adults are increasingly embracing mobile activities like online banking. The Harris Poll found that 80% of Baby Boomers (individuals between 60 and 78 years old) “wish there was a single place to shop for and purchase care.”
Digital tools are designed to improve access and transparency while making paying more accessible, creating more engaged consumers, and providing a better patient experience. Achieving this dual dynamic requires digital tools to be part of a comprehensive end-to-end solution.
2. Streamline Access to Shoppable Services
Individuals can schedule elective procedures and screening tests in advance. These include planned joint replacements, colonoscopies, and mammograms. Healthcare organizations offer standardized pricing for these services, allowing patients to shop for the best price, location, and experience.
When patients can use a digital tool to research a service, set an appointment, and make a payment, it can drive patient satisfaction and increase the chances the individual will choose to have the procedure with the organization supplying the tool. With 67% of consumers stating they would “shop for healthcare entirely online, like any other products and services,” streamlining access to shoppable services will drive engagement and revenue.
3. Adopt Tools that Help People Understand Their Care Costs
More than half of consumers surveyed for The Harris Poll said they have “avoided seeking care because they weren’t sure what the price would be.” The biggest hurdle to accessing care is price transparency, resulting in patients needing more treatment and better revenue management for a practice.
Patients are more likely to pay their portion up front when they understand what they owe and feel confident that the cost information provided has considered their current insurance, deductibles, and co-pays. A key to accurate estimates is an automated solution that checks the patient’s insurance digitally, determines the benefits, reviews any deductible amount, and verifies whether the individual has already met their deductible. When a patient financial tool also offers the ability to make payments or set up a payment plan, it can increase patients’ propensity to pay, boost the amount of self-pay funds the organization collects, and substantially reduce the cost-to-collect.
4. Enable Digital Appointment Scheduling
Consumers need help with scheduling and rescheduling appointments. Digital solutions can address this pain point. Mobile tools and apps that patients can use to schedule appointments, monitor wait times, digitally complete forms, and check in for appointments are essential to breaking down some barriers to patient access.
Before onboarding a tool like this, organizations must consider the change management challenges in getting all stakeholders on board. Historically, physicians have been hesitant to open up their calendars to permit digital scheduling. However, transparency and standardization are becoming increasingly essential to meet patient demand and are necessary to make these types of tools work smoothly.
Although digital tools are gaining popularity among all generations, some still prefer to pick up the phone to price, schedule, and pay for care. In addition to digital solutions, organizations should have service-oriented call centers to work with these patients. Such centers should have well-trained professionals available during and outside of traditional business hours so patients can access the information they need when needed.
Relying on the Status Quo is Not Wise
Healthcare will become more consumer-driven as high-deductible health plans continue to disrupt the industry. Hospitals, health systems, and physician practices need to be able to afford to rely on outdated technologies that don’t facilitate two-way conversations or the digital experience patients expect. To compete today and in the future, organizations need a comprehensive, retail-like solution that offers a seamless user experience and spans the entire patient journey. Tools and technologies combined with putting the patient first will build loyalty while improving an organization’s clinical and financial outcomes.
