Why Is Patient Experience Crucial In Health Care Services?

The introduction of the internet has eased the process of accessing information and circulating the ideas. Now, expressions are not merely exchanged amid individuals but have also transgressed the parameter and used for reciprocation on the internet-supported social platforms.  Even, collecting feedback, as well as searching references, has become a less tedious task now. Unlike before, the information has shrunken to a small form and easily accessed via the internet. Finding a location, reviewing the product, shopping for clothes and kitchenware, and reaching out far-off kin are several benefits of availing the internet.  

Now, people are more aware and knowledgeable than ever. Masses willingly become precursors in the decision-making process through genuine product reviews and feedback. These reviews are reliant on customers’ experience that the customers had in the particular niche. If the experience is positive, then goodwill of the company creates and grows whereas, in the inverse scenario, the image of the company diminishes. Likewise, the healthcare industry is also contingent on the patients. Patient experience matters the most in the industry, especially for private healthcare companies.

Rise and fall in the utilization of the healthcare services correspond with the patient experience. As a result, the healthcare companies, despite being public or private, should emphasise on delivering a positive experience to the customers. A survey conducted by PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers) on the Indian healthcare industry states, “There is a shortage of qualified doctors and nurses. On the infrastructure front as well, there is a need for exponential growth. Private expenditure is very high in India. It currently stands at around 70 per cent whereas, for the UK, this figure stands at 16.9 per cent. Further, there is low penetration of insurance in India. At 62.4 per cent, out-of-pocket health expenditure is a very high share of the total healthcare expenditure in India. In the UK and USA, this share stands at around 9.7 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.”             

The above-listed problems are primary reasons as to why companies fall short of rendering quality healthcare services to the patients.

A Patient-Centric Approach

Similar to other commodities, healthcare services are not a widget. The healthcare services greatly vary from patient to patient. A problem in the deliverance of healthcare services can deteriorate the over-all experience of the patient and further, affects the image of the company. So, the physician should ensure that every patient is aptly treated and should adopt a patient-centric approach.  In the approach, the patient should be purveyed quality services from attending calls to scheduling the appointment, to giving reminders, to informative telecons; perhaps, every service should be decided, examined and then, executed. Amid all the processes, interaction with the physician is utmost important as it is a prerequisite to make or break the ties with the patient. So, physicians should handle patients aptly and assess ailments through proper examination. Otherwise, the patient experience would be negative and in turn, bad reviews will be received despite following the patient-centric approach.    

Ways To Improve Patient Experience

Upscaling the business is very important, irrespective the business nature. Thus, the healthcare company should also plan out to expand the business by introducing new services or polishing the present ones. For this, the physicians need to know important tips.

1.    Hiring Skilled Staff

Indeed, a sole person can’t be proficient in everything; an individual, thus, requires others’ help to perform a task. Correspondingly, the physician should recruit skilled employees to perform non-clinical work such as scheduling appointments, responding to customers’ inquiries and scrutinizing insurance policies. In this way, the patient will feel valued in the healthcare companies and thus, deem the healthcare company a trustworthy brand.

2.    Emphasis On Patient Interaction

Having a good interaction with the patient is imperative and for that, the physician should ensure if he has proper eye contact with the customer and the disease is properly assessed. These two factors help to create a positive impact on the customers.

Adopt the above-mentioned information to enhance patient experience in the healthcare company.