Each five-point increase in hospital rating scores is associated with a 1% increase in net profit margin.1
Better patient experiences often mean better health outcomes. And it’s as good for business as it is for patients, resulting in improved safety, technical quality, length of stay, readmission rates, and scores. And yet another benefit? You’ll likely see improved employee engagement and satisfaction, resulting in reduced turnover.
The most successful hospitals and health systems are those stepping up their patient experience game—81% of health system executives say improving the customer experience is high priority.2 Perfect your patient experience by following these three key practices:
1. Welcome patients to your health system through any of many digital front doors
The patient experience begins long before—and continues beyond—their first in-person visit. People increasingly see themselves as medical consumers. They often start their search for services and providers via your website, social media channels, patient portal, and notification programs.
Almost three-quarters (71%) of patients use online reviews when looking for a new doctor. That means your online reputation is often the first impression you make on potential patients.3 Dissatisfied customers will tell nine to 15 people about their negative experience.4 Highlighting positive online reviews—while addressing negative ones—has never been more important.
Many of our clients utilize our Consumer Health Library to boost their brand reputation and the digital experience. Leverage content that can be retooled for multiple channels—whether for social media and email campaigns—to drive traffic to your site. Convert a user browsing for information about a condition to one scheduling an appointment. Maximize the content with confidence, knowing it’s clinically reviewed, easy to understand, and reflects the latest government and health guidance.
Improve patient access to clinicians, services, and health information beyond discharge when you share Krames patient education through your patient portal via Krames On FHIR®. You can also support patients post-discharge with Continued Care. This automated text messaging program from Krames leverages Krames patient education as reminders geared to increasing patient adherence to your guidance and their medications while reducing readmissions.
Regular post-visit touchpoints ensure the positive and streamlined patient experience continues—and keep it top-of-mind as HCAHPS surveys arrive.
2. Reduce staff burnout and stoke passion for patient care
More than 50% of the physician workforce is burned out—often due to an ever-growing administrative burden.5 Physician burnout can threaten patient safety and care quality, and burned-out doctors are more likely to leave practice.6
As health care today is delivered by multidisciplinary teams that can include numerous health care professionals, poor communication among team members may mean that patients ultimately suffer. Research from The Joint Commission showed that almost 60% of medical errors are the direct result of a communication breakdown, such as a failure in communication between doctors and nurses.7
Krames On FHIR in the workflow helps doctors, nurses, and other health care providers enhance their communication and alleviate administrative burdens. There’s no need to go in and out of screens. Clinicians can customize the user experience to their preferences. It also supports them in delivering care and communication to patients—in less time and with less stress. And the patient portal write back provides additional data to inform future visits.
Greater patient satisfaction may lead to greater employee satisfaction. One hospital that focused on improving the patient experience improved its work processes and systems so clinicians and staff could provide more effective care—resulting in a 4.7% reduction in employee turnover.8
3. Lower costs and stress that come with taking prescription medications
Three in 10 adults don’t take their prescribed medications because they can’t afford them.9
Medication costs can delay or prevent patients from taking their medications, creating additional stress. Help remove financial barriers to patient adherence to medication regimens by connecting patients with Back to Care. This new program from Krames and WebMD provides easy access to a network of patient assistance programs for free or discounted prescribed medication.
For additional medication adherence support, use Continued Care text messaging to send timely reminders to patients about filling and taking their medications. It also lets patients know of saving opportunities available for prescribed medication(s).
Patients will view your organization as playing a vital role in improving their access to prescribed medicines at lower costs and, ultimately, their health and safety. That boosts patient loyalty, which promotes continuity of care, compliance with medical guidance, continuing relationships with specific providers, and an increased use of preventive services—for better patient experiences and outcomes.10
References
1 Buhlman N, Lee T. When patient experience and employee engagement both improve, hospitals’ ratings and profits climb. Harvard Business Review. May 8, 2019. https://hbr.org/2019/05/when-patient-experience-and-employee-engagement-both-improve-hospitals-ratings-and-profits-climb. Accessed September 2, 2020.
2 Why is the patient experience important? Healthgrades Web site. https://www.evariant.com/faq/why-is-patient-experience-important. Accessed September 3, 2020.
3 Hedges L, Couey C. How patients use online reviews. Software Advice Web site. https://www.softwareadvice.com/resources/how-patients-use-online-reviews. April 30, 2020. Accessed July 29, 2020.
4 Baird K. Engaged, empowered, and enthused: the link between employee engagement and the patient experience. Becker’s Hospital Review. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/engaged-empowered-and-enthused-the-link-between-employee-engagement-and-the-patient-experience.html. Accessed September 2, 2020.
5 Iafolla T. 21 fascinating patient engagement stats. eVisit Blog. https://blog.evisit.com/21-fascinating-patient-engagement-stats. Accessed July 22, 2020.
6 Physician burnout. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Web site. https://www.ahrq.gov/prevention/clinician/ahrq-works/burnout/index.html. July 2017. Accessed September 3, 2020.
7 Communication between doctors and nurses. HIPAA Journal Web site. https://www.hipaajournal.com/communication-between-doctors-and-nurses. Accessed September 2, 2020.
8 Why improve patient experience? Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Web site. https://www.ahrq.gov/cahps/quality-improvement/improvement-guide/2-why-improve/index.html#ref8. Updated February 2020. Accessed September 3, 2020.
9 Kirzinger A, Lopes L, Wu B, Brodie M. KFF health tracking poll—February 2019: prescription drugs. KFF Web site. https://www.kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kff-health-tracking-poll-february-2019-prescription-drugs. March 1, 2019. Accessed July 29, 2020.
10 Zhou W, Wan Q, Liu C, Feng, X, Shang S. Determinants of patient loyalty to healthcare providers: an integrative review. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. August 2017; 29(4);442-449.
