“93% of providers said that creating a better patient experience is still a top priority, an increase of 3% from last year.”
– Experian Health’s patient access status, June 2021
In November 2020, we surveyed patients and providers’ perceptions of changes in patient visits due to the pandemic. During this period, patients welcome the convenience and control brought by digital, non-contact care.Suppliers know they need Improve their digital front door To withstand the financial impact of COVID-19, but it is difficult for many organizations to implement.
Six months later, after millions of Americans were vaccinated, the pandemic has changed again. In June 2021, we re-examined these issues to understand whether the views of patients and providers have changed-in our Patient admission status 2.0Now, patients tell us that they are more confident about returning to the facility, even though they still want the flexibility and convenience of digital dispatch, registration, and payment options. Providers increasingly urgently need to ensure that online services are flexible enough to cope with the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the future.
The survey results reveal four major opportunities to rethink how we “do” healthcare. By innovating and building on digital advancements achieved during the pandemic, providers can create a better patient access experience for the future.
First, the provider should:
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Meet consumer expectations for convenient and flexible patient access
Our recent survey shows that the pandemic has reinforced consumer expectations for easy access to care.Digital and remote channels Schedule an appointment, Completion of pre-registration and payment has become a new benchmark for patient admission. Nearly three-quarters of patients told us that they would like to make an appointment online. Providers know this: 93% said that creating a better patient experience is still a top priority, an increase of 3% from last year. Online self-scheduling It can help providers continue to meet patients’ needs for flexibility and easy access to care. Patients can find, book and cancel appointments anytime, anywhere. This is also a victory for providers, who can expect to see a reduction in management errors, non-appearances, and rejected claims.
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Simplify prior authorization as more patients return to medical facilities
Interestingly, new data shows that patients are less anxious about face-to-face care. In 2020, 40% of patients feel uncomfortable entering the waiting room and seeing the doctor in person. Now, only 16% of people say they feel uncomfortable in the waiting room. As more and more patients are eager to reschedule deferred care, providers are faced with a combination of challenges such as an increase in the number of patients, patients skipping health plans due to unemployment, and changing payer rules around pre-authorization and insurance coverage checks. Automatic pre-authorization with Automatic coverage check It can relieve stress and help providers save time and resources.
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Improve price transparency to reduce missed payments
An encouraging insight from our latest survey shows that very few patients say they are surprised by the final medical bill. In 2020, the final number received by more than 50% of people is very different from the estimated value. Six months later, this number dropped to only 14%. Price transparency is still important, and the gap between estimated cost and final cost seems to be narrowing.More suppliers provide Patient bill estimate, 9 out of 10 people agree that accurate estimates will increase the chances of paying bills on time.Many people also provide patients with more options to pay their bills early in the journey, which helps Minimize the risk of delayed payments and missed payments. Easy-to-use digital options play an important role in acquisition and retention planning and can help drive financial recovery.
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Tighten data strategies with better security, quality and insight
Although our first survey revealed that the sudden shift to digital-first patient visits was an impact on the system for many providers, the second study showed that both patients and providers are adapting to digital ways of working. But as these digital services become the new benchmark, vendors must ensure that their data strategy fits the purpose and prioritize data security, quality, and insight.Move forward, one Multi-level approach Will help providers verify and protect the identity of patients.When these identities are enriched by information about how the patient was affected Social determinants of health, Providers will be more capable of providing personalized patient access experience and supporting marginalized groups.
The future of healthcare is digital. Is your organization ready?
From our recent survey, it is clear that the digital trends that emerged in 2020 will continue throughout 2021 and beyond. Download the white paper Get the complete survey results and explore how data and digitization can provide your medical institution with a 24/7 patient access experience.
