Features that allow patients to digitally interact with healthcare organizations are not always available, according to recent data from respected health IT research firm KLAS. More people than ever are connecting with care providers through online and mobile channels, but still struggles to meet patient expectations.
inside Patient Perspectives on Patient Engagement Technology in 2022 The report shows that surveyed patients identified digital tools in need and expressed their desire for more “actionable” functionality. These include features that increase convenience (such as scheduling self-schedule appointments or requesting a referral) and providing easier access to manage healthcare services, such as prescription refills. The majority of respondents also said better and more frequent communication about health care visit preparation would enhance their experience.
However, healthcare organizations do not have these types of capabilities consistently. For some, cost and infrastructure are holding back adoption. Others have attempted to add functionality through patient portals, but the technology offers limited real-time interaction and patient navigation can be complicated.
The KLAS report recommends exploring other solutions, including automating patient outreach or engagement, as a way to bridge the gap between patient needs and existing capabilities. Automated engagement includes sharing real-time messages, links, education, and instructions via text or other methods that do not require manual outreach. This simple form of communication is favored by many.
Data highlights show what matters most to patients
Responses indicated that patients persisted with online appointment scheduling capabilities. 67% of respondents would like to be able to schedule/reschedule appointments, but only 37% say they have the ability to do so.
Prescription refill services are also important. Half of these people said they would like to be able to request prescription refills digitally, but this only applies to 29% of respondents.
This desire for appointment management and prescription capabilities aligns with the general consumer’s need for more digital interaction with the healthcare system. Another industry survey of millennial patients showed that, 92% want two-way communication with their healthcare provider, and 71% Looking forward to online scheduling capabilities.
A field of digital technology Have It can be said that meeting patient expectations is in the realm of virtual interaction. Now, this feedback is informing how healthcare organizations can deliver this popular delivery channel.
For example, KLAS found that with virtual care, pre-visit preparation and post-visit follow-up are very important for patients. Respondents who were neutral or somewhat dissatisfied with the quality of their telehealth experience said better preparation was needed.
This preparation can take many forms. Nearly a third of respondents said that sending an appointment link (32%) and receiving early information about their condition and their suitability for a telehealth visit (33%) would improve their experience.
Patient engagement technology also has the potential to drive improved outcomes following regular face-to-face healthcare interactions. Research shows that almost one fifth People experienced adverse events within three weeks of being discharged from the hospital — but nearly 75 percent of them could be prevented or corrected. Staying in touch with these people through digital channels can help care teams stay abreast of changes in status and provide patients an easy way to provide feedback or updates.
Giving patients control over their care improves experience and outcomes
All of these in-demand capabilities can impact the patient experience, close care gaps, and improve outcomes. As the report attests, respondents place the highest value on technical competencies that directly impact their ability to receive and control care.The issue is how Provide these capabilities without overwhelming health system workers or patients with complex technologies.
Automation may be the answer, the report says. It states that automated tools can provide simple communication options and access to information. It also recommends that organizations evaluate new technologies to enhance system functionality and meet patient needs.
In the area of patient engagement, what does automation look like? In the early days, it started with a basic reminder sent before an appointment was scheduled. But today, it involves multi-channel communication (including SMS text, interactive voice response or IVR and email) to interact with individuals for all types of healthcare needs and services.
Some platforms provide interactive features such as two-way messaging. This means that patients can respond to notifications as they would in a one-on-one interaction. For example, patients can schedule or reschedule an appointment, or request support prior to surgery for pre-visit instructions, education, or clinical preparation. In this way, automated engagement can improve care gap reduction.
This automated approach complies with several specific recommendations outlined by KLAS. On the one hand, multimodal outreach gives patients the option to participate in the way that works best for them. Enabling two-way communication means patients can continue to participate in their care.
Given these benefits, why aren’t more health systems deploying automation today involved? Some use technology to get involved, as research has proven. But they may not have the right tool for the right job.
Patient portals are still widely used for engagement, but they have significant limitations. Portals are more complex, have a less user-friendly interface, and require a login and password. By contrast, rescheduling appointments via text happens through the devices most people use every day. Portal technology should be reserved for more complex tasks, such as viewing test results or medical records. KLAS recommends that healthcare organizations supplement the portal with other technologies to interact with patients in ways they find convenient and useful.
How automation works in practice
Automated patient engagement works best when integrated with an EHR, which means it can tailor outreach based on the information contained in that system. In addition to adhering to scheduling “rules” and communication or language preferences, such platforms interpret patient record data to identify care gaps, pending referrals and other care needs.
Then, when patients respond, their responses are captured and written back to the EHR.Health teams can then document the narrowing of the gap in care, or even document Lack Patient response (indicating the need for follow-up).
An example of this level of automation is demonstrated by a health system that hopes to reduce the rate of poor preparations and canceled procedures for its colonoscopies. Send two-way appointment SMS texts and IVR reminders for patients to respond and confirm, cancel or reschedule appointments. Patients receive additional reminders to obtain required preparations from the pharmacy, receive educational information about the procedure, and receive final appointment reminders. After implementing the workflow, the health system found that there were significantly fewer canceled procedures, and this approach did not require additional manual work by staff.
How health systems meet patient needs
Healthcare organizations should consider using new and different technologies to increase engagement, as suggested by KLAS. Here are three ways automated engagement approaches can improve experience scores, close care gaps, and address patient technology needs:
Automation can power digital self-service tools. The report states that patients aged 18-34 are almost twice as likely to choose a provider organization with digital access tools.
Automation can enhance virtual care. Preparation before a visit can make or break the delivery of care. According to KLAS, health systems should share instructions, emails, texts and educational materials to help individuals get the most out of their healthcare access.
Automation can allow for multimodal communication. One recommendation in the report suggests providers include other solutions that automate access to information and provide simple communication options.
Based on these findings, hospitals and health systems should consider implementing automated patient engagement technologies to support the functions that individuals value most—those that directly impact their ability to seek and receive healthcare. The benefits of this approach, including improved patient experience, reduced staff burden, and easier delivery of care to encourage higher visits, are expected to meet the expectations of today’s patients.
