There’s been a lot of talk about omnichannel structures over the past few years. As we move into 2016, clinics (like retailers, banks, and other service oriented businesses) must have that connected online-to-onsite engagement path firmly established and working well.
Patients and customers expect to move seamlessly between mobile and physical worlds. Eighty percent of Americans research health topics online, and according to a Pew Report sixty percent research doctors and hospitals before stepping foot into a healthcare facility. Many people simply will not choose a provider who cannot give them a satisfactory level of control and information.
For clinics, that means that the patient journey needs to start well before someone steps foot in the clinic to seek treatment, and it has to extend beyond the visit. Patients have more medical choices than ever, from traditional to alternative providers, to simply seeking out diagnostic and treatment information online.
Adding a level of imperative to the importance of a broad, seamless patient journey are the ‘pay for performance’ stipulations being enforced by US regulators. With these requirements, the quality of the visit not only impacts the clinic’s ability to attract patients; it has a direct impact on the bottom line health of your organization.
But most importantly, you care – about your patients, as well as your staff and the financial health of your clinic.
Your 3 Most Important Patient Journey Resolutions for 2016
- Raise your expectations about the quality of service and satisfaction you provide
- Lower your operating expenses by improving operational efficiencies
- Improve satisfaction levels for staff members
By focusing on the patient, staff, and operations, you can put strategies, tactics and resources in place to improve each engagement point. That may involve enabling patient appointment management and self-service at check in for greater processing efficiencies and better staff utilization. It might involve matching each patient with the best provider to improve the level of personalized care offered. And it can extend all the way past the end of the visit, gathering real-time patient feedback to satisfy reporting requirements and inform future strategies.
This year, aspire to happier and well-informed patients and staff, smarter use of your facilities, more reliable processes and shorter wait times. To help you outline your priorities, clarify what intelligent resource management looks like for your clinic, and map out the resources you’ll need to achieve your goals, check the Infograph below for a short checklist.
Start the year with a clear and simple list of what to do, understand how each effort will impact your clinic, and know what steps to take to make 2016 your healthiest year. Embracing these resolutions can keep your focus on caring for the people in your clinic.
Patient Journey Infographic >
Image courtesy: Qmatic & Shutterstock
