Consumer behavior and their perception of healthcare has changed in the wake of COVID-19, along with how they shop for and manage their care needs.
Based on McKinsey surveys of U.S. consumers [2021], the changing perception towards healthcare includes being open to trying new brands and channels, preferring in-home alternatives to traditional out-of-home activities, and choosing digital interactions with their providers as the adoption of Telehealth continues to grow.
Competing for business with choices, quality and service (and hopefully cost, someday) is a relatively new concept for healthcare providers––even with all the customer data we possess. And the only new challenge here is seeing this as a win-win opportunity with our patients.
Bottom line… the ‘new normal’ for healthcare is a customer service approach that can remove any complicated barriers to care while anticipating the needs of the individual before, during and after their patient journey.
The CX/PX Compass
Changing status quo behavior and becoming more customer experience/patient experience [CX/PX] focused will take time, because healthcare didn’t arrive where it is (today) overnight.
The business case for change begins with accountability.
“How will this benefit or provide a better experience to the patient?” should be leading the decision-making process for any new initiatives in 2022 and beyond, because not every efficiency to be gained in healthcare has received this level of consideration in the past.
But knowing the answer to this and other problem-solving questions should be a positive reflection of a culture that can guide the strategy and ‘true north’ direction to align digital engagement and the people and fragmented stakeholders that each own a touch point or process in the patient journey.
That said, the level of priority, internal effort and allocation of budget to any new initiative will continue to be based on actionable data and the metrics to successfully measure progress and ROI.
The problem is trying to make business decisions to improve CX/PX while being solely dependent on the response rate of standardized CMS or satisfaction surveys that can’t be customized to acutely distinguish the good from the bad in each touch point or patient engaging process.
Today’s healthcare customer demands an experience that we can measure and improve with a blend of proven customer service methodologies.
As a solution, the HealthX Group developed the CX/PX Compass with four quadrants and eight equally balanced metrics to mix PSAT and NPS scores with additional customer data to plot a new direction.
The symbolism of the compass is critical to navigation: “How will we arrive at our desired destination if we don’t know how to get there?” And the essence of the quadrants is more than the ability to measure and identify strengths vs. areas for improvement. It helps us appreciate the balance of a 360º approach to the healthcare experience and the value of each element.
Perception
Customer perception is reality, and this quadrant of the CX/PX Compass measures the ability to satisfy what the patient expected when they needed healthcare, compared to the good or bad interactions they experienced while engaged in each process with the provider.
News isn’t good or bad, it’s just a matter of perspective. However, there is one takeaway that consistently applies to the metrics and findings in the Perception quadrant.
The good: Every patient journey is an individual experience and series of interactions, and perception can change for the better (tomorrow) with a commitment to improve CX/PX at each touch point.
The bad: If these interactions continue to be tedious, complicated or confusing, perception will become the lasting impression and customers will never want to do business with us again.
Accessibility
One of fundamental factors of care delivery [Cost, Quality or ‘Accessibility’], this quadrant measures engagement through analytics and everything related to the digital experience and mix of tactics that facilitate conversions, scheduling an appointment and patient churn.
If simplicity was a key factor, is there anything we can accurately measure that could affect change more than improving the accessibility of care in 2022 and beyond?
Assuming cost is beyond the control of any single entity and quality should be a ‘table stake’ expectation, then making care more accessible to everyone could include anything from new digital solutions to changing hours of operation and outdated policies.
Loyalty
Every consumer exhibits some level of loyalty to their favorite brands. This quadrant of the CX/PX Compass measures all the little things that demonstrate to the healthcare customer that they are important to us and we value their time.
Forrester research indicates that 77% of consumers say ‘valuing their time’ is the most important thing a company can do to provide a great experience. In healthcare, hurry up and wait is so systemically problematic that it’s consistently a top five complaint.
People value communication and relationships. Changes in coverage or insurance can be a reason for healthcare customers to switch providers, but almost 60% say they switched for better treatment or service.
As healthcare providers, if we want customers to be loyal… we need to be irreplaceable.
Advocacy
Loyalty leads to Advocacy, but not every loyal customer shares a five-star review. This quadrant measures the reputation we are building online, and the likelihood a customer will recommend us to a friend of family member.
Arguably, this is the gold standard of metrics because word of mouth is the best advertising money can’t buy. And a [2022] Healthcare Trends Report revealed that 72% of consumers expect to see multiple online reviews when selecting a new provider.
Yes, there will always be good and bad reviews. We should appreciate everyone that loves us and listen to understand anyone that feels disenchanted or has a complaint. Somewhere in-between is who we really are in the eyes of our customers, and what we can do to change.
Make CX/PX a Strategic Priority
People won’t remember an average experience, and they may not fully appreciate everything that went into a great experience. But they will never forget a bad experience.
Healthcare is not without its share of challenges and the business side of it matters, too. But the disruption caused by COVID-19 has presented a golden opportunity to step back and take an objective look at everything from our patient intake processes to the lasting relationship we are building with our healthcare customers.
Now is the time to be making CX/PX a strategic priority!
CX/PX is the transformational and differentiating opportunity that healthcare leaders have been talking about for years, if not necessarily making it a priority. But now we have the right solutions and implementation process (and KPIs) to inspire the change we want to customers to experience in healthcare.
Considering that consumer out-of-pocket spending on healthcare is estimated to hit $491.6 billion dollars by 2026, and the National Health Spend is projected to reach $6.2 trillion dollars by 2028… then at the very least, healthcare should be delivering an experience where our customers feel like they are getting their money’s worth.