Increasingly, the healthcare industry is discovering the importance of focusing on the customer experience, known as CX. “Patients have become the consumers and are actively demanding and receiving healthcare consistent with their broader expectations for non-healthcare,” Accenture reported.
To succeed, businesses across the health and wellness sectors need to understand what customers look for. That begins with a crucial step that is all too often elusive: unifying the customer experience through a single platform.
A recent study of “the factors influencing customer satisfaction in the healthcare sector” found that, in the view of customers, competence is about more than medical knowledge and clinical skills. It also includes “effective communication with patients.” Research shows that good communication helps build trust “and a better understanding of patients’ needs. The enhancement of communication channels, including information technology to connect patients and providers, has been identified as a key strategy for improving customer satisfaction.”
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Achieving this requires an omnichannel experience. Patients should be able to communicate with providers in myriad ways, from apps to email, texting, phone calls and more, all with HIPAA compliance. Anytime the organization messages or speaks with the customer, it should know everything about the customer journey. This includes medical history, allergies, risk factors, preferences, concerns and much more.
In this era, there’s no good reason for patients to have to provide this information at each touchpoint. A unified customer experience management platform (UCXM) pulls together information from every interaction. It also uses AI to provide insights at a glance, so the provider can know key information instantly.
“We believe that the novel concept of omnichannel engagement in health care can be greatly beneficial to patients and the system once it is successfully realized to its full potential,” a group of scientists reported in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. It will enhance personalization and sustain patient engagement, as well as, “ultimately, patient quality of care and outcomes,” they added.
Deloitte has also pointed out that creating an omnichannel customer journey in healthcare helps with customer acquisition, conversion, retention, personalization, optimization for marketing, and more.
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This change is underway across other sectors. Successful organizations are transforming their operations to create a single experience so that, no matter how they get in touch, consumers feel more confident that the organization “knows” them — and respects their time.
Staying at the cutting edge
In this era, it’s easier than ever to take on a UCXM platform. The move can take some time, effort and expense, and must be done carefully. But the benefits are clear — including to the bottom line.
“The adoption of an omnichannel strategy has the potential to enhance efficiency and productivity because health care providers can grow their businesses; increase efficiency through sharing processes, technology, information, and clinical data; lower the cost of access; and improve the quality of care,” a team of scientists reported in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health.
The system can also reduce the backlogs that make patients wait many hours or even days for treatment in hospitals. With personalized care available “through a range of channels, such as online platforms, mobile applications, and telehealth,” some patients can be treated by a primary care provider “without the necessity of physical appointments.” the study found.
The best omnichannel strategies are also built to keep evolving as new technology opens up new possibilities — and as new research demonstrates what works best. For example, a recent study in the International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology looked at the customer experience across multiple sectors including healthcare. It found strong evidence that communication channels should include voice biometrics.
“Given the increasing demand for secure and efficient authentication methods, voice biometrics has emerged as a critical solution, especially in industries like banking, healthcare, and customer service,” the study said. In one case, “a leading telehealth provider adopted voice biometrics to verify patient identities, reducing unauthorized access to medical records by 30%. This integration also streamlined appointment scheduling, ensuring a secure and seamless experience for both patients and providers.”
At a time when medical staff are overloaded, this kind of automation can help tremendously. Through unifying communications and tapping into the potential of AI, customers and staff can enter a new, healthier era.
Image: marchmeena29, Getty Images
Tomas Gorny is co-founder and CEO of Nextiva, a unified customer experience management platform empowering employees, partners, and customers with the best tools to help their businesses grow fearlessly. An award-winning entrepreneur, he is committed to helping set up businesses for success with powerful and intuitive technologies. He and his team work with businesses across numerous industries, including healthcare. Nextiva’s latest report is The Leader’s Guide to CX Trends. Tomas is also a philanthropist, carrying out a range of projects through both Nextiva Cares and the Gorny Foundation.
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