The Roadmap to Increase Patient-Centricity in Healthcare

Contents

Recognizing Patient-Centricity's Value. 

Get Started with Patient-Centricity.

Individualized Patient Care

Five Key Points for Patient-Centric Care. 

How to Put It All Together

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Although customer-centricity has many benefits, many companies aren't set up in a way that allows consumers to participate in healthcare decisions. Some doctors don't believe it is worth spending time to encourage patients to be more involved in their own healthcare decisions. Healthcare administrators must assess their organizational capabilities and decide how to best support patient-centered efforts. This requires an understanding of the consumers and the ways they can be involved to support the larger organizational and public health goals.

Ø How to improve customer satisfaction - What is patient-centricity in healthcare and research?

              Health Care: Centricity

 Patients and their families are involved in the development of new care models as well as in decision-making regarding individual treatment options. According to the Institute of Medicine, patient-centered care is defined as "Providing care that is sensitive and responsive to individual patients' preferences, needs, values, and ensuring that all clinical decisions are based on patient values." In addition to safer healthcare systems and increased patient participation in healthcare design and delivery, patient-centered care is another goal of health advocacy. Patients can't be truly patient-centered if they don't have the opportunity to make informed decisions about their health and ability to access care.

Patient-centered care encourages active involvement of patients at all levels of care design and implementation.

To the extent that the patient is informed and wants it, the experience of transparency, individualization and respect in all matters relating to one's health, circumstances, and relationships.

Patient-centered healthcare is about giving patients the opportunity to be empowered and allowing them to voice their concerns about the system. Patient-centered healthcare means that the healthcare system is tailored to meet the needs and preferences of patients. This ensures that healthcare is both cost-effective and appropriate.

Although the benefits of customer-centricity seem obvious, many organizations don't have the infrastructure to allow consumers to participate in healthcare decisions. Healthcare administrators must assess their organizational capabilities and decide how to best support patient-centered efforts.

The days of healthcare providers and clinicians being solely responsible for making decisions about how to treat patients are gone. Many people are taking an active role in their healthcare-thanks to-healthcare reform.

While other industries have been able to involve customers in sales and service processes for a long time, the healthcare industry is still not doing enough to strategically engage consumers. Research shows that there are many opportunities to create customer-centered healthcare. Healthcare leaders and organizations can become more successful in implementing a customer-centric strategy that supports larger goals by recognizing and addressing the gaps.

Ø Recognizing Customer-Centricity's Value

Leaders must first understand the realities of the current healthcare system to see the true benefits of customer-centricity. The industry must be focused on cost efficiency and central regulations to control healthcare costs when they are high in the United States. This can lead to a greater degree of reporting bureaucracy among front-line workers and poor morale. In many cases, this can lead to worse outcomes.

This can be changed by a customer-centric approach. It shifts the focus to consumers and better involves them in their care. A customer-centric approach, for example, empowers patients to communicate with their doctors to learn more about their health and treatment options. This allows them to be involved in their care decisions. This approach has many benefits.

"If the consumer is actively involved in research [his or her health] problems, he/she will be more likely also to become involved in his or her preventative healthcare. These preventative measures can save money, improve self-esteem, quality of life, and help you adhere to doctor recommendations. Engaging the consumer in healthcare as a partner can save money and improve the outcomes.

Ø Get Started with Customer-Centricity

Although customer-centricity has many benefits, many companies aren't set up in a way that allows consumers to participate in healthcare decisions. Some doctors don't believe it is worth spending time to encourage patients to be more involved in their own healthcare decisions. Healthcare administrators must assess their organizational capabilities and decide how to best support patient-centered

Ø  Strategically engaging consumers is still an area where the healthcare industry is still behind

efforts. This requires an understanding of the consumers and the ways they can be involved to support the larger organizational and public health goals.

Additionally, some organizations might want to improve their top-down management capabilities to address existing organizational problems. However, healthcare leaders must understand that this solution may be counterintuitive. It is better to delegate more authority to those on the front lines who are affected by these decisions, such a practitioner or the people they serve. This would mean that providers and consumers would work together to achieve the individual's health goals. Both sides would share an investment in the outcome and the process.

Ø Individualized Patient Care

It is important to realize that not all patients can be treated the same way. Therefore, when designing a customer-centric approach, it is important to consider who your target audience is. Research companies must know the current consumers they serve and identify potential customers that they could reach in the future. You can tailor your marketing and outreach efforts to better reach the people you are trying to reach. This will help you to form effective working relationships.

A matrix must include four segments to help you understand the diverse needs of your customers. You will find people who are active in their own health and taking care of themselves. They might use a Fitbit, or another activity tracking device, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and adhere to recommended health screening guidelines. You will also find people who are ill and those who do not take responsibility for their own health in another quadrant. They might be unable, unwilling, or unprepared for engagement. These patients may have multiple chronic conditions, and their healthcare can be very costly. The third group includes people who are healthy, but not involved, such as Millennials. They believe they are invincible, and don't see the value of investing money on healthcare. The last segment is made up of people who are ill but still take care of their health. For example, someone who has had a heart attack and now walks and eats well.

Patients can work with their physicians to better understand their health and treatment options. They also could be involved in their own decisions.

Once a company has defined its population, it must think about how it will reach them and bring them into their network. Although this may seem like an easy task, most hospital marketing departments are primarily focused on advertising. However, research findings can help create a more consumer-centered operating strategy. They can also tailor advertising messages to resonate better with target audiences. Hospitals often fail to connect their strategy with their fundamental values and mission.

Hospitals have a strategy but not core values that are focused on the consumer. This is a problem because the consumer is what keeps hospitals in business.

Ø The Big Picture

Administrators must remember the bigger picture. This means focusing on the service lines and staffing capabilities to meet existing needs. This is how most hospitals view it. They think of each specialty as if they are achieving world-class status in oncology and gastroenterology. This equation has a problem.

This way of thinking is not market-driven but product-driven. The hospital's offerings are based on current and future needs, and the approach evolves from that. His advice is to change your frame of reference to reflect the needs you want to fulfill and how you will achieve that goal.

Hospitals must know both their existing and potential consumer bases. The company must determine the mix of patients they are interested in serving. A more consumer-centric evaluation would focus on which populations you will serve and which you won't.

 Ø Five Key Points for Consumer-Centric Care

Healthcare leaders looking to expand their knowledge in this area can benefit from thinking about the customer's point of view to create a user-centered experience that is both effective and efficient.

It can be cost-effective and beneficial to engage the consumer in healthcare as a partner. Compliance is not synonymous with engagement. Compliance is when an individual follows a directive. Engagement must be the new standard for Standard of Care.

Ø Consumers want five things in healthcare. These can be called "five E" of consumer-centric health care.

 Experience: This will bring you to the cure.

Empathy: To make them feel loved by the provider.

Efficiency: So they won't have to wait.

Economy: To ensure that they get fair value

Empowerment: This gives them some flexibility in their treatment plans.

** These elements must all be integrated into the customer experience.

Ø How to Put It All Together

There are so many factors to consider. My advice to healthcare leaders who have spent over 10 years in research is to get consumer focused. Begin with a market research or consumer research supplier to get the data you need to make informed decisions about your customers and their needs. Designate a senior representative to oversee the customer experience. Only by knowing your facts, you can create an effective strategy to move forward and build a stronger relationship between the consumer and the company. He says that it is important to keep the course and make a long-term commitment.

**Consumer-centricity can only be achieved when the leadership of your company is truly committed.