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Driving Patient Engagement: Using Self-Service to Enable Patient Workflows
Today’s consumers live in a new modern era and are being constantly exposed to new digital experiences. Patients now have access to health information via the Internet, and even to their own personal health information through a variety of tools and portals. This new wave of information has also led to their desire to be more involved in their actual healthcare delivery workflow. In addition consumers want to be engaged in their preferred manner of communication with 70% preferring messaging over traditional calls into support centers IBM Watson.
Enter the concept of “Self-Service”. What is self-service? Well, in a traditional sense we can think of a local gas station providing you the ability to step out of your car and fill your own tank of gas with however much gas you need. It simplifies the task- no waiting on an attendant, and at the same time it saves the gas station money as their team can work more efficiently and spend time working on more complex tasks.
From a healthcare perspective providers are now beginning to understand the value of patient self-service, often through “virtual assistants”. Virtual assistants are simply Artificial Intelligence enabled or rules-based workflows provided through multiple channels- voice, text, or chat. They can help improve access for patients, reducing their wait times and improving their overall satisfaction. Self-service technologies can allow patients to schedule and manage appointments, request medication refills and referrals, and help with bill payment, all making life easier for patients while driving efficiencies for both the patient and provider. Implementing self-service technologies such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and/or website/SMS chatbots can reduce wait times, decrease handle times, and reduce call abandonment all ultimately driving patient engagement.
Recent surveys by Gartner have shown that today’s modern consumers strongly desire access to self-service options to support their personal healthcare workflows. Prioritizing patient experience is vital for health systems continued growth and has led to new investment in this space CCW Digital. Other studies have indicated that major pain points for patients include dealing with redundant paperwork, being asked the same question multiple times and not having real-time access to their health information. In fact an Accenture survey of 1,100 patients in the United States indicated that 46% were not aware that their records were available electronically.
Finally, the advent of self-service technologies also provides tremendous value to the care provider. Among the most significant benefits is the ability for provider staff to better manage expectations. Since common workflows are managed through self-service options, providers and their support teams can spend more time focusing on more urgent and complex interactions further enhancing the overall patient experience.
Today’s healthcare arena is evolving. Patients are increasingly becoming “tech-savvy” and want to be able to engage with their health care providers on their preferred communication platforms at their own convenience. Self-service technologies can drive Patient Engagement by providing convenient options for patients to deliver more access to care and by enhancing the overall patient experience.
