Tag: patient engagement

Dayton Children’s Hospital is a pediatric hospital in Ohio with over 300,000 annual patient visits. Ranked by U.S News & World Report as one of the top 50 pediatric facilities in the United States, the facility’s mission centers around providing “optimal health for every child.”  Challenges The Patient Accounts department, led by Richard Gonzales, wanted to reduce his team’s reliance on third-party collections agencies and avoid associated fees. This meant that his in-house team needed to further scale its operations and processes to reach their in-house collections goals. The Pre-Service Operations department, managed by Jason Schenck, pursued efficiencies for resources within the centralized scheduling team, including the goal to quickly respond to referrals and turning those referrals into scheduled appointments within 24 hours. Throughout the pandemic, both teams experienced staffing shortages and pandemic-related absences. Because their dialing methodologies were manual, these disruptions in personnel prohibited them from growing in-house collections and reaching the turnaround times Schenck's team wanted to achieve for scheduling referrals. As Dayton Children’s strived to achieve these ambitious goals, they decided to proactively provide a better patient experience through convenience, connection and an effective communication experience. Resolution Dayton Children’s launched Experian Health’s PatientDial solution in the Patient Accounts department to scale their in-house collections efforts, thereby reducing dependency on their outside collections agencies. The solution was also adopted in the Pre-Service Operations department to automate dialing and conversation readiness so that the team could expedite the scheduling of referred patients. The expertise of a dedicated Experian Health consultant provided unwavering support to the two departmental heads and also gave them full control over the operations to best match their expectations. Streamlining patient payment collections with PatientDial  The Patient Accounts department’s operations revolve around billing a claim, reducing bad debt, increasing patient collections and providing effective customer service. They devised a two-pronged approach when it came to contacting patients for payments. The outbound campaign focused on collections, whereas the inbound customer service team handled the large volume of incoming calls from customers and rerouted them to the correct department. When it comes to collections, the Patient Accounts department found that making phone calls was the most effective medium to support their collections efforts. Billing is a complex process and taking the time to connect with patient guarantors to explain those bills paid off. To refine the communication approach, patient accounts were segmented based on outstanding balance amounts and where they were on the statement cycle. Calls were then made to the accounts with the highest propensity to pay. Waiting on hold not only wastes a patient’s time but also leads to a frustrating patient experience. Many even abandon calls, to call again later, which makes phone lines even busier. To provide a better patient experience, the department was also able to try out an innovative recall campaign, enabled by the queue callback feature. Patients were called back automatically the moment an agent became available, thereby reducing call hold time. By providing patients with this callback option, Dayton Children’s is empowered to accept more inbound calls per day along with having empathetic conversations with guarantors around payment plans to sustain its collections goals. Patient scheduling and preregistration powered through automation The Pre-Service Operations department leveraged PatientDial to improve outbound call efficiency and optimize existing staff resources to schedule appointments rather than leave voicemails. The productivity for scheduling a new patient visit from an outbound call was about 30%. With the centralized team supporting more than 40 specialty clinics, the team needed to improve the number of new patient visits scheduled daily, which meant opening resources to receive inbound calls. The mighty team of 10 was able to strategically use the autodialer feature to make new appointments, send appointment reminders and schedule referrals. Time is of the essence in a healthcare setting, and swift access to pertinent patient information enabled the staff to start their work even before greeting the callers when an inbound call came. Powered by the agent pop feature, staff had immediate access to key patient identifiers such as name, date of birth and specialty clinic from referral. Additionally, the feature enabled the team to reinvest time in creating a positive patient experience through improved hold and talk times, both of which reduce the risk of call abandonment. Results of incorporating PatientDial With PatientDial, the Patient Accounts department has been able to successfully align revenue goals with employee productivity. Previously, the staff was able to make only 50–60 calls per day, out of which 70% went unanswered. By automating dialing, the staff is now able to make 600 calls per day, resulting in a corresponding uptick in collections. The recall campaign, used for following up with patient guarantors, was a new endeavor for the department and has reduced the staff’s burden of making 300 manual calls per day and has also reduced call abandonment rates. The Pre-Service Operations department, has seen a 50% increase in patient appointments scheduled, powered by 600–800 automated calls made per day. The referral-to-scheduled appointment timeline has gone down from 4 days to under 1 day. Two hundred patients can now be reached via text daily and the speed to answer calls has been reduced from 60 seconds to 30 seconds. Lastly, PatientDial has positively challenged the Pre-Service Operations department to rethink productivity and daily operational efficiency. Dayton Children’s investment in dialing automation has streamlined their patient communications around scheduling and far exceeded initial goals. Because of the resulting high volumes of new patients scheduled and improved efficiency and effectiveness the team realized, there’s a strategic plan specific to central scheduling and to implement standard processes for managing new patient referrals across the organization. What’s next for Dayton Children’s? Empowered by their stellar results, both the Patient Accounts and Pre-Service Operations departments want to further explore how PatientDial could help other departments achieve greater productivity and further deliver a positive patient experience. The Patient Accounts department wants to maintain its focus on productivity gains and employee experience through PatientDial, with the ultimate goal of bringing in more collections. The Pre-Service Operations department plans to take on additional scheduling responsibilities across departments, creating time to reinvest in direct patient care and improving patient outcomes. Initial plans are for establishing patient scheduling and improving processes to identify and schedule follow-up visits. Both the teams at Dayton Children's recognize Experian Health’s expertise in revenue cycle solutions, which has made this a successful partnership. Learn more about how PatientDial uses patient outreach and patient engagement processes and workflows to increase your bottom line.  

Consumers are increasingly turning to digital channels such as online patient portals to streamline care management and communication with healthcare providers. Digital-first consumers and younger generations are now expecting seamless online experiences from all industries, including healthcare. Providers will need to accommodate their patients' wants and needs or risk losing them to competitors. In fact, research shows that 61% of consumers who are “very” or “extremely” interested in using patient portals would switch their healthcare providers if other providers made such portals available. A new collaborative report between Experian Health and PYMNTS examines how healthcare providers are currently using these channels, and identifies gaps and new opportunities for improvement. Opening healthcare's digital front door is now more important than ever. Find out more about how Experian Health’s digital tools and solutions can help providers streamline the patient journey.

Earlier this year, Experian Health teamed up with PYMNTS to ask more than 2300 consumers about their digital healthcare habits. The results confirmed that consumers are eager to use digital channels, but still experience challenges in finding options that meet their expectations. The Digital Healthcare Gap: Streamlining the Patient Journey examines how healthcare providers currently use digital tools to allow patients to book appointments, obtain test results and make payments. It also examines how providers are closing gaps. This article summarizes the key insights that will help providers create a seamless digital experience and improve patient engagement. Download the report to get the full study, and to learn how healthcare providers are using digital channels to improve care and drive engagement. How are healthcare providers using digital channels to streamline access to care? While most patients still prefer to interact with healthcare providers in person or by phone, digital methods are increasingly popular. For example, Experian and PYMNTS data show that: 1 in 5 patients used digital channels to schedule appointments within the previous year. 1 in 3 patients used patient portals to fill out registration forms. 1 in 4 patients used digital methods to pay for healthcare. Urgent care patients were the most likely to schedule appointments online, with 17% using patient portals, 16% scheduling directly through practice websites and 5% booking by text message. Patient portals were also the most popular digital channel among patients booking appointments with family practices. These insights suggest that patients want on-demand patient access and a range of options to book, register and pay for care in a way that’s most convenient for them. When they have that choice, many opt for digital methods, though results vary by type of provider. Patient portals are emerging as the most popular channel because they allow patients to securely access and manage their healthcare information in one place, whenever and wherever they like. Missed us at the MUSE Inspire Conference? Contact us for more conversations about opening healthcare’s digital front door. How can providers better engage patients using digital healthcare solutions? Despite their enthusiasm, many patients run into challenges when using patient portals, especially when making payments. Obtaining accurate cost estimates before coming in for care was a major pain point for 15% of patients surveyed. Portals are an obvious solution, but only 24% of patients said they had access to portals that include this feature. Even among those patients with access to “estimate-enabled” portals, only 6% said they knew their out-of-pocket costs in advance, which may point to communication or usability issues. The ability to receive cost estimates in advance of treatment has a major impact on how satisfied patients feel with their overall care experience. Nearly 85% of patients said they were satisfied with their care, but those who did not receive cost estimates for their most recent appointments tended to be less satisfied. The portion of urgent care patients satisfied with their experience dropped to 74% when out-of-pocket expenses weren’t known in advance. Experian Health’s Patient Estimates can help address these gaps. This web-based pricing tool gives patients accurate cost estimates before their treatment and offers advice for financial assistance and charity options. Patient Financial Advisor complements this by delivering pre-service estimates of the patient’s responsibility straight to their mobile devices. With this solution, patients get a text message with a secure link to their cost estimates and payment options. Providers that offer a convenient and transparent financial experience through these types of digital tools are likely to see improved patient engagement and more efficient patient collections. Tom Cox, President of Experian Health, says that digitally-enabled convenience is the secret to better patient engagement. “Patients are consumers before they are patients. They may not be experts in medicine, but when it comes to convenient and efficient scheduling, registration, estimates, payments, communication, and flexible delivery of these services, the consumer becomes the de facto expert. Healthcare is quickly approaching the point where a standard of convenience and ease of use – primarily delivered via digital tools ­– will result in patient attrition for those failing to meet the standard. The ’innovation’ needed is to reach parity with the experiences consumers have in their other service interactions.” “Healthcare is quickly approaching the point where a standard of convenience and ease of use – primarily delivered via digital tools ­– will result in patient attrition for those failing to meet the standard.” - Tom Cox, President at Experian Health How can digital healthcare solutions attract and retain new patients? The research also found that opening the digital front door can supercharge efforts to attract new patients. 3 in 10 patients use digital methods to find and select providers, with 1 in 10 using online reviews as part of their search. Nearly 2 in 10 struggle to find the professionals they need. Building a consistent online presence can help increase providers’ “discoverability” and signal a commitment to digital healthcare that so many patients desire. Providers that offer easy and reliable digital tools are also going to be more likely to attract and retain new patients. With 20% of patients saying portals are complicated to use, and 13% saying they lack functionality, providers that offer streamlined digital services are going to be more attractive. Building on the existing momentum with online self-scheduling and self-service patient registration can make it easier for patients to choose and register with new providers. Cox recognizes that digital solutions are not a simple fix – but worth the effort. “As consumers, we take something like scheduling for granted. What goes on behind the scenes is pretty complicated, however. In the case of scheduling a medical visit, there are specific time slots, physician schedules, how to address cancellations and the need for referrals, among many other variables.... It can be challenging for a healthcare provider to aggregate disparate data into a digital tool that’s easy for patients to engage with. That’s why solution partners like Experian Health are critical to help deliver a better patient experience.” Find out more about how Experian Health’s tried and tested digital tools can help providers streamline the patient journey.  

Healthcare’s digital transformation promises patients ever-growing choices in how to access, experience and pay for care. Providers know that opening their digital front door is the key to attracting and retaining loyal consumers. However, deciding on the exact technologies and services to offer can be challenging. A good place to start is to follow the patients’ lead: what digital tools do they say they want? How are they using existing services (or not)? By understanding patients’ attitudes and behaviors, providers can design a digital patient journey that leads to increased patient satisfaction. A new collaborative report by Experian Health and PYMNTS provides fresh insights to inform digital patient engagement strategies. This survey, conducted in January 2022, interviewed over 2000 patients to understand how they’re using digital methods to access healthcare services and their biggest pain points. The findings revealed a need for digital services that foster convenience and choice. Digital-savvy consumers expect user-friendly online options across the care continuum, from scheduling and registration to final payment. Improving these services is also likely to encourage the less digitally confident consumers to try alternative methods and increase access to care. This article offers a snapshot of the key findings that will help providers identify gaps in their digital offerings and build a digital experience that meets consumer expectations. Finding 1: Patients are looking for digital methods to perform most healthcare activities. Patient portals are the most popular method for obtaining test results, with 44% of patients choosing this option. A quarter of patients have used digital methods to pay their medical bills. Digital methods are widely used across the patient journey, from scheduling appointments to receiving test results. Patients expect convenience, flexibility and choices, with many reporting frustrations when they can’t access the digital services they desire. Providers that offer a broad selection of digital patient engagement solutions will be best placed to respond to changing consumer demands. Beyond patient satisfaction, digital tools facilitate better care plan adherence, improve workforce efficiency, and contribute to higher patient collections rates. Finding 2: Patients are satisfied with their healthcare experience but find it challenging to confirm costs and select new providers. 15% of patients report difficulties when obtaining accurate cost estimates for appointments and procedures. Predictably, digital-first patients have the highest expectations of digital systems. They are accustomed to convenient and accessible digital processes elsewhere in the consumer world. Healthcare organizations with an open digital front door will be more attractive to these potential new patients. Digital payments could be a worthwhile investment in this regard. A previous PYMNTS survey found that 63% of patients would consider switching providers if the payment experience wasn’t up to par. To improve the payment experience, providers should consider offering upfront pricing estimates to make it easier for patients to understand and plan for their bills. A tool such as Patient Financial Advisor can act as an online financial concierge for patients, by connecting them with appropriate payment plans and contactless payment methods directly through their mobile devices. Finding 3: Two-thirds of patients use patient portals, but many find portals lack essential payment features. While 62% of patients use portals, this rises to 82% among digital-first consumers and drops to 19% among non-digital consumers. 64% of patients say cost estimates are very or extremely important, but only 24% say they receive estimates. Closing the gap between what patients expect of portals and what’s actually delivered could help narrow the differences in portal usage between different patient groups. Credit and debit cards are currently the most popular payment methods, but patients would use them less often if their preferred digital payment methods were available. Providers should consider combining high-performing patient portals with a range of payment options. Finding 4: Frictionless patient portals could prevent patients from switching providers. 61% of patients say they would switch to a healthcare provider that offers a patient portal. Improving patient portal capabilities is likely to be an important driver in attracting new patients. However, it’s also essential to retain existing patients. More than six in ten patients say they’d switch to a provider that offers a patient portal. This number rises to nearly eight in ten younger patients. A digital-first experience is no longer simply a preference, but an expectation for many consumers. To better engage and retain consumers throughout the patient journey, providers must explore the use of patient portals and other digital solutions to remove digital pain points and meet consumer expectations for a frictionless patient access experience. Download the full report to learn how healthcare providers can relieve digital pain points to offer improved patient care and satisfaction.

Patient experience may not be the first consideration that comes to mind when you're looking to improve revenue cycle management (RCM). However, a positive patient experience can benefit RCM. It can make the complicated process of understanding and managing healthcare finances simpler and more seamless for patients—and facilitate an easy-to-navigate continuum of care that includes RCM. Financial transparency plays a significant role in building trust and confidence between patient and provider. Patients who may find it difficult to understand medical billing and health insurance coverage—and who are paying more out-of-pocket costs thanks to high-deductible health plans—appreciate accurate estimates and a range of convenient payment options. By optimizing back-end claims, billing, payment and collections processes, providers free up staff to provide individualized help to patients who need it. Strategies to bolster patient experience and RCM Patients who have grown accustomed to using digital platforms for everything from online shopping to food delivery, travel, managing finances and entertainment gravitate toward digital tools and expect a high level of functionality. In a Salesforce survey of 15,000 consumers, 68% of respondents said their expectations of companies' digital capabilities increased after COVID-19 drove more of their activity online. Providing a superior digital experience is now synonymous with good service, but healthcare is lagging behind other service sectors. For providers, automation and data analytics can streamline workflows and improve efficiencies. These factors are critical as staff find themselves under increasing pressure to provide accurate patient estimates upfront and to submit claims accurately to reduce denials. How can providers use the patient experience to improve RCM? Here are a few areas of focus to consider: 1. Offer consumer-friendly front-end technology Patients are looking for seamless digital experiences, where they are empowered to search out what they want, choose from a menu of options and pay effortlessly online. In a healthcare setting, they want to find and schedule their own appointments quickly. Providing new and existing patients with 24/7 mobile access to online patient scheduling is critical to early engagement. In fact, a new report from Experian Health and PYMNTS revealed that 61% of patients interested in using patient portals say they would switch to a healthcare provider that has one. Providing patients with an accurate estimate they can review in advance improves transparency and builds trust. This allows patients to ask questions and make decisions about how to pay on their own time and without pressure. Pre-appointment estimates might also offer patients the opportunity to pay conveniently online before their appointments or at the point of service, minimizing the need for post-treatment collections and reducing RCM costs. 2. Simplify and automate in-office technology Automation can boost the experience on both sides of the front desk. Automated processes simplify patient-facing tasks like registration and check-in while making back-office operations like data entry and authorizations more efficient. “When a patient submits photos of their insurance card and identification, software scrapes that information and inputs it into the system,” Serie explains. “This process is more convenient for the patient, faster and more efficient for staff, and reduces the potential for human error.” As healthcare providers continue to experience staffing shortages, automated systems can offer greater workplace flexibility. That's helpful for providers that need to flex their resources, but also for employees who want more options on where and when they work. 3. Provide price transparency and financial information to improve the patient experience In a Policygenius consumer survey, 26% of respondents said they have avoided care or treatment because they were unsure what their insurance covers. Patients might be forgiven for feeling confused and frustrated – healthcare bills are not always patient-centric. In fact, many consumers report a low level of insurance literacy and, unless told, don't know in advance what medical procedures are likely to cost. At the same time, out-of-pocket costs are rising, raising the stakes and increasing the likelihood that medical bills will pose a significant financial challenge. Outlining estimated costs prior to service can help patients understand their expected out-of-pocket payments. Accurate patient payment estimates take away some of the sticker shock and give patients an opportunity to discuss coverage with their insurance companies, choose the right payment methods, or arrange for payment plans before treatment happens. 4. Allow for online bill payments Frictionless payments are now the norm, online and in-app. Experian Health's PatientSimple solution offers healthcare organizations a suite of tools to simplify payment. Using a healthcare-specific algorithm, PatientSimple provides personalized, data-driven insights that help providers deliver the right messaging and payment options, including: Price estimates based on insurance coverage and payer's negotiated rates Guest payment option for patients who don't want to set up an account Online payments and payment plans E-statements, online account access and email payment reminders Qualification for financial assistance A smoother path to payment increases the chances that patients will pay pre-appointment or at the point of service. By offering patients more and better payment options providers can increase up-front revenue and reduce the need for collections. 5. Enable self-service Frictionless payments are just one facet of helping patients help themselves. Enabling the tools that create a “digital front door”—including the ability for patients to register and check-in online, access a virtual waiting room and make “contactless” payments—can boost engagement and give patients greater choice, control and convenience. By mapping a patient journey that flows seamlessly between virtual and in-person interactions, providers can set the stage for receiving payment earlier in the process. This can also help with outreach to patients post-care for follow-up and payment, if necessary. 6. Ensure coding and billing accuracy Clear, accurate patient billing is the goal, but keeping up with changes across multiple payers is an ongoing challenge for healthcare providers. New products, mergers and acquisitions, policy and procedure changes all create the potential for errors, denials, delay and lost revenue. Experian Health's Payer Alerts helps notify providers of payer policy and procedural changes with a daily digest email and an online portal. A simplified estimate process with fewer revisions streamlines the RCM process; it also helps patients avoid confusion, which degrades the patient experience and may cause patients to delay payment. 7. Optimize bill collections Collections can be one of the most difficult parts of healthcare RCM. On the patient side, post-treatment collections feel like a hassle; they may also become a source of significant financial problems. For providers, collections can be costly and time-consuming. Optimizing collections with automation and data analytics can streamline the process and improve outcomes. Experian Health's Collections Optimization Manager uses specialized scoring algorithms to segment and prioritizes accounts based on the likelihood they'll be able to pay. Automated billing and outreach make collections less onerous for staff, while automatic updates keep accounts and communications current. For patients, providing convenient digital payment options takes some of the friction out of the payment experience and removes at least one barrier to bringing an account current. Patient experience and RCM go hand in hand Improving healthcare RCM is certainly not the only reason to work on improving the patient experience. Enhancing the patient journey across the care spectrum can help providers engage new and existing patients, offer the digital tools and seamless experiences they've come to expect, and reduce their anxieties over medical costs. At the same time, using RCM solutions to bolster the patient experience means new efficiencies for staff and, along with this, expanded opportunities for work flexibility and greater success at managing the revenue cycle. Contact Experian Health to learn more about optimizing your patient experience and improving RCM at your organization.

According to a recent survey by PYMNTS, many patients want digital healthcare management tools. 76% of survey respondents said they were “very” or “extremely” interested in using at least one digital method to manage interactions with their healthcare providers, rising to 86% among younger patients. This finding echoes Experian Health’s research from our State of Patient Access 2.0 survey. In this survey, we found that the pandemic had cemented consumer expectations around convenient access to care. Providers that wait too long to open their digital front door risk losing consumers to competitors. The “digital front door” describes how a patient can find and access care through online and digital channels. This can include everything from booking appointments and virtual waiting rooms to contactless payments and telehealth. It’s more than just patient access: digital technology can create convenient and connected patient experiences throughout the entire patient journey. The goal is a patient experience that flows seamlessly between in-person interactions and virtual touchpoints, from finding care to post-visit follow-up. Experian Health’s clients revealed that many have embraced digital tools to deliver a patient experience that matches consumer expectations, driven in large part by the pandemic.* Some are planning to invest in their digital front door within the next year, while resource constraints are hampering others in moving forward. Healthcare providers in the early stages of digital transformation may be wondering where to start. Where should they focus limited resources for the biggest gains? The four opportunities that could offer the greatest return on investment are online scheduling, omnichannel communications, contactless payments and productivity-boosting automation. Help patients find and book appointments with easy online scheduling Last year’s State of Patient Access 2.0 survey found that nearly eight in ten consumers prefer to schedule their own appointments at any time, from any device. This trend is set to continue in 2022 and beyond. Many patients have been using online scheduling platforms to book COVID-19 vaccinations and tests, as well as to reschedule care that was delayed during the earlier months of the pandemic. Opening the digital front door with online scheduling offers patients the control, convenience and choice they desire. No-shows are less likely, which leads to higher physician productivity and satisfaction, greater efficiency, lower costs and better patient outcomes in the longer term. Communicate through patients’ preferred channels to boost engagement With the pandemic necessitating so many rules around daily activities, limits on how and when consumers communicate with their providers can feel even more restrictive. Many don’t want to be forced into phone calls at inconvenient times, especially when a simple text reminder or a quick check of their patient portal would do the job. Providers that allow consumers to customize their patient access experience and engage through their preferred channels will be rewarded with increased patient loyalty. Omnichannel solutions also help to build a consistent care experience. A digital process that looks and feels the same every time, regardless of which platform the patient uses, will make navigating the care process much easier. Additionally, patients will be more likely to schedule appointments and fill out forms in a timely manner on their own, which can alleviate staffing resource constraints. A digital front door can help with contactless payments One part of the healthcare experience that can be notoriously tricky to navigate is paying for care. PYMNTS found that 63% of patients would consider switching healthcare providers over a bad payment experience. Providers can make it easier for patients to pay by offering upfront estimates of what the patient’s portion of the bill is likely to be, running automated coverage checks to make sure no insurance is missed, and sending automated reminders with links to contactless payment methods. According to PYMNTS, less than 20% of patients pay for care before or during their visit. However, if providers made it easier to pay, this percentage would likely shoot up. By offering patients their own mobile financial advisor, they can pay bills and access appropriate payment plans right from their phones. It’s convenient for patients and could help reduce delayed payments. A digital front door can improve patient access and relieve pressure on staff A digital front door doesn’t just open up opportunities for patients; it can increase efficiency and improve staff workflows. Healthcare staffing shortages have put immense pressure on providers to find new ways to automate repetitive tasks and relieve staff burnout while maintaining high-quality patient care. For example, automated scheduling algorithms can optimize patient flow and anticipate bottlenecks, so staff can allocate resources more efficiently. Registration forms that are pre-filled with a patient’s information are less prone to errors, compared to manual processes. Automation helps link the digital front door to the front and back offices, which can speed up workflows, support better care coordination, and create a more consistent patient experience. A high-quality digital patient experience should be built on consumer choice, control and convenience. A digital front door is more than just adding a few online tools or sending some well-timed automated texts; it should be at the heart of the entire patient engagement strategy. By investing in digital solutions that leverage the technology already used by patients and staff, providers can offer a stand-out patient experience and improve collections performance. Contact Experian Health today to find out how digital health solutions can help your organization deliver the best patient experience possible. *Survey of Experian Health clients, October 2021 Are you an Experian Health client? Then we invite you to join our Innovation Studio research community. Your ongoing input is key to driving improvements to our tools and products! Sign up here!

As patient expectations shift, providers that offer a personalized healthcare marketing experience will be more likely to attract and retain satisfied consumers. The pandemic accelerated this shift. As a result, the traditional ways of healthcare marketing are starting to fall short. For example: A healthcare marketing strategy that’s designed for an “average consumer” results in a one-size-fits-all model that doesn’t always meet a patient’s individual needs. Communication options with fixed hours and channels don’t reflect “patient first.” Outreach messages blasted to an entire patient email list miss the mark for individuals who don’t speak the language or might prefer a quick text message instead. A study by Dassault Systèmes and CITE Research found that 83% of consumers expect products and services to be personalized within moments or hours. They’re accustomed to the “one-click” digital retail experience, which offers instant access to relevant recommendations and flexibility about how and when to buy. They’re also suffering from information overload, thanks to the sheer volume of emails, messages, articles and videos flooding their digital devices. Personalized communications can remedy that and help consumers feel respected and empowered, which drives connection and loyalty. But personalization isn’t just important for patient outreach. Personalized healthcare marketing can also help ensure patients get the treatment they need, by anticipating individual needs and highlighting relevant services at the right time. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to influence access to care, personalized healthcare communications can also be tailored for different patient segments. This can help reassure or remind individuals to book vaccination appointments or reschedule deferred care. Improve patient engagement with personalized outreach As digital offerings grow, consumer engagement expectations evolve. Providers must keep pace and communicate accordingly. Incorporating information about patients’ lifestyles, behaviors and preferences enables providers to deliver the right message at the right time. It also helps providers select and use the most effective channel of communication. Patients are more likely to respond and are empowered to manage their healthcare journey. For example, a Gen Z patient may prefer to receive appointment reminders by text, while an older patient may prefer a physical letter. One patient may prefer to get prescriptions mailed to their home while they’re at work, while another may be content to visit a pharmacy and pick up their medication while shopping nearby. Some patients will want a text message with a payment link to clear outstanding bills immediately, while others will appreciate a customized payment plan. Experian Health’s State of Patient Access survey 2.0 found that patients welcome proactive outreach by providers, though many say this doesn’t happen. Providers recognize the value in proactive patient engagement, but many say they lack the data to reach out effectively. With reliable consumer data and analytics, providers can create holistic profiles and deliver improved marketing to better serve new and existing patients. ConsumerViewSM pools data points on core demographics, behavioral insights, psychographic information and financial data to help providers understand their patients. This data can then be analyzed using Mosaic® USA and TrueTouchSM to segment, identify and reach the target audience with the most relevant message and format, and adapt based on consumer response. ConsumerView also adheres to consumer data privacy regulations, so providers can actively engage patients and build patient loyalty while confident in the knowledge that they have permission to use the data. Reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes with better segmentation Personalized healthcare marketing isn’t just about messaging and channels. Providers that have a holistic picture of a patient’s lifestyle, life events, geographic changes and socio-economic challenges will be in a stronger position to anticipate their evolving wants and needs. For example, social determinants of health (SDOH) data can tell providers which patients may need extra assistance when visiting a doctor’s office, so that appropriate measures can be put in place. They might help identify patients with potential comorbidities that warrant proactive reminders about preventive check-ups. Similarly, providers can segment patients according to their financial situation. This can help with creating custom payment plans and sending timely payment reminders through targeted communications channels. Effective post-admission engagement can also help patients access the support needed to adhere to care plans, thus minimizing the risk of readmission and reducing unnecessary costs. A McKinsey & Co study found that around a third of patients with unplanned, high-cost follow-up care reported reasons that were considered avoidable, such as receiving unclear post-discharge instructions. Boost retention and recruitment with patient-centric and personalized healthcare marketing As rising medical costs and pandemic-related lifestyle shifts prompt more patients to shop around for care, providers must take action to create a healthcare experience that’s truly patient-centric. With data-driven healthcare marketing tools, providers can differentiate their services from other health systems vying for the same market. Find out how Experian Health can help your organization use consumer insights to build a patient-focused, personalized health marketing strategy to attract and retain satisfied consumers.

Mass relocations during the pandemic caused seismic shifts in healthcare markets. With millions of Americans moving and reshuffling to be closer to family or take advantage of remote working opportunities, healthcare providers have extra work on their hands to ensure their patient base holds steady. Some attrition is inevitable; however, as more patients relocate, providers may see more patient churn than usual. Unfortunately, this means more dollars in lost revenue. On top of this, consumers have changing expectations and more choices when it comes to healthcare, which means even more patients coming and going. Providers must find new ways to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market for patient recruitment and retention. In June 2021, our State of Patient Access 2.0 survey revealed that attracting and retaining patients was a top revenue recovery strategy for providers hoping to make up for the shortfall caused by the pandemic. An Interview with the Expert, featuring Mindy Pankoke, Sr. Product Manager of Patient Identity and Care Management at Experian Health, sheds some light on the opportunities that lie ahead for patient recruitment and retention. Pankoke also explains how consumer data can help providers deliver an outstanding patient engagement experience. Watch the interview below:   How have patient recruitment and retention been affected by the pandemic? The pandemic changed how patients live and work. Many have relocated, while others have overhauled their lifestyles to find a better work-life balance and/or to pay closer attention to their health. Pankoke explains that these changes not only push patient recruitment up the priority list, but also require providers to take a bird’s eye view of their evolving markets in order to develop a better understanding of who their patients are. She says, “Waves of employment, unemployment and remote working mean patients’ locations and lifestyles have changed. As the dust settles, we’re starting to see how the market has shifted. It continues to be highly competitive, with multiple health systems fighting for the same patient base, so it’s important to know who’s new to your market, who might have moved out, and how COVID-19 may have impacted their lives. You can use that data to better engage with them and offer the most relevant communications.” How can data help providers with patient recruitment and retention? Understanding patients’ needs and preferences call for fresh and accurate consumer data. But which specific data points are most useful when it comes to patient engagement and recruitment? Pankoke suggests three areas to focus on: “Accurate contact information will make or break your patient recruitment strategy. Providers need to be able to reach the patient they’re intending to contact. Then, you can enhance demographic data by making sure you’re speaking to patients in their preferred language. Finally, marketing data can offer non-clinical insights about patients’ lifestyles so you can reach out and engage them more effectively.” Pankoke says it’s important to consider how the content and format of marketing communications might resonate with different patients. For example, a 50-year-old diabetic patient who has a job and lives in a multi-generational household will have a completely different lifestyle to that of a 50-year-old diabetic patient who is retired and lives alone. Consumer data can help providers see the full picture of a patient’s life, so they can offer the most helpful, sensitive and personalized information. Using data to “meet patients where they are” One way to stand out from the competition is to demonstrate an understanding of what patients need right now. Data on the social determinants of health (SDOH) can be used to enrich patient records, by providing insights into the non-clinical aspects of care and lifestyle factors that can affect a patient’s access to services. This is especially important given that socially and economically vulnerable groups were among those hardest hit by the pandemic. In our survey, 23% of providers said they were planning to or already implementing SDOH programs, up from 13% six months earlier. With SDOH data at their fingertips, providers can tailor their communications, so patients are supported to access the services they need at that moment in time. Reliable consumer data also helps providers communicate that information in the most appropriate way, to improve engagement, outreach and access. Pankoke suggests that some patients may prefer to learn about healthcare services through TV advertising, while others may prefer a leaflet or brochure through their door. Knowing your patients’ level of comfort with technology also means you can make better decisions about who to direct to patient portals or telehealth services. Get in front of patients before they start looking In today’s consumer-driven and competitive healthcare market, every touchpoint matters. Communications that are consistent, relevant and personalized are key to attracting and retaining patients. With the right data and digital tools, providers can anticipate patients’ needs, address obstacles and reach out to help patients stay on track with their healthcare journey. They can offer convenient and flexible options to register, schedule and pay for services – using a format that best suits each patient. In some cases, this means knowing what the patient needs before the patient knows it themselves. It’s a lot easier to get in front of patients with useful healthcare information before they start looking. Consumer data gives providers a head start so they can integrate SDOH and other patient information in patient recruitment and retention strategies that are proactive, rather than reactive. Watch the full interview with Mindy and download our State of Patient Access Survey 2.0, to find out how your healthcare organization can incorporate consumer data to communicate the right message in the right format to attract and retain loyal consumers.

This is the first in a series of blog posts exploring how the patient journey has transformed as a result of COVID-19. This series will take you through the changes that impacted every step of the patient journey and provide strategic recommendations to move forward. In this post, we explore the role of healthcare marketing in acquiring and re-engaging patients as they return for care. Read the full white paper here. The healthcare industry’s overnight switch to digital-first operations put marketers and patient engagement teams at the heart of the new patient-provider relationship. From helping patients navigate online services and contactless care to providing timely information about COVID-19, proactive communications became a matter of life and death. Now, the challenge has shifted again. With a growing number of patients moving locations, changing jobs, and switching health plans, healthcare providers must strengthen their marketing outreach efforts to welcome new consumers and reconnect with existing ones. Finding new strategies to communicate effectively and pointing consumers to the right services at the right time will be key to financial recovery post-pandemic. Here, we look at four opportunities that healthcare marketers and patient outreach teams can incorporate into their post-pandemic playbook. Opportunity 1: Get your records straight before investing in new healthcare marketing strategies As patients’ circumstances changed, many found their health records were out of date. Addresses were incorrect. Insurance records were incomplete. Some individuals accidentally set up duplicate accounts when registering for online services. For providers, this amplified a challenge that existed long before the pandemic – finding ways to ensure accurate patient identities. A recent survey by Experian Health found that patients welcome proactive outreach by providers, though many say their providers fail to do this. Nearly half of providers say they want to, but inaccurate or incomplete patient data gets in the way. Investing in marketing and outreach strategies is money down the drain unless providers can verify that the information they have for each patient is reliable. An identity management tool such as can confirm names, addresses and other demographic details of existing patients and those who have recently moved to the area – to correctly match their information at every digital and in-person touchpoint. Opportunity 2: Build personalized patient outreach strategies based on consumer insights Next, providers can enrich patient identities with originally sourced consumer data for a comprehensive picture of who their patients are. When providers can confirm who their patients are, what they need, how they spend their time and money, and how they like to communicate, they can build personalized outreach strategies to improve patient acquisition and retention. For example, providers have new opportunities to offer telehealth access for patients in their preferred language. Experian offers 196 language codes that can be applied based on individual patient profiles, so you can connect patients to the right physician. For patients who are new to the area, communication that reflects their lifestyles, preferred channels, and personal interests will help maintain loyalty and provide better customer experiences. The aftermath of the shift to online and digital healthcare tools has been polarizing, with some patients feeling hesitant to engage with unfamiliar tools. Others expect a more sophisticated digital experience that matches their interactions in retail and entertainment. Knowing which camp patients identify with will help your patient outreach team discern which tools and guidance to offer to which patients. With ConsumerView, you can differentiate your services from other health systems vying for the same consumers, and offer a tailored engagement experience. Opportunity 3: Reduce readmission risk with data on social determinants of health Knowing whether your new and existing patients are affected by social determinants of health (SDOH) can also help tailor outreach communications. This can help them overcome access challenges and reduce the risk of readmission. Understanding if patients are at risk of missing appointments or struggling to follow a care plan because of food insecurity, isolation, lack of transportation, cultural exclusion, or financial limitations, can help providers point them to relevant community programs and financial support. By understanding patient barriers, providers will be able to communicate more effectively with their patients. For example, a conversation with someone who is experiencing unexpected, short-term financial difficulties as a result of losing their job in the pandemic would be much different than a conversation with someone who has been unemployed and low-income for many years. Opportunity 4: Reschedule deferred care by marketing online scheduling platforms Seven in ten patients deferred or canceled treatment during the pandemic. Providers must figure out where those patients are and what their (potentially more serious) healthcare needs may be. Re-engaging and rebuilding relationships with these patients is critical to encourage them to come back for care. Marketing teams play a major role in raising the visibility of non-coronavirus health issues and the need to reschedule care and return to a pre-pandemic healthcare routine. Third-party data can fill in the gaps in patient identities, so providers can identify specific needs and worries, determine the best contact information for each patient, and re-engage effectively. Online scheduling platforms will be especially important. These platforms can help patients reschedule appointments at their convenience, connect them to telehealth services, and overcome some of the practical barriers to care. Find out how Experian Health can help your organization access new sources of data and see how your patient community has changed since March 2020, down to the individual level. By combining identity management software with accurate consumer insights, your marketing and outreach teams will be armed with everything they need to attract and retain satisfied consumers. Download our white paper to see how other steps of the patient journey have evolved since the onset of COVID-19.