Where does PX begin?

My team and I are partnering with several healthcare and medical clients to help implement processes, invest in technology and identify people to better understand patient experience (PX), from how it impacts business to the best way to monitor and assess effectiveness. The industry is in the early stages of connecting the dots between PX and customer loyalty, employee retention, bottom line results and more – you know, the stuff CX pros have been talking about for a while.

The Beryl Institute, a global community of healthcare professionals dedicated to transforming the human experience in healthcare, defines PX as “the sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization’s culture, that influences patient perceptions across the continuum of care.” 

Most of our clients agree with this definition or have similar ones. What’s less clear is identifying where/when PX begins. Hint: it’s not in a healthcare provider’s office.

According to the 2021 Accenture Health and Life Sciences Experience Survey, 20% of patients feel they cannot easily reach their doctor’s office. On average, patients spend 8 minutes on the phone when scheduling medical appointments, and their calls get transferred 63% of the time.

Considering these stats, it’s two things become clear: 1) the patient experience often begins in your healthcare contact center and 2) it’s not off to a good start.

The same study found that negative patient experiences can have lasting consequences, while better experiences can improve engagement with the healthcare system. The research revealed that only one out of three people (33%) said they did not have a negative experience. Nearly half (44%) of the people reporting negative experiences felt stressed or upset. Slightly more than one-third switched providers or treatments (34%) or were less likely to seek medical care the next time they needed it. Others chose to not keep up with their treatment or never picked up their prescription. Only 12% of people said that the negative experience didn´t affect them in any way.

I believe the solution lies in healthcare organizations applying tried-and-true CX and contact center best practices. By implementing things like key performance indicators (KPI’s), workforce management principles, omnichannel communications, journey mapping, data analysis, tech integration and more, healthcare and medical organizations can deliver the kind of caring, personalized, and convenient experience patients, like all consumers, have come to expect from brands.

If that sounds like a tall order, it is. But my team and I have discovered it’s not impossible for healthcare organizations that are open to the lessons CX pros have already learned. Patients are consumers, and healthcare and medical businesses must invest in customer service best practices in order to optimize the patient experience.