Care Coordination, Engagement Central to Patient Experience
At the heart of patient experience lies care coordination and engagement efforts that have increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, according to our latest research.
Source: Getty Images
By - Patient experience has two central elements: care coordination and patient engagement. Findings come from a new report from Insights by Xtelligent Healthcare Media. And these efforts have increased throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The goal of Overcoming Challenges to Effective Patient Experience was to understand common barriers to implementing patient experience strategies and the resources provider organizations are leveraging to improve these efforts. Results from the survey highlight three key takeaways:
- Care coordination and patient engagement are at the center of patient experience
- Stretched staff and limited finances are limiting patient experience rather than technology
- COVID-19 is accelerating patient experience efforts from care coordination to patient education
Most respondents (85 percent) believe patient experience efforts can improve health outcomes, as care coordination eliminates unnecessary or redundant testing. Longstanding relationships with providers can also improve trust and adherence to recommendations.
The first finding in the report highlights the importance of care coordination in these patient experience efforts. Seventy-two percent of respondents see care coordination as a central element to patient experience strategies. Another 67 percent see patient engagement as critical.
“We have a responsibility to manage our patient’s experience. The most important thing is the feedback we have been anecdotally getting from our families,” explained a patient experience specialist at a children’s hospital during qualitative follow-up. “If we address challenges within 48 hours, we can retain patient loyalty. We want to encourage that loyalty to us and within our community.”
Improving patient experience begins with understanding what patients want and need. This can only be accomplished when staff have the time and opportunity to examine a patient’s opinions.
“How can we be more efficient? How can we better serve our patients in a more efficient capacity? There’s always going to be ways that we can improve,” asked a physician assistant at an urgent care clinic.
Answering these questions is at the heart of understanding patient experience. Technology can aid these efforts, sending out surveys and appointment reminders. But patients ultimately want to feel like a provider cares about them and their opinions.
During a time of crisis, understanding is even more important, which is why 69 percent of respondents report patient experience efforts have accelerated during the pandemic. Of these, 55 percent emphasize the growth of care coordination.
Systems for collaboration and financial support can help patient experience efforts thrive across provider organizations. But the success of these efforts must be continuously monitored and improved for patients to truly remain at the center of care.
