Kyruus Blog

In a previous blog post, we looked at how outdated provider directories can negatively impact patient access. This post explores the importance of effective provider data management and accurate provider directories in streamlining key operational processes across a health system.

This is the third post in our Call Center Patient Experience Series. Over the course of this three post series, we’ve explored some of the top barriers to patient access through health system call centers and how they impede a positive patient experience: outdated provider directories, limited patient-provider matching capabilities, and lack of visibility into provider availability.

This is the second post in our Call Center Patient Experience Series. Over the course of this three post series, we’ll explore some of the top barriers to patient access through health system call centers and how they impede a positive patient experience: outdated provider directories, lack of patient-provider matching capabilities, and insight into provider availability.

Last week, members of our team attended the Becker’s Annual Meeting in Chicago and had the opportunity to hear from health system executives and other industry leaders about the challenges they face and the opportunities they see around the evolving healthcare landscape. Across sessions, discussions focused on the ways in which health systems are rethinking patient engagement strategies and innovating to better meet the needs of today’s healthcare consumers. In particular, the following emerged as key themes:

As we explored in an earlier blog, hospitals and health systems are struggling to deliver a great patient experience through their call centers – often the “front door” to their organization – due in large part to barriers to patient access. Over the course of a three post series, we’ll explore some of these top barriers and how they impede a positive patient experience: outdated provider directories, lack of patient-provider matching capabilities, and insight into provider availability.

Provider Directories & Patient Access

While demand for online self-service capabilities continues to rise, many patients still connect with a health system the old-fashioned way – over the phone. However, access centers frequently lack the resources to provide an effective, high-touch patient experience. In fact, our recent secret shopper report found that 82% of call centers were unable to book an appointment directly over the phone during the initial interaction. That’s not just a major barrier to patient access, it also means that most call centers are not equipped to deliver a call center experience that ends with a booked appointment, a big problem for converting demand and retaining patients in increasingly competitive markets.

The Clinical Summit is a new addition to the ATLAS program this year! Tell us more about it:

I am so pleased and excited to have the inaugural Clinical Summit precede ATLAS this year. The Summit has been designed as a forum to discuss some of the broader issues and necessary associated change management initiatives being navigated by clinical leaders in today’s healthcare landscape. It’s also a great opportunity for attendees to learn from one another, exchange ideas, and come away with both strategic and tactical insights that can be applied at their own organizations. We’ll hear from a variety of experts, from organizations both large and small, and learn from their experiences about what has worked, what hasn’t, and how they are continuing to drive towards success at their institutions.

Historically, healthcare providers have relied heavily on word of mouth to attract new patients. In many ways, this channel is still reliable as 50% of consumers report “friends and family” as their top resource for researching providers. But study after study has shown that healthcare consumers are spending more time online—from patient portals, to online appointment scheduling and health data tracking on mobile apps. Even when they do consult family members about a provider, many still go online to exercise due diligence, so it’s critical for health systems to differentiate themselves online.

Taking a look back at our most popular content pieces from 2017, one thing is clear—health system leaders are focusing on enhancing patient access and providing a consistent enterprise-wide patient experience. Health systems are evaluating their current patient access models to determine if they’re meeting patients’ preferences to schedule appointments in an efficient manner and they’re staying ahead of the latest healthcare consumer trends–online and offline–to establish priorities for the coming years.

Throughout the year we have posted blogs from subject matter experts sharing their expertise in patient experience and access. A common theme of our 2017 top viewed blog posts is understanding the patient journey of care. As the posts suggest, health systems must adapt to the evolving way in which patients are now obtaining information about their care and the providers they are choosing to receive that care from. Patients are behaving increasingly like consumers of healthcare and as such, health systems must adjust their strategies to align with this shift.

“Patient access” is a health system’s ability to ensure that patients can obtain care from the right provider who can address their clinical needs while also meeting important logistical requirements and personal preferences. Patient access challenges can stem from difficulties in scheduling, a poorly designed website, and an inability to route patients to providers effectively – among other things. Read on to learn five red flags that indicate your patients may be struggling to access timely and effective care.