It is crucial for any medical practice to understand what patients really want from their healthcare providers. A 2021 patient survey by PatientPop, sheds light as to how practices can retain and attract patients. This was done by tracking patient behavior and their preferences.
Understanding Patient behavior in 2021
The patient perspective survey report has given valuable insights to doctors as to what to expect from their patients. Patients were surveyed nationwide about their recent care experiences with providers and dentists. When medical practices would know about patient preferences they can make any changes accordingly to enhance patient satisfaction scores and to retain them to their practice.
5 Key Findings from the Survey
In the 3rd annual patient perspective survey report, it was revealed that patients relied on digital interactions to find doctors online and take online reviews seriously. Patients also want to receive automatic appointment reminders from their medical practice. In a nutshell, patients of today want doctors to leverage digital tools and technology solutions to enhance each step of medical service they receive. Let’s look at the findings in detail, to understand patient behaviors and preferences this year.
- Patients prefer to look online to find a doctor – It was revealed that 3 out of 4 people search online to find a healthcare provider or a dentist near their locality.
- Online reviews are important for potential patients – 74% of patients when selecting a healthcare provider read online reviews to see what other patients have said about the healthcare services provided by the doctor. Positive reviews will influence you to attract new patients. 69% of the patients said that they will not consider a provider if their average star ratings are lower than 4 stars out of 5.
- Digital interaction is preferred for five interactions with medical practices – 51% of patients want their practices to implement digital solutions so they can easily schedule appointments, fill out forms online, make online payments, access their health records, and communicate with their providers.
- Online reminders over text messaging platform – 66% of patients prefer to receive appointment reminders via text messaging so they don’t miss out on their medical appointment.
- Patients leave practices that don’t maintain communication and overall experience is bad– 36% of patients have left their healthcare provider because they were dissatisfied with the in-person experience and there was a lack of communication between the provider and the patient.
What actions can practices take for effective patient retention?
Patients look at your website so it is important you make a strong web presence. Make sure that the website layout is simple yet attractive. It should provide all key information which the patient wants to read and should load quickly.
Since patients read online reviews to see where your practice stands, your aim should be to improve your star rating and your online repute altogether. This can be done by implementing automated patient satisfaction surveys. These surveys will let your patients know that they are being heard and also you’ll get more reviews for your service.
It is crucial to leverage technology solutions such as the Patient Portal EMR software platform so patients can easily touch base with their provider. The online platform will also facilitate patients to engage in their healthcare process by easily accessing their health records, viewing results, fill out forms digitally, and paying online. This will enhance patient engagement and automatically boost patient satisfaction levels.
Lastly, maintain a consistent communication channel with your patients. Keep them updated about any changes and send targeted messages so they feel important.
Final Takeaway
Practices need to be proactive and make sure that patients are satisfied throughout their patient care journey. If patients have any complaints address the issue then and there so it doesn’t impact your reputation in terms of negative patient reviews. It’s all about leveraging user-friendly digital solutions to modernize the patient experience.
