There are certain industries where technology will never entirely replace the human element and person-to-person interactions. The healthcare industry is one such example. While technology has proven to be an important aid in many ways, there is just no replacement for the type of human connections required to provide positive patient experiences.
But, as technology continues to evolve and advance, there will be inevitable conflicts between where technology should—and where it shouldn’t—be introduced into the patient experience. Striking the right balance is critical whether we’re talking about robots that perform surgery or automated chatbots that handle incoming patient calls.
The common denominator—always—must be preserving and ensuring a positive patient experience.
How Healthcare Systems are Using Technology
It’s hard to dispute the positive reputations that Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic hold among their patients, providers, and the general population. They’re not strangers to the use of technology to help deliver care and services. But they’ve implemented technology in patient- and care-supportive ways.
For example, Cleveland Clinic’s robust telehealth program emphasizes personalized care. Providers are trained to conduct virtual visits that deliver the same level of empathy and attentiveness as in-person appointments. I call this having great web-side manner. At Mayo Clinic, advanced data analytics are being used to tailor patient communications based on individual health profiles. That’s a great example of how advanced technology can be used to enhance, rather than detract from, human to human interactions.
But it doesn’t happen by chance. Here are some considerations when implementing technology of any kind to ensure patients continue to have positive experiences and receive exceptional care.
Ensuring Positive Patient Experiences
- Don’t replace personal one-to-one human communications—augment them! Technology such as patient portals should be used to facilitate, rather than replace communication. For example, secure messaging systems can complement face-to-face consultations by allowing patients to ask questions or receive follow-up care instructions.
- Provide choices. What many healthcare organizations have found, and will continue to find, is that technology often doesn’t entirely replace, but simply adds on to existing communication options. Some patients will continue to want to contact you by phone—or in person. That’s okay. You need to allow for that. But you also need to provide new modes of making contact or getting information that technology is uniquely designed to enable. Some healthcare organizations have removed all phone numbers from their websites to encourage online communication only to outrage a segment of their users who want to talk with someone by phone. Know your audience.
- Train and communicate with staff and patients. Don’t assume that staff or patients will automatically understand how to use new communication options, or when they make the most sense. Provide training, education, and communication in various forms. This includes arming your patient-facing staff and providers with information they can use to inform, educate, and encourage patients to try these new communication options. In a study we conducted on patient portal utilization, we found that patient utilization increased significantly when the provider encouraged patients to use the portal.
Healthcare is a uniquely person-to-person industry. That doesn’t mean, though, that technology can’t play an important role in both supporting positive patient experiences and achieving efficiencies.
Use technology wisely by finding the right balance between tech and the patient experience.
Tags: health tech, healthcare technology, Patient Experience, patient satisfaction, PX, technology in patient care
