Posted on October 8, 2019 by West Corporation
No one likes sitting in a doctor’s waiting room. Of course, patients expect some waiting during healthcare appointments. But when faced with a long wait, patients can quickly turn from tolerant to frustrated. More than eight in ten patients (84%) admit wait times impact how they feel about their healthcare experiences.… Read more
Posted on September 24, 2019 by West Corporation
Two in three chronic patients (66%) say it is important to feel like they are receiving the best possible care from their healthcare provider. West surveyed 1,036 adults in the U.S. and analyzed responses from patients with a chronic condition to try to determine exactly what “the best possible care” means to these individuals.… Read more
Posted on September 3, 2019 by West Corporation
In recent posts, we’ve discussed the need for healthcare teams to update their communication strategies to connect with patients in new ways. One type of communication we recommend adopting is health monitoring surveys (check out our infographic at the end of this post). These surveys give healthcare teams a way to capture health data in real-time to learn what is happening with patients between appointments.… Read more
Posted on August 20, 2019 by West Corporation
What is the best way to show people they matter to you? An article that appeared in Forbes suggests that by showing an interest in others, making time for them and investing in them, we can make people feel valued. Demonstrating to people that they matter is not only an important life skill, but for healthcare providers, it is an essential professional skill.… Read more
Posted on August 6, 2019 by West Corporation
Patients who have been discharged from the hospital are more likely to return to the emergency department or be readmitted if they have high levels of pain. According to one study that looked at 30-day readmissions and ER visits following surgeries, patients in the highest reported pain categories also had the highest rate of non-planned readmissions and ER visits.… Read more
Posted on July 23, 2019 by West Corporation
Patient expectations for positive healthcare experiences continue to rise thanks to the streamlined experiences they have as consumers with other industries. Other industries prioritize convenient communication along the customer journey so that interactions are meaningful, convenient and informative. For healthcare organizations, this means that they can no longer leave all responsibility for creating positive experiences through between-visit communication with the patient.… Read more
Posted on July 16, 2019 by West Corporation
More Americans than ever—28.7 million to be precise—are expected to use smartwatches this year. Many will utilize activity tracking and health monitoring features, along with apps to count steps, track sleep and monitor their heart rate. Healthcare teams can capitalize on smartwatch adoption to help patients achieve their health goals by connecting smartwatch activity tracking to personalized care plans.… Read more
Posted on July 9, 2019 by West Corporation
When healthcare leaders put their heads together and strategize how to improve healthcare experiences for patients, much of the focus tends to be on improving clinical processes and facilities. However, one area that patients suggest needs improvement is the financial side of the patient experience. Here are three problems patients say need to be fixed in order to elevate the financial experience for patients:
Problem #1: Healthcare bills often catch patients by surprise.… Read more
Posted on July 1, 2019 by West Corporation
If knowing ideal blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar and other health numbers are part of health management, then many patients are ill-equipped to manage their chronic diseases on their own. Too many patients do not know their current and target health metrics or what those numbers mean. The good news is that healthcare teams can easily offer support to help patients better understand where they are and where they need to be in terms of their health readings.… Read more
Posted on June 25, 2019 by West Corporation
The amount of time that patients spend waiting for their doctors directly impacts the provider’s satisfaction rating. A 2018 report on healthcare wait times showed that doctors who kept patients waiting the longest received a one-star rating by patients, the lowest ranking on the scale. At the same time, doctors with the shortest wait times received the highest rating of five stars.… Read more
