Critical Touchpoints for Every Patient’s Journey: How Technology Plays an Important Role

The modern patient journey demands more personalization, more mobile-friendly interactions, and altogether, more technology.

During a March 18 webinar, Podium’s Tyler Gardiner and Google’s Rob Lawson, analyzed the critical moments of every patient’s journey and discussed how to improve digital interactions to elevate care, improve patient satisfaction and even alleviate overwhelmed front desk staff. The webinar can be viewed at ModernHealthcare.com/CriticalTouchpointsWebinar.

1 COVID-19 has accelerated the need to improve digital interactions.

Even though patients are increasingly returning to in-person care after the height of the pandemic, it is clear that more and more patients will start their patient journey online. Leaders need to meet patients where they are, and that’s why many are investing in making their patient portal and check-in processes mobile-friendly as Americans spend an increasing amount of time on their smartphones. Forward-thinking leaders should consider how they can transition integral but outdated patient processes to a mobile-friendly format.

2 Deploying messaging and chatbots can show patients you’re eager to engage without burdening staff.

The impetus for chatbots and consumer messaging platforms was stronger than ever during the COVID pandemic, as patients had endless questions and call centers were closed or stretched thin. Health systems are increasingly invested in AI-informed messaging platforms that can automatically answer common questions while better equipping health system customer services staff to directly answer more complex inquiries. This is a significant touchpoint that influences patients’ perception of your organizations’ availability to serve their needs, and that will ultimately impact their loyalty to your services.

3 Asynchronous messaging can ensure patients are satisfied and informed between appointments.

Two-way, asynchronous messaging can allow health systems to answer patient questions and concerns even when a patient may need to wait for an in-person visit. Embedding a knowledgebase of diseases and treatment within the messaging platform can further allow patients to get answers to common questions while they await a response, alleviating the burden on providers. Access to information and support can reduce patient anxiety, which is especially important when a patient is waiting to see a specialist for a concerning diagnosis.

4 Leaders should think carefully about how they implement technology solutions.

“Technology for technology’s sake can introduce even more complexity if you’re not being deliberate with your implementation strategy,” said Tyler Gardiner, a value engineer and healthcare subject matter expert at Podium. Leaders should ensure that they are deliberate as they invest in technology to solve problems, to ensure they aren’t causing more challenges. That starts with consolidating platforms and identifying solutions that can tackle multiple needs, rather than having a multitude of apps. This will ultimately eliminate the friction that currently exists across the patient experience.

5 Reviews are an important touchpoint—one that deserves executives’ attention.

Ninety percent of patients use online reviews to evaluate physicians, and two-thirds of patients consider it a first step in their search. Patients use these resources to validate their decision to seek care. That’s why it’s important for providers to ask their patients for feedback throughout their journey; marketing automation platforms can trigger invitations to patients after visits and other touchpoints. When feedback is negative, health systems should ensure they’re following up. Soliciting and responding to feedback shows patients that their provider is actively engaged in their experience.