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Evolving value-based payment models and increasing consumerization across health care are putting pressure on medical providers to expand their efforts to measure and improve patient experiences. According to a recent study by West, Prioritizing the Patient Experience: Consumerization of Health Care Brings Patient Satisfaction to Forefront for Providers, the majority of Americans are apt to switch health care providers when they aren’t completely satisfied with their care. The financial welfare of every health care organization is now intrinsically tied to patient satisfaction. As a result, it is more important than ever for providers to improve patient experiences in the ways that matter most to patients.
New value-based payment programs are incorporating satisfaction into performance evaluations that impact reimbursements. Hospitals, for example, can be assigned payment adjustments based on how they score on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys. To maximize reimbursements, health care organizations need to deliver experiences that patients and their family members feel good about.
Reimbursements are only part of the equation. Consumerization of health care is empowering patients to seek alternative options if they are dissatisfied. Ninety-four percent of health care providers report that patients are shopping around more for health care services today than in the past. More than three in four patients (78%) realize they have the freedom to choose their health care providers and, as value-conscious consumers, they won’t settle for health care providers that don’t meet their expectations. The West report points out that consumers’ interactions with other businesses and service industries have taught them to have high expectations for their providers and a low tolerance for poor service. As a result, a whopping 91 percent of adults in the U.S. are likely to investigate other options if they are not completely satisfied with their current health care provider. Furthermore, four in five dissatisfied patients (88%) would switch providers.
Providers are motivated by both reimbursements and consumerization to improve patient satisfaction. Currently, 46 percent of providers say creating a positive patient experience is their top priority; another 50 percent say it is high on their list of priorities. However, survey findings reveal there are some differences of opinion between patients and health care providers about what drives satisfaction.
