Discover the Key Elements of a Seamless and Patient-Centric Healthcare Journey

The patient experience is essentially the sum of all interactions a patient has on their healthcare journey that ultimately influences their perceptions of a practice throughout. It is shaped by a healthcare organization’s overall culture as well as various other factors, including communication with providers, accessibility of services, coordination, and the physical environment itself, to name a few. A positive patient experience can be extremely helpful in successful patient outcomes, whereas a negative patient experience can do just the opposite. 

When a patient’s journey is perceived as largely positive, it can have an uplifting effect on their eventual outcomes by way of treatment plan adherence, which ultimately increases their chances of success in the end. In addition to higher success rates, positive patient experience is likely to get passed along, which can increase an organization’s standing among their peers as well as the general public who may be seeking treatment. This article serves to outline an average patient’s journey within a healthcare organization from start to finish.

The Pre-Visit Phase

The pre-visit phase is aptly named- it refers to the days leading up to the first appointment in which both the patient and organization must complete a handful of administrative tasks before care can be promptly and effectively provided.

• Scheduling and Registration: Maximize the efficiency and ease of scheduling an appointment and registering ahead of time. This will more than likely be your first impression on a new patient, and they should come away feeling relief at the simplicity, rather than the stress of a difficult process. EHR appointment scheduling systems, such as NexHealth, remove the administrative burden of scheduling, freeing up more staff time to be productive in other functions.
• Pre-Visit Prep: Allowing the option to fill out intake paperwork ahead of time allows for a less stressful initial visit for the patient, and allows more time for processing on the healthcare practice’s end. Utilizing a service that offers integrated HIPAA compliance is utterly essential for this specific feature. This also provides an opportunity to set expectations in terms of services to be provided at the initial visit, as well as any costs incurred, or possible physical prep (such as fasting).

Try to make this phase as simple and painless as possible so that when check-in/appointment time comes, your organization is fully prepared for your new patient, and the patient feels at ease in a new environment.

Arrival and Check-In

First impressions last, and in a field where many people suffer from “white coat syndrome”, concerted efforts should be made to make your intake area or lobby as friendly and welcoming as possible.

• Waiting Area: Create an inviting space with comfortable seating to put patients at ease. Calming music, fountains, fish tanks, and televisions are easy ways to spruce up a waiting area. Framed photos and professional but warm color schemes are important as well.
• Accessibility and Convenience: Accessibility is the law, so ensure that your space is ADA-compliant. The idea of a healthcare practice that does not allow easy access to people with disabilities is not an inviting one.
• Streamlining Check-In: While the personal touch at a front desk can go a long way, many people in the digital age are just as likely to use automated self-check-in services. If you can provide a tablet or computer dedicated to expediting patient check-ins, it will help ease the traffic in the waiting area, reduce administrative burdens, and give a sense of control over the process to the patient.

Clinical Experience

Enhance the patient experience through their actual appointment with positively-minded bedside manner and patience. As previously mentioned, many patients will suffer from “white coat syndrome”, meaning that their very presence at a healthcare practice will make them uneasy. Providing a patient environment and asking for patient engagement and opinions on their healthcare journey will give a stronger sense of control.

• Patient-Centered Care: The best way to help someone along in their patient journey is to involve them in decision-making regarding their care. This can be achieved through clear communication, shared decision-making tools, and a focus on understanding the patient's values and preferences. Ensuring that patients feel heard and respected contributes significantly to their overall satisfaction with the healthcare experience.
• Diagnostic and Treatment Procedures: The idea is simple- maximize the efficiency and accuracy of procedures while minimizing the patient’s discomfort. In practice, it’s not so simple, but effort goes a long way in this regard. It can be as simple as providing clear and thorough explanations of procedures beforehand, along with opportunities for patients to ask questions and express concerns, helping to alleviate anxiety and minimize discomfort.
• Collaboration Between Providers and Departments: Effective collaboration among healthcare providers and departments is essential for providing comprehensive and cohesive care. Integration of different departments, such as radiology, laboratory, and pharmacy, ensures a smooth and coordinated patient experience.

Post-Visit Phase

The post-visit phase of a healthcare interaction is a crucial aspect of patient care, ensuring continuity, understanding, and support after the initial consultation.

• Providing Clear Instructions and Post-Care Guidelines: Provide detailed and understandable instructions regarding medications, treatment plans, and any necessary lifestyle changes. Written materials, such as pamphlets or online resources, can reinforce verbal instructions and function as a reference in the event of difficulty. Clear guidelines on symptoms to monitor, potential side effects, and actions to take in case of emergencies enhance patient understanding.
• Scheduling Follow-Up Appointments and Consultations: Follow-up appointments are essential to monitoring progress. Clearly communicate the purpose of these follow-ups, whether for a routine check-up, assessment of treatment effectiveness, or adjustments to the care plan. Provide options for appointment scheduling that accommodate the patient's preferences and availability.
• Patient Education and Support: Ongoing education is essential for empowering patients to actively participate in their healthcare. Offer additional resources such as educational materials, websites, or support groups related to the patient's condition where necessary. Utilize technology, like patient portals, for easy access to relevant health information and test results, allowing patients to remain actively engaged. Encourage questions and ensure that the patient feels comfortable seeking clarification on any aspect of their care.
• Addressing Post-Visit Concerns and Queries: Establish clear communication channels for patients to reach out with concerns or questions, and ensure prompt responses to inquiries to alleviate patient anxiety and enhance their confidence in the care provided.

Case Study: How The Dermatology Specialists Digitalized Patient Journey Across 40+ Locations to Reduce No-Shows by 50%

With 40 practices spread across New York, The Dermatology Specialists aim to provide convenient and accessible dermatological care for all. To achieve this mission, they sought a flexible digital solution to digitize and streamline the patient journey, and found NexHealth.

NexHealth transforms the patient journey for The Dermatology Specialists, ensuring high service standards across all practices:

• 24/7 Online Scheduling: Flexible and cost-effective, enabling patients to book based on their preferences, including same-day appointments.
• Messaging and Reminders: Direct text communication for appointment reminders, digital forms, and more, bypassing phone calls.
• Automated Patient Follow-Ups: Streamlined rebooking with automated follow-up messages synchronized with the health record system, eClinicalWorks, reducing errors and inefficiencies.

As a result of this digital patient journey, they reduced patient no-shows and cancelations by 50% and now see 90% of canceled appointments getting rebooked. See their full story here.

Boost Your Medical Practice’s Patient Experience with NexHealth

The patient experience journey is all too familiar for healthcare providers, but every health concern that prompts a doctor’s visit triggers a brand new, unfamiliar, and daunting process on the part of the patient. Providing compassionate, high-quality care is the best way to provide positive experiences and successful outcomes. 

NexHealth’s main purpose in the healthcare field is to streamline every administrative aspect of a healthcare organization while simultaneously enhancing the patient experience through ease of access, convenience, accessibility, and increased engagement and ownership. 

With automated communications, reminders, scheduling options, and a patient portal, NexHealth can drastically reduce the workload of an organization’s staff while also allowing patients greater control over their journey from start to finish, which eases anxiety and increases the likelihood of treatment adherence. Book a quick consultation to learn more about Nexhealth.