Are you ready to improve patient satisfaction and increase revenue?

Transcription

1 Are you ready to improve patient satisfaction and increase revenue? NCR U.S. Consumer Research reveals that patients want self-service to manage healthcare interactions. An NCR White Paper 2009 Experience a new world of interaction 2009 NCR Corporation

2 Patients frustrated with long waits 1 New consumer research commissioned by NCR Corporation reveals that patients are growing increasingly frustrated with long waits at physicians offices and hospitals and are looking to self-service technology as a way to help expedite these interactions. Hospitals and clinics that leverage self-service via kiosks, online and mobile applications to reduce the time and effort required for patients to schedule appointments, pay medical bills and complete registration forms will have an opportunity to drive loyalty and increase patient volume in this competitive marketplace. As more patients participate in consumer-directed care plans, they are taking greater responsibility for their medical expenses and overall health management. This shift has empowered today s healthcare consumers to exercise greater choice when selecting a healthcare provider. As a result, patients now seek the same level of convenience they have come to expect from retailers, hotels, banks and airlines, and that includes access to self-service tools. At the same time, healthcare providers face the dual challenges of rising costs and declining reimbursement, requiring them to look for innovative ways to attract and retain patients and gain a competitive advantage. Methodology: NCR commissioned BuzzBack Research, a leading international market research firm headquartered in New York City, to conduct this survey of 500 U.S. consumers. To help hospitals and clinics better understand what patients want from their healthcare providers in this new era of consumer-directed care, NCR commissioned consumer research to provide insight into what motivates patients when determining where to seek care.

3 Top line research highlights 2 As the following top line data shows, the rise of consumerism in healthcare is impacting how patients choose their healthcare providers and how they manage their care. Healthcare trends and preferences Consumers were asked about their current frustrations with healthcare appointments, interactions with healthcare staff, reasons to choose one provider over another, convenience of self-service options, explanations for missing a healthcare appointment and interest in managing healthcare appointments via a kiosk or mobile device. Research findings Multi-channel self-service solutions: 72 percent of consumers are more likely to choose a healthcare provider that offers the flexibility to interact via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels over a provider that does not. Wait times lower satisfaction: 76 percent of consumers find waiting at a hospital or doctor s office the greatest frustration they face at a healthcare appointment. Provider choice: All things being equal, 61 percent said they would choose one provider over another based on the appointment scheduling process. Patient convenience: When it comes to convenience, patients want to spend less time on routine tasks like scheduling appointments, paying medical bills and completing forms. A significant number are looking to conduct transactions with their healthcare provider online or through a mobile device. 62 percent of consumers expressed interest in booking or changing medical appointments online, through a mobile device or at a kiosk and receiving text message reminders of an appointment. 54 percent of consumers said the ability to book an appointment online would be convenient to them. 31 percent of consumers said it would be convenient to be able to pay outstanding balances online or via a mobile device.

4 Key insights 3 The research findings provide insights into the opinions and attitudes of patients, from which hospitals and clinics can develop and implement strategies to increase patient satisfaction and strengthen loyalty. The three key insights are: 1. Fast. Providing online, mobile and kiosk selfservice options can help healthcare providers meet growing patient demand for quick and convenient interactions. 2. Easy. Simplifying the process of scheduling appointments, paying bills and completing forms increases patient satisfaction, drives revenue and gives healthcare providers a competitive advantage. 3. Transformative. Integrating self-service solutions, via online, mobile and kiosk channels, is vital to attracting and retaining patients. Insight #1 Providing multi-channel self-service solutions through the Internet, mobile devices and kiosks allows hospitals and clinics to meet growing patient demand for quick and convenient interactions with healthcare providers. The data shows that patients want to interact with providers in a way that is most convenient for them, whether booking an appointment online or receiving a text message on a mobile device when an appointment becomes available at short notice. The research also illustrates that patients are interested in utilizing the Internet, mobile devices and kiosks to manage a variety of transactions, including lab results delivery and bill payment. Patients are most interested in booking appointments and receiving lab results online. Which of the following would be convenient to use in managing your healthcare? Booking an appointment online Securely receiving lab results online 54% 54% Seeing and managing personal health information on the internet Receiving a text message notification if an appointment becomes available at short notice Paying outstanding balances online or via a mobile phone 32% 31% 43%

5 4 Insight #2 By making it easier for patients to schedule and check in for appointments, pay bills and complete medical forms, healthcare providers have an opportunity to increase patient satisfaction, improve revenue and attain a competitive advantage in the local marketplace. The research reveals that patients are most frustrated by the long wait times they encounter at hospitals and physician offices. In addition, they are inconvenienced by the time and effort required to manage everyday interactions, like scheduling appointments and paying outstanding balances, and would like to spend less time on these activities. By offering multi-channel self-service solutions, healthcare organizations can improve patient flow and revenue cycle management by expediting routine healthcare processes like collecting balances and co-pays. Seventy-six percent of respondents find waiting at a hospital or doctor s office the greatest frustration at a healthcare appointment. Which of the following occurrences at a healthcare appointment do you find frustrating? Waiting at a doctor s office or hospital 76% Re-entry of personal data or health history Insurance authorization requirements 54% 50% Completing and signing paper forms Queuing to speak with a staff member 31% 40% None of the above. 10%

6 5 Insight #3 Integrating self-service solutions via online, mobile and kiosk channels is vital to attracting patients and provides a key point of differentiation for hospitals and clinics. In fact, a majority of patients want self-service solutions and will choose the healthcare provider that offers these solutions over one that does not. As patients are empowered with greater responsibility when it comes to their choice of care provider, this finding underscores the importance of deploying self-service as a business strategy to help create a consistent, seamless patient experience at every step of the care process. By providing a positive patient experience, healthcare providers can build loyalty among existing patients while attracting new ones, resulting in increased patient volume. Seventy-two percent of respondents are more likely to use healthcare providers that offer self-service. How likely are you to choose a healthcare provider that offers you the flexibility to interact easily via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels versus a provider that doesn t? Much less likely 17% 11% 17% 72% Somewhat less likely Somewhat more likely Much more likely 55%

7 Conclusion 6 The steady rise in the number of patients enrolled in Automating patient interactions not only addresses consumer-directed care plans makes it increasingly consumer demand, it also serves as the entry point for important for hospitals and clinics to effectively electronic record keeping a key initiative underway at compete in the local marketplace. While a patient s healthcare organizations nationwide. As more hospitals choice of healthcare provider was once determined by and clinics move to implement electronic health geography, today s patients have greater choice and records, the benefits of self-service become even more they are choosing to stay loyal to those healthcare widespread. providers that provide the best overall patient experience. The research supports the case that utilizing self- To find out more about how you can integrate selfservice into your facility, contact your local NCR sales representative today. service technology to enhance the patient experience is becoming an imperative to drive customer preference and loyalty. Data clearly indicates that patients are frustrated by the time and effort required to manage routine interactions, such as scheduling appointments, paying bills and completing paperwork, and they want to spend less time on these tasks. The research also reveals that patients want better access to information about their care.

8 Why NCR? With over 125 years of experience, NCR is a leading global provider of assisted- and self-service solutions. We help our healthcare clients around the world improve their patient interactions, implement change quickly and proactively, and transform their organizations to become leaders and change agents. We can help you, too. NCR Corporation 1700 S. Patterson Blvd Dayton, Ohio USA For more information visit: Experience a new world of interaction NCR continually improves products as new technologies and components become available. NCR, therefore, reserves the right to change specifications without prior notice. All features, functions and operations described herein may not be marketed by NCR in all parts of the world. Consult your NCR representative or NCR office for the latest information. All brand and product names appearing in this document are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective holders NCR Corporation Patents Pending EB