Healthcare providers are under immense pressure to improve the quality of care they provide, and patient experience is a key metric for judging quality. In this article, we will discuss why healthcare providers should invest greatly in patient experience and how they can go about doing so.
In fact, healthcare trends in Australia 2022 show that practices will continue to make significant investments in patient experience, and for many good reasons. Here are some of them:
Improved patient experience is associated with better clinical outcomes
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that improved patient experience is associated with better clinical outcomes. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that patients who had a positive experience with their healthcare provider were more likely to have better health outcomes.
The study found that patients who had a positive experience were more likely to take their medications as prescribed and were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital.
Improved patient experience leads to higher patient satisfaction scores
Patient satisfaction scores are important for healthcare providers because they are used to judge the quality of care provided. Studies have shown that improved patient experience leads to higher patient satisfaction scores.
A study published in the Journal of Healthcare Quality found that patients who had a positive experience with their healthcare provider were more likely to give the provider a higher satisfaction score. The study also found that patients who had a positive experience were more likely to recommend the provider to others.
Improved patient experience leads to lower costs
Improved patient experience can lead to lower costs for healthcare providers. In a study published in the Journal of Healthcare Leadership, patients who had a positive experience with their healthcare provider cost the provider less money.
In addition, patients who had a positive experience were less likely to use unnecessary medical services, such as emergency room visits and hospitalisations.
Improved patient experience attracts new patients
Improved patient experience can also help healthcare providers attract new patients. According to the Journal of Healthcare Marketing, patients who had a positive experience with a new healthcare provider were more likely to switch to that provider. The same study also found that these patients were more likely to refer friends and family to the provider.
Improved patient experience enhances employee satisfaction
Finally, improved patient experience can also lead to enhanced employee satisfaction. Employees who worked for healthcare providers that invested in improving patient experience were more satisfied with their jobs. This was according to the Journal of Healthcare Leadership. It also found that these employees were less likely to leave their job and were more likely to recommend the provider to others.
Conclusion
Improving patient experience should be a top priority for healthcare providers. There are many reasons why this is the case, but some of the most important ones are that improved patient experience is associated with better clinical outcomes, higher patient satisfaction scores, lower costs and improved employee satisfaction. In addition, healthcare providers should also invest in things like customer service training for their staff and creating a culture of excellence.
