The patient journey begins when a patient decides to seek care. Patients must often navigate complex healthcare systems and multiple providers before they get access to the care they need.

Many patients face long wait times for appointments, difficulty scheduling appointments, and a lack of information about the care they will receive.

Ease of access plays a significant role in getting patients in the door and retaining them. If new patients are asked to wait months for an available appointment, they may seek care elsewhere. Similarly, if they are put on hold for 30 minutes before being able to speak to their primary care provider, they might visit urgent care instead.   

Providers who prioritize access to care can improve patient satisfaction and retention. By offering convenient scheduling options, providing clear information about the care patients will receive, and simplifying the process of accessing care, providers can reduce barriers to care and ensure patients receive the care they need.

What are the key touchpoints organizations should focus on to improve access to care?

• Provider search​  
• Scheduling​  
• Appointment availability
• Appointment reminders​  
• Pre-service estimations​  
• Pre-registration ​  
• Arrival and check-in ​  
• Clinical capacity to meet patient demand

In addition to meeting expectations on the day of service, providers must work to build and maintain relationships to ensure that patients feel supported throughout their care.

Many patients experience healthcare as a series of detached touchpoints that can feel transactional and void of personal connection. As a result, patients often feel disconnected from their providers. When provider organizations focus on personalized interactions, patient education, and effective communication, patients feel more informed and involved in their care.

On the day of service, healthcare organizations can put patients at ease not only with good provider bedside manner, but also with a pleasant arrival experience and short wait times both in the waiting and examination rooms. Making it easy for patients to schedule follow-up care will go a long way in improving their overall satisfaction. For example, is there a check-out desk where the patient can immediately schedule their follow-up care after their appointment, or do they need to call a scheduling line and potentially be placed on hold?

Ensuring that patients receive quality service before, during, and after their day of treatment helps guarantee that they will receive the ongoing care they need to manage their health effectively.

What are the key touchpoints organizations should focus on to improve the day of service?

• Arrival and wayfinding
• ​Customer services​ and communication
• Registration/check-in​
• Point-of-service payment​
• Patient interactions
• Discharge planning​
• Follow-up care coordination and scheduling 

The post-service experience can make or break a patient’s experience. Because billing and payment processes can be complex and difficult to understand, and patients’ obligations are not always clarified prior to receiving care, they may feel especially frustrated and confused when navigating the financial aspects of healthcare. A well-rounded approach to financial navigation — including digital and paper-based modes of communication, simple and crisp design and wording, flexible payment options, and excellent call center customer service — will improve the patient financial experience and ensure that patients feel informed and supported after they receive services.

While leveraging technology can help streamline the patient financial experience, a 2022 consumer financial experience survey by Optum Advisory suggests that patients value services tied to convenience and cost more than technological capabilities. Ultimately, patients want to feel like their provider's processes demonstrate consideration for their time and money.

In addition to the financial components following the day of service, ensuring seamless access to follow-up care is paramount for providers. Many organizations have limited cross-practice scheduling capabilities, preventing patients from scheduling follow-up care immediately after their service. Having proactive referral capture and outreach to help patients coordinate their recommended follow-up care not only promotes a strong experience, but also ensures the patient receives the proper ongoing care.

In addition, crafting a deliberate approach and strategy to communicate patient test results in a streamlined and consistent manner will promote the patient experience and enable providers to work at top of license.

Investing in the post-service patient experience can yield significant benefits for providers and protect the lifetime value of health system customers. By specifically improving the financial experience, providers can improve patient satisfaction scores, reduce bad debt exposure, and increase revenue. Additionally, providers can prevent denials and revenue adjustments, lower the cost to collect, and improve the overall financial performance of their organization.

What are the key touchpoints organizations should focus on to improve the patient financial experience?

• Pre-appointment financial clearance and patient digital engagement (reminders, electronic forms, etc.)
• Day of appointment navigation and simplified payments process
• Post appointment follow-up care and outreach​
• Digital bill payment mechanisms, including payment plans​
• Billing statement​ formatting, consolidation, and customization
• Customer service​ call center operations and digital self-service

Understanding the three key elements of the patient journey is crucial for healthcare organizations who want to improve the patient experience. When providers invest in these areas and prioritize patient satisfaction and engagement, they can improve patient retention, increase revenue, and ensure that patients receive the care they need.

To explore the five main areas organizations should focus on when creating a patient experience strategy, review the second half of these insights. You’ll gain actionable next steps and learn how to align key stakeholders to your organization's goals.

Do you want to better grasp each of the tangible touchpoints mentioned above, or need help implementing the suggestions? Optum Advisory is here to help you understand your patients and create a more robust patient experience journey.