The medical field is all about enhancing the patient experience. This concept applies to hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics, and other venues serving the public. Many new tech startups and large technology companies specializing in inpatient experience also see first patient care as the ideal place to get into the medical marketplace since it’s the beginning point for the medical system. When it comes to health care, patients are emotionally, physically, and monetarily invested, making medical decisions some of the highest priorities in one’s lifetime.
To enhance the patient experience, healthcare providers often turn to third-party consultants who provide healthcare services in a highly focused way. For example, healthcare consultants go to retail clinics and offer training to employees on how to help patients with their weight loss goals. Retail clinics are constantly looking for new ways to increase revenue and improve customer service. However, one cannot just open a new healthcare facility and expect patients to walk in the doors without training proper equipment usage or procedures. This type of learning is easily carried out at retail clinics where trained staff can assist clients with weight loss goals and other personalized health services.
Another example of healthcare innovation that enhances the patient experience is smartphones. Many healthcare facilities have started using handheld smartphones to conduct physician’s office visits instead of traditional office phone systems. Although this might seem like an uncommon use for something primarily used for calling doctors and nurses, there are many advantages to implementing this type of technology. Smartphones are available at affordable prices, so clinics and facilities with intelligent phone access can use this technological advantage to reduce overhead and add value to their medical appointments.
In addition to smartphones, another healthcare innovation that enhances patient experience comes from electronic medical billing and software systems. EMR and EKG software systems allow for billing patients accurately and efficiently. They can generate the appropriate reports needed by doctors and clinicians. This means that clinics and facilities can also provide accurate information to patients for quicker treatment. This reduces unnecessary patient visits and mistakes as well as saves time for both doctors and healthcare providers.
Electronic medical records also play a large part in improving the patient experience in many ways. Clinics can use these electronic records to track and monitor medications and the medical histories of patients. This means that more time is not spent recording information that is already fed into a database. Clinics and facilities can also use this system to track patient treatment history, progress, and complications.
Another type of healthcare innovation that enhances the patient experience is engaging patients in quality improvement activities. A process of communicating with patients and family members in healthcare. Surveys show that patients greatly appreciate this type of interactive involvement. By getting more involved in improving the healthcare facility, patients feel less alone and more encouraged to engage in future healthcare improvements. This ultimately leads to improved healthcare and more satisfied patients.
Enhancing the patient experience through healthcare innovations does not have to be expensive or extensive. Most of these changes can be made simply by increasing staff participation or incorporating technology into the traditionally reserved facility for technological tasks. However, it is essential to identify a high level of engagement with a specific goal in mind. High satisfaction levels can be obtained if staff can identify high-priority areas and implement measures to address these issues.
Improving patient satisfaction can go a long way towards reducing healthcare costs, improving productivity, enhancing services, and overall patient satisfaction. These types of healthcare innovations are essential to improving the services offered. However, implementing these types of changes requires a significant investment from the organization. As a result, organizations should continually evaluate the current state of their healthcare facilities to determine if there are ways to enhance the patient experience. Many organizations recognize the importance of incorporating healthcare innovation as part of an overall strategy and are investing heavily in these endeavors.