Patients have more provider options now than ever, so what makes a patient stick to specific a practice, hospital brand or provider group such as an Accountable Care Organization (ACO).
Patient “stickiness” is one way to ensure patients stay with the provider or group currently directing and providing their care. But what it is it?
Patient stickiness is a combination of loyalty, engagement and compliance that work together to keep patients utilizing the same providers and the right services at the right time and drives patients to actively participate in their own care.
Loyalty Some patients are loyal to a fault, even choosing their provider as a first option when another may be more appropriate. For example, the patient that holds out with dizziness or chest pain overnight so they can see their primary care doctor in the morning rather than going to the Emergency Department.
Others, pick-up on a whim and change providers at the drop of a hat or follow the suggestions of friends, internet reviews and other providers while they’re managing their own care. Of course, this makes following and monitoring a treatment plan difficult for both the patient and provider, especially when the patient has a complex medical history and chronic conditions that need to be managed.
Many providers think they can drive loyalty just be delivering quality care but, while that is certainly important, its simply not enough to keep your patients returning, and doing so at the right times for the right reasons. In addition to quality, providers must also provide outstanding customer/patient service, accessibility (especially in scheduling), and patient engagement through contact and communication which brings us to our next piece of patient stickiness.
Engagement One of the biggest challenges for physicians, hospitals and provider groups is to create true engagement with their patients. Especially those in the outpatient setting, where engagement is often relegated to one-way communication.
A lot of providers believe they are driving engagement with their in-office conversation and their external communication. They use texts and emails to remind patients of upcoming appointments and screenings. Some even send birthday cards and office newsletters. And, while those are nice touches, one-way communication does not create engagement. Patients likely appreciate the reminders and may even read the newsletter, but without interaction, those tactics simply fall short.
