3 Ways a Patient Experience Platform Pays Long-Term Dividends

The rapid move toward consumerism has healthcare organizations working hard to create simpler, more convenient patient journeys. Yet, the key friction-causing modes of communication – faxes and phone calls – persist. It’s hard to believe that 90% of healthcare providers still rely on fax communications to send orders and referrals. Even when a referral is faxed for a patient to see a specialist, nearly half of the time the visit is never scheduled. Moreover, too often the referring physician never knows if their patient ever saw the specialist. Additionally, there are the well-known frustrations of scheduling appointments by phone, often requiring multiple calls and time wasted on hold. Today’s consumers do more than vent to their friends; they post harsh reviews online. Healthcare organizations that are too slow to change will see negative impacts on patient and provider satisfaction, leading to erosion of the organization’s brand reputation in their market.

With a focus on improving the consumer experience, healthcare providers are looking to patient experience technology to smooth out a wide range of friction points. With a patient engagement platform, organizations are not only able to offer patients convenient digital experiences, but they are also able to make it easier for providers in their community to refer their patients. By working with a partner like R1, organizations benefit from a holistic approach that combines technology with proven best practices and ongoing performance management to enable standardized, automated and centralized patient access and revenue cycle processes. Thus, when the underlying processes are optimized, it makes each interaction easier and more convenient from the point of view of consumers and patients, as well as the providers who refer them for care.

With this holistic approach, healthcare organizations achieve sustainable financial results. Consider these three metrics that demonstrate the dividends health systems can achieve with : 

Download our infographic for additional data points that highlight how patient experience technology can drive ongoing financial performance.

1. Win new revenue by engaging new consumers as well as current patients with the level of digital experience that drives up patient satisfaction scores. In addition, organizations increase patient volume and revenue by addressing financial clearance and clinical appropriateness checks up front, resulting in higher referral-to-appointment conversion rates. Optimizing capacity utilization across services and locations and preventing no-shows further increases revenue. R1 clients report a 2-5% increase in outpatient revenue overall.
2. Increase yield by launching revenue cycle tasks early, specifically starting with electronic orders and automated prior authorizations, which prevents denials downstream. At the same time, integrating seamless point-of-service payment options and offering compassionate, proactive financial counseling has helped R1 clients improve patient cash yield by as much as 20%.
3. Improve productivity by embedding workflow tools within underlying processes and automating labor-intensive tasks across patient access and revenue cycle functions. In parallel, healthcare organizations reduce staff labor by transitioning more activities to self-service with convenient, intuitive options for patients and referring providers. R1 clients see cost reductions of up to 45% in patient access areas, such as scheduling and pre-registration, while freeing up staff to focus on higher-value patient service activities.

When it comes to providing convenient, consistent digital experiences for consumers, patients and referring providers, healthcare organizations utilizing Entri, the integrated patient experience solution, can not only succeed in that effort but also gain lasting enterprise-wide financial and operational benefits. 

Watch the webinar, Optimizing Digital Patient Experiences: 10-Point
Checklist for Success, to learn more about how R1 Entri help leading organizations improve digital patient journeys.