Patient Engagement Blog

Patient engagement is so much more than just a buzzword; it’s a must for healthcare practices today. Engaging patients in the evolving healthcare space requires practices to constantly look for more effective ways to better meet consumer expectations.

In recent years, healthcare practices and providers have focused on ensuring fair and equitable access to care for every individual. Countless disparities have come to light, emphasizing the need for better health equity across various patient populations due to  social determinants of health (SDOH). 

Patient access to healthcare is a significant industry-wide area of concern that many stakeholders are committed to improving. When patients cannot access providers, it’s impossible for them to receive the care they need and deserve. The rise of retail health clinics is slowly improving patient access to healthcare, and it’s simultaneously creating competition for traditional practices because these clinics offer more flexible hours and cost transparency.

Patient needs are changing, and healthcare practices are scrambling to meet evolving expectations. Although the gap is narrowing between what providers deliver and what patients want and expect in a healthcare experience, there’s still room for improvement.

Healthcare workers spend their days (and sometimes even their nights) caring for others and making the world a healthier place.

Patients today want to take a more active role in their own care. However, to do so, they need easy access to their providers and health records at their own convenience—not to mention to the digital tools they want and expect from healthcare practices today.

To be successful in today’s competitive healthcare landscape, practices need to offer a top-notch care experience that leaves patients satisfied and engaged. If the patient experience is lacking, practices run the risk of experiencing increased churn, earning a negative reputation, and struggling to attract and retain patients.

Consumers today turn to online reviews for purchases of all kinds, from products and services to experiences and entertainment. It stands to reason that the same people perusing Amazon and Yelp reviews are most certainly turning to online feedback when choosing a healthcare provider.

Retail health clinics are on the rise, with more and more healthcare consumers seeking non-traditional care delivery services. Big-box retailers, ranging from Walmart and Target to CVS and Walgreens, are steadily opening health clinics to increase access to care.

In recent years, population health management (PHM) has become a key area of focus for healthcare organizations. Practices constantly look for ways to deliver proactive, effective interventions to support high-risk patients managing chronic conditions.