TThe major challenge the US healthcare industry facing today is losing patients. There are a number of reasons due to which the healthcare industry in the US is literally losing the confidence of the patients. Statistics show that about 500 of patients die per day due to negligence; increased cases of infections patients catch from the hospitals alone, unnecessary procedures and tests being conducted on patients and last but not the least, the exorbitant cost of medical treatment are some of the deterrents causing a lower influx of patients in the hospitals.
To address these issues, healthcare providers and the policy makers are considering using IT to resolve many of these issues. There is an increasing understanding of the importance of a user-centric service design because patients are there for essential needs and not for pleasure; in fact it is a matter of life and death for them.
Healthcare providers in the US are obtaining new approaches to redesign the healthcare system in order to truly meet the needs of the patients and making healthcare services better for them and their families.
With the growing competition in healthcare sector and with the patients switching their loyalties to other providers due to an unsatisfactory experience, it becomes important for the healthcare organizations to realize the implications of a user-centric service design.
Improved patient satisfaction is directly related to revenue generation and profitability of the hospitals. Healthcare providers with consistently high levels of patient satisfaction are among the most fiscally successful with reduced malpractice claims and increased patient volume. Numerous studies confirm that satisfied patients are loyal patients. They are more likely to return to the same provider for future medical care and also refer other patients to the same provider. Therefore, the providers who have recognized the value of a satisfied patient are enjoying a lifetime loyalties from them and an enhanced profitability.
Patients increasingly want to be involved in their own health care. This can at least be partially attributed to the rise of the internet, which has made easier for the patients to access information on various diseases, possible treatment routes, and various brands of pharmaceuticals or medical devices. Online, people may also find reviews of other patients undergoing a particular treatment or using a particular drug. Patients differentiate between healthcare providers basis their experience which is a key consideration for determining if they'll return to or recommend the same provider to others.
Over the past few decades, quality service outcomes have improved dramatically and one of the main tenets or principles of User Experience Design is to incorporate the user feedback into the design process. The design process should be managed effectively, dealt with experienced interpretation and with a thoughtful application of inputs received from the patients if the providers want to implement a successful User Experience Design process and make it work effectively for them.
Improving efficiency and cutting costs in healthcare means better collaboration with patients. Web portals and mobile applications can help, but only if they connect with the doctors, or other health care providers effectively. Other major technical buzzwords in the US healthcare industry are Patients’ Portals, EMRs, Robotic Check ups etc.
Using Technology to Eliminate Waiting -One approach to preventing patients and visitors from feeling stuck in a hospital is to decrease or even eliminate the need to wait altogether using technology. New applications such as MASH for the iPad, let patients check themselves into a hospital. Future versions will allow patients to share their symptoms with the hospital staff before admittance using 3D body-imaging technology.
Technology is a cost-effective and increasingly powerful way which is enabling healthcare providers to connect with the distant and medically underserved regions of the United States. Telemedicine has been a well-established specialty used as a tool to connect patients in remote areas especially in emergencies, but new medical robots go one step further—they can now patrol hospital hallways, checking on patients in different rooms and managing their individual charts and vital signs without direct human intervention. The RP-VITA Remote Presence Robot produced jointly by iRobot Corp. and InTouch Health is the first such independent remote-controlled robot to receive FDA clearance for hospital use.
What all customers or patients want is the fulfillment of four psychological elements from their providers, and they are:
The healthcare organizations that can fulfill these four emotional needs and meet the patients' basic requirements for good service and medical care will be more successful in engaging their patients in coming times. And the tool that will enable them to achieve this successfully is a better user experience.
About Saviance
Saviance is a US based Healthcare IT Services provider focusing on the newest technology SMAC stack – Social, Mobility, Analytics & Cloud. We provide innovative solutions & enable meaningful use of IT by designing patient engagement portals, collaboration applications & actionable analytics for wellness & population health. Incorporated in 1999 in the US, with over 14 years of excellent industry track record, Saviance offers services & solutions that enable enterprises to achieve critical objectives.
Saviance is a Gold Category Corporate Member with Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS), member of mHealth Alliance and Corporate member of NJ-HITEC. We are awarded by INC. 5000 as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in North America. Saviance is also ranked among the Fast 50 Asian American Businesses in the United States by USPAACC (US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce) and selected as a 2013 "Top Business" recipient by DiversityBusiness.com. A certified Minority Business Enterprise recognized by NMSDC, Saviance is also partner with leading global brands such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Apple, Samsung and Red Hat.
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