Healthcare and the Modern Patient Journey: Four Levers to Trust and Empathy

Healthcare has always been a bastion of human-to-human experiences, but with patients becoming more informed, connected, and expecting more than ever, could the “human touch” start losing its importance in this essential industry?

At Inspiro, we think it’s quite the opposite – human-led healthcare experiences will always be the best way to create trust in an industry that champions empathy, understanding, and meaningful interactions.

McKinsey found that nurse empathy, keeping patients informed, and doctor empathy were the primary drivers of high patient satisfaction, even above the outcome of their care. But that doesn’t mean healthcare providers (HCPs) should sleep on their laurels regarding innovation.

As customers, we want seamless, personalized experiences from our product and service providers; as patients, the expectations are the same. Still, patients often face a labyrinth of bureaucracy, inconsistent care, and little transparency about what to expect in terms of costs or outcomes.

On top of that, an abundance of confusing processes and the need to make the most of the data can chip away at trust, cause patients to pull away, and make it even harder to give the kind of care that truly makes a difference.

The good news is there are actionable steps to turn the tide. By focusing on four key levers—people, strategy, innovation, and analytics—HCPs can enhance the patient journey to genuinely heal and build lasting relationships based on trust and empathy.

Let’s start by looking at the hurdles customers face during the patient journey, then explore how these four levers can change everything.

Common Friction Points in The Patient Journey

HCPs must understand the challenges patients face at each step of their journey, from that first Google search to the complexities of ongoing care – every interaction with an HCP shapes the patient’s experience and influences their trust in the brand.

• Awareness: When people first realize they need medical attention, they usually start their search online. Here, HCPs have the opportunity to be the first credible source of information. If they miss this chance, individuals might turn to less reliable options, jeopardizing their health and eroding trust in the industry.
• Consideration: After initial research, patients have to choose where to get care. Trust is important here, but so is clarity. Vague or hard-to-find details about costs or treatment options can be a significant deterrent. Transparency at this stage can quickly build trust and set the stage for open communication.
• Access: Once a patient chooses an HCP, the logistical challenge begins. The process can be overwhelming for most people, from scheduling appointments to submitting sensitive information and paperwork. Simplifying these steps is essential for ensuring patients don’t walk away before they get the care they need.
• Service Delivery: Medical consultations are critical in shaping a patient’s healthcare experience. HCPs may be under pressure and strapped for time, but rushed consultations can lead to misunderstandings and poor treatment adherence. Balancing efficiency with genuine care at this stage can have a lasting impact on patient satisfaction.
• Ongoing Care: Post-treatment care offers an opportunity to solidify the patient-provider relationship and encourage future engagement. But this can be undone by fragmented systems and poor communication, leading to lost opportunities for better health outcomes.

Each of these unique obstacles can make or break the patient-provider relationship. Still, we can redefine what healthcare means for everyone involved by embracing a holistic approach that leverages strategy, innovation, analytics, and the genuine empathy and trust that only humans can bring.

Every Patient Journey Starts With People

Humans can quickly turn fragmented experiences into a cohesive, supportive pathway for patients, building trust and empathy that machines and data alone could never achieve.

Many of us search online after experiencing some scary symptoms, so finding a chat service with genuine, empathetic people ready to discuss your concerns can be a lifesaver, positioning HCPs as reliable support channels right from the start. Equally, when choosing a provider, knowing a team understands your worries and can answer your questions turns a daunting decision into a more manageable task.

Getting through the logistics, like appointment scheduling or insurance verification, is usually an unwanted headache. Here’s where a well-trained contact center team can turn a tedious process into a smooth experience. A helpful voice on the phone or a quick, informative email reply from a human agent can prevent frustrations and allow patients to focus on what truly matters – their health.

And it doesn’t end after diagnosis and treatment. Personalized follow-up calls or newsletters with helpful health tips keep patients engaged and supported well into the ongoing care phase. When led by human support teams, these small gestures can become the pillars of a long-lasting relationship between patients and HCPs.

Strategic Blueprints for Better Patient Journeys

When every touchpoint in the healthcare journey can profoundly impact a patient’s life, laying out a well-thought-out strategy is an ethical obligation for HCPs to deliver the best possible care. 

A robust strategy can make a real difference in the initial awareness phase. Instead of churning out general health advice, focus on creating targeted content like articles, videos, or podcasts that address specific patient concerns. Clever SEO tactics can ensure you appear precisely when and where people are searching, making that first touchpoint truly meaningful.

Once potential patients are considering their options, that’s when you should shine. Be it transparent pricing or a detailed treatment options menu, ensure the information on your online portals and website is easy to find and understand. This strategic layout should educate visitors and lower the barriers to choosing your services.

When it’s time for patients to access healthcare, the last thing they need is more stress. A well-designed customer journey map can pinpoint the most frustrating aspects, like confusing appointment systems or insurance hang-ups. Preemptive planning allows you to address these issues head-on to make the process as smooth as possible.

As for the actual diagnosis and treatment, strategic planning can again make a world of difference. Whether it’s optimizing staff training for more effective consultations or employing tech solutions and business process outsourcing (BPO) partners to speed up admin tasks, the goal is to free up more time for patient care. 

And let’s not forget the power of a sound follow-up system; it keeps the engagement going, offering personalized tips and timely reminders that can turn a one-time patient into a lifelong advocate (as long as it’s well-planned).

Harnessing Innovation for Balanced Experiences

The world’s rapid digital advancements make it crucial to innovate throughout the patient journey, but in a way that enriches the care experience rather than fragments it. 

In the awareness stage, innovative tools can make an immediate impact. An AI-powered chatbot could answer initial queries and direct people to appropriate healthcare services based on symptoms or escalate to knowledgeable human agents with medical expertise to answer more complex questions. 

As patients enter the consideration phase, digital platforms can offer interactive experiences that help them make informed choices and lower the barriers to the best healthcare decisions. For instance, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital provides a suite of telehealth services to make everything at the hospital more accessible. Patients can quickly reach out for virtual urgent care, online second opinions, and even get prescriptions sent straight to the pharmacy through a simple app. 

Plus, smart technology like wearables for patients can transform care quality, with real-time monitoring of vital statistics providing invaluable data that can influence treatment plans. For example, using wearables in cancer care, as shown here, is leading to enormous benefits for oncology patients. These gadgets give doctors a peek into how patients are doing round-the-clock, not just during clinic visits, helping to tailor treatments, catch issues early, and keep patients in the loop to make care feel more personal and tuned to individual needs. 

Healthcare innovation is essential, but it’s about enhancing the human element, not sidelining it. When combined successfully, human healthcare professionals and intelligent technology allow HCPs to deliver experiences that are efficient, trustworthy, and deeply meaningful at every stage of the patient journey.

Analytics play a crucial role in service delivery. When analyzed correctly, patient data can inform better treatment plans, predict patient needs, and even flag potential issues before they become serious problems. This proactive approach not only improves patient satisfaction but can also save lives. 

The Role of Analytics in Shaping Patient Experiences

Data analytics can provide insights into treatment effectiveness, predict patient needs, enhance resource allocation, and much more, all contributing to better patient care.

In the awareness stage, analytics can be a powerful tool for understanding what potential patients are looking for. By analyzing search queries, social media interactions, and website traffic, HCPs can tailor their online resources to align with these trends, ensuring that the first point of contact is informative, helpful, and directly relevant.

As patients transition to the consideration stage, analytics can help providers understand what factors influence decision-making. For instance, are patients primarily concerned about cost, location, or the range of services offered? Powered by these insights, HCPs can make targeted improvements to the range of services they provide.

When the interaction between an HCP and a patient starts, data analytics becomes invaluable for evaluating and improving efficiency. Analyzing metrics related to appointment scheduling, wait times, and the overall patient flow within a healthcare facility can highlight areas for improvement, making it easier for HCPs to create a more seamless experience.

Analytics also play a crucial role in service delivery. When analyzed correctly, patient data can inform better treatment plans, predict patient needs, and even flag potential issues before they become serious problems. This proactive approach not only improves patient satisfaction but can also save lives. 

For example, the BBC reported on a device built on machine learning to analyze the reflections of wireless signals off a person’s body. Analyzing this data over time can help HCPs identify unusual patterns in movement, potentially detecting signs of health issues such as Parkinson’s disease or heart problems early on.

During continued care, data analytics help maintain meaningful patient engagement. By monitoring patient responses and behaviors after treatment, healthcare providers can pinpoint the most effective aspects of care and areas needing improvement. This data-driven approach enables more accurate tailoring of follow-up care and individualized health advice.

While data analytics offers many benefits, it’s most effective as part of a broader strategy that includes human empathy, strategic implementation, and technological innovation – data alone won’t fix a broken patient experience. Still, it’s a great place to start looking for potential improvements. 

Inspiro’s strategic guidance takes everything to the next level. We can help you implement patient journey transformations that turn your vision into a scalable, actionable plan. 

BPO Partnerships: Fusing Four Essential Levers

An effective merge of people, strategy, innovation, and analytics is crucial to enhance patient journeys. Still, HCPs need to find the right balance to build a successful foundation of trust and empathy. This balance is where business process outsourcing (BPO) partnerships come into play.

BPO partnerships with companies like Inspiro offer several key benefits: deep pools of experienced, knowledgeable human talent, cost-effectiveness, access to advanced technology, analytics-driven insights, strategic guidance, and more. 

Our customer champions come from many different backgrounds and can enrich HCP patient journeys with a blend of cultural understanding, industry experience, and medical expertise. Their skills in empathetic communication, coupled with a deep understanding of medical terminologies and protocols, help brands like yours enhance the patient experience through trust and reassurance. 

We employ advanced technologies to enhance customer experience operations for several verticals. Our analytics and metrics provide valuable insights and allow us to continually improve our highly skilled human teams. At Inspiro, innovation isn’t an afterthought; it’s an integral part of our operations that brings efficiency and a personalized touch to our services.

Our strategic guidance takes everything to the next level. Tailored to your unique challenges, we can help you implement patient journey transformations that turn your vision for seamless, digital, accessible patient care into a scalable, actionable plan. 

The synergy between Inspiro’s technological and analytical capabilities, operational excellence, and human talent creates an environment where trust can flourish and where patients feel understood and valued at every step. 

With Inspiro as your partner, optimizing the patient journey becomes a breeze, turning challenges into opportunities and building trust every step of the way.

About Inspiro

A global CX outsourcing leader, Inspiro empowers smart, secure, seamless, scalable, and satisfying customer experience (CX) across a network of 58,000 BPO and customer champions in 100 strategic locations. With delivery operations in North and Latin America, Australia, and the Asia Pacific, Inspiro supports every stage of the customer lifecycle through next-generation CX solutions integrating strategy, people, technology, and analytics. 

For over 20 years, we have served the CX requirements of the most demanding, fast-growing industries, including telecoms, retail and e-commerce, travel and hospitality, banking, fintech, media, mobility, healthcare, energy, and utilities. 

Inspiro is owned by Altius Link, Inc., a synergistic partnership between KDDI Corporation and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. This new company combines KDDI Evolva and Relia’s expertise in contact centers, back-office operations, and information technology to create Japan’s largest contact center by sales value. Altius Link aims to become a leading digital BPO and trusted partner to companies globally.