About the Patient Experience Index
The Patient Experience Index – a survey of over 1,100 patients – provides an annual window into the experiences and expectations of patients across the United States. It serves as a pulse check of the current state of healthcare as seen by patients, and provides actionable insight into what practices must do in order to succeed in a changing landscape. Medical practice leaders can use these findings to inform their investments and decision-making, especially as part of their plans to drive performance and increase patient satisfaction.
This year the theme is ‘Delivering Patient-Centric Care’ and focuses on what practices are doing today to adapt to changes in the market. Our reports on the New Medical Economy and the Practice Performance Index highlighted the importance of a positive patient experience, and provided strong evidence for the link between patient experience and practice performance. With the latest version of the Patient Experience Index we look through the patient’s eyes and dive deeper into the sources of value for patients, separate fads from proven solutions, and demystify the path forward for practices that want to drive performance.
PRE-VISIT
Options and convenience drive provider preference.
Patients are spending more time and searching through more sources of information before selecting their provider, with the share of patients selecting their healthcare providers using online search/review sites, social media, or blogs almost doubling in the last year. And they increasingly want the convenience of requesting appointments anytime, from anywhere: 21% said they would consider switching doctors to have that ability.
VISIT: CHECKING IN
Shorter wait times are possible with pre-work.
Waiting at the doctor’s office to be seen is a pain shared by all patients, however 18-29 year olds are much more likely to vote with their feet: more than half would switch providers in search for shorter times. Technology can help by allowing patients to fill out forms before showing up at the practice.
VISIT: ENCOUNTER
Personal attention is critical to satisfaction.
Medical outcomes are still important, but nothing beats feeling like your provider is paying attention to your individual needs. 70% of all patients named it as a key criteria for their satisfaction. Although providers have mixed feelings about EHRs, they are broadly seen as a positive addition by patients.
VISIT: PAYMENTS
Payment flexibility and staff training lead to financial success.
Waiting at the doctor’s office to be seen is a pain shared by all patients, however 18-29 year olds are much more likely to vote with their feet: more than half would switch providers in search for shorter times. Technology can help by allowing patients to fill out forms before showing up at the practice.
POST-VISIT
Online tools keep patients connected and satisfied.
Medical outcomes are still important, but nothing beats feeling like your provider is paying attention to your individual needs. 70% of all patients named it as a key criteria for their satisfaction. Although providers have mixed feelings about EHRs, they are broadly seen as a positive addition by patients.
