How important is personalization in healthcare? A survey that Redpoint Global conducted with Dynata of more than 1,000 US healthcare consumers, reveals that providers, insurers and others in the healthcare ecosystem who downplay the importance of personalizing the healthcare experience do so at their peril.
A majority of consumers surveyed (60 percent) said that they would choose a provider based on how well the provider understands them, beyond basic patient data, so that the experience is relevant and personalized. Furthermore, 66 percent said that selecting a provider was dependent on the provider’s ability to communicate to them in a timely and consistent manner.
As in other industries such as retail, travel and hospitality, and banking, healthcare consumers increasingly demand that organizations recognize them at an individual level across a full spectrum of engagement touchpoints and channels, and that they exhibit a deep personal understanding. Thirty-nine percent of respondents reported that a personal understanding was an expectation they had when engaging with their providers. Examples of a personal understanding include an expectation that a healthcare provider proactively contact a patient – at the right time and in the right context – to improve wellness and care (cited by 44 percent of respondents). Also, 36 percent said that they expect communications from a provider to match in-person experiences in terms of relevance, consistency and outcomes.
Asked what is most frustrating when communicating with a healthcare provider, 17 percent cited a lack of personalization and patient understanding – ranking second among seven choices behind only limited doctor availability/slow response times (34 percent).
Digital Acceleration in Healthcare
Diving deeper into consumer expectations for consistent, relevant communications that match their in-person experiences, a majority of respondents (80 percent) said that they prefer to use digital channels (online messaging, virtual appointment, text, etc.) to communicate with healthcare providers and brands at least some of the time and 44 percent prefer digital communications the majority of the time. COVID-era influenced, digital-first communications are now the expectation and will become the standard for healthcare experiences moving forward. Over the last 18 months, 65 percent of respondents reported using telehealth and 34 percent say they want to regularly continue to do so.
The results reveal an enormous cultural shift in the delivery of healthcare services. Digital acceleration, combined with solidifying expectations for personalization, pressure healthcare organizations to think strategically about patient data, omnichannel communication and holistic, personalized patient engagements.
Examples abound of forward-looking, data-driven healthcare organizations beginning to deliver patient-centric experiences that deliver the personalization and understanding that healthcare consumers expect, with improved outcomes and lower costs.
Additional survey results include:
- A majority (57 percent) of healthcare consumers think retailers and/or financial services are better at providing personalized omnichannel experiences than healthcare
- 29 percent said they expect frictionless check-in experiences across apps/phone calls/in-office
- 34 percent expect data inputs in a healthcare portal (health history, surveys, insurance information, etc.) to reach providers
- 24 percent of respondents said they did not utilize any sort of digital communication with providers during the pandemic
- 14 percent said they had no contact with any healthcare provider during the same timeframe
For more information about how Redpoint helps healthcare organizations deliver personalized omnichannel experiences that drive better outcomes, visit Redpoint for Healthcare on LinkedIn, or request a demo at the Healthcare homepage on redpointglobal.com.
