Research by Experian Health Reveals Pandemic Impact on the Patient Experience and Effects That Will Shape the Future

Published

White paper examines consumer and provider responses to a national survey on topics ranging from self-scheduling to price transparency to securing patient data

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Experian Health today released insights from a national survey among consumers and healthcare providers that reveal how the patient journey has been impacted, and improved, based on the industry’s pandemic response. The report also uncovers providers’ biggest patient experience challenges and offers strategies to overcome those barriers.

One theme stood out: to get ahead of the curve in 2021, providers must continue to evolve the patient experience with digital solutions. The research shows some patient expectations are in line with providers’ perspectives and intentions, but there are gaps that remain:

  • More than 70 percent of consumers surveyed would like the option of using a provider portal to conduct their healthcare business, while 56 percent said it’s one of the most important services - More than half (53%) of providers say seamless access to patient portals and offering digital registration is an urgent priority
  • Most consumers (78 percent) would like to schedule appointments digitally - More than half (51%) of providers feel that scheduling is too difficult to offer as a self-service
  • Finding quick and convenient appointment times has been a top challenge among several healthcare experiences for consumers during COVID-19 - Facilitating contactless care is a top three challenge, according to 54 percent of providers
  • A majority of patients (58%) would be interested in a payment plan that’s tailored to their personal financial situation (rising to 72% for 25 to 34-year-olds) - Fifty percent of providers are extremely or very concerned with collecting payments from consumers over the next 12 months

“The start of 2021 is the perfect time to assess where everyone stands on the healthcare access topic,” said Tom Cox, General Manager and head of product for Experian Health. “We’ve had nine months to observe transitions, modifications, improvisations and complete overhauls as a result of the pandemic.”

The white paper, “The state of patient access: 2021,” not only explores consumer and provider perspectives on the future of patient access but offers recommendations for how healthcare providers can prepare for what lies ahead. It also outlines four existing opportunities for providers that are immediate and relevant across healthcare:

  • Consumers’ expectations to control more of their care journey
  • Convenient patient access cannot compromise safety and security
  • Pandemic adaptations will lead to long-term, systemic changes in the patient experience
  • The evolving financial exchange between consumers and providers continues to reflect the pressure on healthcare to operate like other service sectors

“These insights will help providers understand patients’ new expectations, informing a smooth return to ‘business as usual’ and jump starting their efforts to reverse the pandemic’s financial impact,” added Cox. “2021 is a great opportunity to ‘control what you can’ and make investments in patient access improvements, because that part of the care journey has become very influential to satisfaction and loyalty.”

Download the white paper at http://www.experianhealth.com/accesssurvey2021.

About Experian Health

At Experian Health, we collaborate with more than 3,400 hospitals and 7,300 other healthcare organizations representing 500,000-plus providers — almost 60 percent of the market — to provide data-driven platforms to empower our clients to make smarter business decisions, boast a better bottom line and foster stronger patient relationships. Our industry-leading solutions include revenue cycle management, identity management, patient engagement and care management.

Part of Experian, the world’s leading information services company, our Experian Health business is known for its patient access heritage, advanced data insights and patent-pending Touchless Workflow™ which help providers, labs, pharmacies and other risk-bearing entities power opportunities in today’s consumer-driven healthcare environment.

Experian has 17,800 people operating across 45 countries, and every day we’re investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximize every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

For more information about Experian Health, visit http://www.experianhealth.com. Learn more about Experian at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group.

Sandra Bernardo Experian 1 949 529 7550 Sandra.bernardo@experian.com

Source: Experian

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