Patients who actively engage in their own health often see better health outcomes and lower costs that are equally beneficial for the U.S. health system at large. For providers, engaging patients also has the added benefit of enhancing revenue cycle performance and regulatory compliance. However, patient engagement requires providers to meet and exceed ever evolving patient expectations for digital transformation and personalized care. Without these critical elements, providers cannot create and sustain the levels of engagement necessary for true disruption. Below we outline key metrics and best practices for next-level patient engagement.
Why Patient Engagement Matters
In today’s healthcare landscape, patient engagement is critical because it:
- Advances in regulatory compliance. Patient engagement plays a key role in helping providers meet regulatory requirements. For example, providing patients with easy, digital access to their health information helps providers comply with the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule. Similarly, engaging patients and responding to patient data access requests promptly helps providers satisfy requirements in the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement Final Rule that supports the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information. Regulatory compliance means providers avoid legal penalties, reduced reimbursement, and reputational harm.
- Boosts operational efficiency and revenue cycle performance. Engaged patients miss fewer appointments and pay their healthcare bills in full and on time. By maintaining a full schedule and efficiently moving these patients through the billing cycle, medical practices improve patient engagement, reduce administrative overhead, and generate more revenue.
- Enhances patient satisfaction. Engaged patients are more likely to trust their providers, remain loyal, express satisfaction with the care they receive, and refer others to medical practices.
- Improves outcomes. Engaged patients are more likely to understand their condition, comply with treatment plans, and make healthy lifestyle choices. In value-based care models, these outcomes (and lower costs) equate to shared savings opportunities.
- Supports care improvement initiatives. For example, patient engagement supports CMS’ Person and Family Engagement Strategic Plan that seeks to promote proactive communication and partnered decision making between healthcare providers and patients, families, and caregivers.
Key Metrics to Track for Next-Level Engagement
Given the importance of patient engagement, it makes sense for providers to track performance closely. The following patient engagement metrics can help:
- Care plan adherence. Engaged patients refill medications, complete recommended screenings, submit patient-generated data, participate in chronic disease management programs, and follow through with referrals. Use these patient engagement metrics to assess performance.
- Late cancellations and no-show rates. Engaged patients tend to show up on time, consistently, and as scheduled. Monitoring appointment adherence as one of many key patient engagement metrics is critical.
- Patient collection rate. Engage patients quickly and consistently to pay their healthcare bills. These patients also ask questions, when necessary, to resolve any confusion. This patient engagement metric provides valuable insight and can help drive revenue cycle improvement.
- Patient portal usage. Engaged patients interact more frequently with their provider through the patient portal or use the portal to check labs, review clinical notes, pay bills, and access educational material.
- Patient satisfaction scores. Engaged patients are more likely to express satisfaction through surveys and patient feedback systems such as Net Promoter Score and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Hospitals. In addition to these patient engagement metrics, pay close attention to Google reviews and comments on social media and other online platforms where patients may write about their experience with the medical practice.
Best Practices for Achieving Next-Level Patient Engagement
To achieve next-level patient engagement, providers should consider the following patient-centric strategies:
- Educate patients. Ensure patients understand their health and financial responsibilities by offering clear, easy-to-understand explanations and resources. For example, proactively outreach patients to schedule follow-up appointments, provide financial and revenue cycle resources, or remind them of preventative care. Let them know you’re a partner and advocate helping them achieve a healthier life.
- Empower patients with self-service tools. For example, leverage patient portals and interactive voice response systems for patient payments and provide patients with tools so they can self-schedule appointments. An added bonus? Taking these steps to improve patient engagement also saves staff time, reduces the administrative burden, and enhances overall revenue cycle performance.
- Offer telehealth. Provide virtual visit options for convenience and increased patient access.
- Personalize patient communications. Use data-driven insights to personalize patient interactions whether through targeted emails, tailored appointment reminders, personalized invoices, unique health tips, and more.
- Provide flexible communication options. Cater to diverse patient preferences and improve patient access by allowing patients to contact the medical practice via phone, text, email, and the secure patient portal. Multichannel access is an easy way to boost patient satisfaction, and it also enhances patient engagement.
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Patient Engagement
Achieving next-level patient engagement also requires providers to prepare for and overcome the following:
- Cultural and linguistic differences. Non-native speakers or culturally diverse populations may struggle to communicate effectively with providers or feel misunderstood. Leveraging interpreters and hiring diverse staff who are well-versed in culturally competent care can help tremendously.
- Low health literacy. Explain medical terminology, health conditions, and treatment options in a way that all patients can understand.
- Poorly designed digital tools. Patient portals and apps that are expensive, hard to use, and generic lead to frustration and abandonment. Ensure all digital tools are designed with diverse patients in mind, including older adults and lower-income groups.
- Socioeconomic barriers. Poverty, housing instability, and lack of transportation can limit healthcare access and engagement. Screen for social determinants of health and leverage local networks for additional resources.
- Staffing shortages. Ensure the medical practice has enough staff—including sufficient flexible call support—to respond to patients when they reach out.
- Technology silos. Ensure the EHR, patient portal, and customer relationship management system integrate seamlessly to provide a cohesive patient engagement experience. In addition, leverage technology that promotes interoperability with other providers to avoid fragmented care and poor care coordination that can otherwise lead to disengagement.
When it comes to moving the needle on population health management, healthcare cost containment, and provider financial sustainability, next-level patient engagement strategies are paramount. By tracking the right metrics and implementing best practices for continuous improvement, providers can engage patients in novel ways that improve health outcomes and optimize revenue cycle performance. Learn how Revenue Enterprises can help.