Most patients say their healthcare provider's digital tools are underwhelming, survey finds

Most patients say their healthcare provider's digital tools are underwhelming, survey finds unknown

Since COVID-19, healthcare providers have increasingly invested in digital care and solutions — but their efforts may be falling short, according to a recent survey out of intelligent automation platform Notable.

The report examined responses from some 1,000 adult patients and found that digital experiences were so unsatisfactory that 61% of patients skipped their medical appointments in the last year.

Additionally, 63% of respondents said their doctor’s digital tools weren’t meeting their expectations while 41% said they changed doctors as a result of a bad digital experience.

In short, the main takeaway for HCPs is that current digital tools aren’t meeting patient expectations, and most patients face difficulties with online scheduling. Despite the digital tools that abound, 70% of patients reported being redirected to phone calls when scheduling appointments online via a portal or platform, adding to the hassle.

“Our survey data shows that when care is difficult to access, many patients simply don’t go to the doctor,” Carle Falk, head of research at Notable, said in a news release. “[They’re] avoiding medical visits because the appointment-booking process is confusing and takes far too much time and effort.”

The survey also found that despite the hope that digital technology will speed up much of the process of going to see a doctor, many patients reported waiting long periods of time to see their provider. Patients surveyed said they spent an average of nearly half an hour waiting to see doctors, compared to an average of 18 minutes in 2018.

The survey also honed in on what patients are hoping to see their HCPs improve upon. For one, they want self-serve options – without phone calls. Not surprisingly, 75% of patients would prefer to do all their intake paperwork online, as seamlessly as possible, without the added hassle of involving a scheduler over the phone or in person.

They also highlighted their desire for more focused medical visits with their providers, noting that the faster the online check-ins and paperwork can be completed, the better. HCPs could also work to simplify the paying process, and address the follow-up appointments and check-ins solely digitally, via text or email.

“They need to follow up using text or email to track how I feel, it will be best online instead of using a phone or more visits,” one patient noted.

Given the results, Notable listed several ways HCPs can boost patient experience. The first is to undertake a full assessment of their current digital tools and whether they’re proving effective — or underwhelming — for patients.

Secondly, HCPs can improve the patient intake process, such as not requiring patients to re-enter the same information every visit or investing in intelligent automation to make the process more seamless.Overall, patient experience across the healthcare system remains lacking — one 2021 report from consultancy R/GA pinpointed a lack of satisfaction among patients in regard to financial burdens, insurance complexities and lack of transparency in healthcare.