Like many businesses, healthcare providers are
hoping to return to some sense of normalcy as the U.S. continues to battle the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Doctor appointments and procedures declined
sharply after the virus gained a stronghold in the U.S. For example, Axios
reported that cardiology and spine surgery operations
declined 35% and 45%, respectively, during the same time period from 2019 and
2020. The NEJM also reported a 48% decline for heart
attack admissions at Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California hospitals during
the COVID-19 period.
As states and localities reopen in a phased
manner, patients will begin to return to hospitals and clinics for regular
operations, including check-ups, elective surgeries, and routine care
screenings. Healthcare providers must ensure their facilities are safe in order
to welcome back their patients. They also need to be able to manage and deploy
resources correctly for any increase in admissions.
Social distancing was encouraged so as not to
overwhelm hospitals and care delivery professionals. Now, hospitals and clinics
are at risk again for being overwhelmed if too many patients seek procedures at
the same time. Putting a proper patient scheduling strategy in place can help
relieve the pressure an organization might face.
As providers begin to schedule appointments
for patients, there will be many questions to answer. Has a rescheduling
outreach strategy been thought out? Who is proactively communicating with
patients to confirm they feel comfortable with being in a hospital? Is there
enough personal protective equipment to service both patients and staff?
Providing
a consistent message
During this time of re-engaging with patients,
there are a few key messages that healthcare providers need to be proactive in
communicating to their patients. The first is “We care about you.” Many
patients feel that their caregivers do not really know because they are simply
“a patient.” Re-engaging with your patients is an ideal time to reinforce that
you care.
The second message is, “It is safe to come
back to our facilities, and here is what we have done to safeguard against
COVID-19 threats.” Many patients are afraid to go into public places so while
reaching out to patients to come back into your facility, reassure them that
the caregiver has done everything needed to make it a safe place.
The third communication item that needs to be
covered with patients is to understand any changes in their health. If a
patient has had a significant change in condition such as a recent fall, that
event may now qualify their nonessential surgery to now be essential.
Additionally, the caregiver also needs to know if any of their personal or
insurance coverage has changed since the last time they were engaged.
In addition to reassuring patients, as
hospitals and health systems define their patient re-engagement strategies, there
are many tools to consider that will help prevent overwhelming the staff.
Self-scheduling
Consumerism is setting a new level of
expectations for the patient experience. People are used to online scheduling
tools, from OpenTable for restaurant reservations to Redfin for real estate.
Patients want that same convenience and flexibility when scheduling a doctor’s
appointment or surgery consultation. They want to make an appointment on the
day and time that fits their schedule.
Hospitals, on the other hand, want to prevent
over- or double-booking appointments. By tracking self-scheduled appointments
and their appointment inventory, hospitals can also ensure social distancing by
making sure not too many patients are on the premises at one time.
Chatbots
A large section of the economy shut down due
to COVID-19, but during this time people were and are still getting sick. As
patients seek to schedule appointments, they could use some help verifying they
are doing so with the right department or specialty.
Simple and automated engagement options such
as chatbots on a hospital or health system’s website can help triage potential
patients. Combined with the power of self-scheduling, the patient can safely
make an appointment with the right department.
Proactive
segmentation
If a hospital or health system is collecting
data on patients, they could be leveraging the supplemental information across
their reports to segment and re-engage patients.
For example, hospitals and clinics can
proactively engage patients based on their risk level. If a patient is a member
of a lower risk population for COVID-19, a provider can reach out to schedule
or reschedule appointments. If a patient is over 65 years old and has comorbid
conditions, a hospital might instead reach out to suggest patience and social
distancing for non-life-threatening conditions.
Proactively scheduling and communicating
safety precautions not only helps manage a waiting room, but it also builds
trust with patients.
Reminder
systems/proactive cancellation substitutions
As the pandemic rages on, last-minute
cancellations are more likely than ever before. When patients miss
appointments, providers lose revenue, especially if another patient can’t be
found to fill that appointment.
Automated reminders like text messages can
remind patients to confirm or cancel their appointments in a timely fashion. If
a patient needs to cancel, patients on a waiting list can be contacted to take
that appointment slot.
Telehealth
Not every patient needs an in-office visit.
Many appointments can be conducted via telehealth to provide that first
touchpoint of care.
If a patient needs to be seen in person, the
case can be forwarded to the appropriate department for a physical visit.
Self-scheduling, chatbots, segmentation, text
reminders, and telehealth are just a few of the tools available to prepare
healthcare providers for the incoming wave of patient visits in a way that
promotes healthy behaviors while not overwhelming staff.
The global pandemic has changed pretty much everything as we once knew it, and things may never be quite the same. But that doesn't mean we can't thrive in a new normal. Watch our recent webinar on re-engaging patients and employees in a different world.