Many consumers consider interactions with the healthcare industry be complex, stressful, and confusing. Indeed, approximately 62% of people believe healthcare services are designed to be complex, and 66% are frequently frustrated by conversations with health companies.
However, like any service provider, healthcare companies rely on excellent customer experiences to thrive. In the private care environment, a better quality of service ensures loyalty from patients, and improves profitability. In the public healthcare sector, CX strategies improve the trust citizens have in the support their community can provide.
Increasingly, healthcare providers are beginning to recognise the importance of taking a human-centric approach to their services. Businesses are learning that better interactions and health outcomes are dependent on the right CX strategies.
Here are some of the top use cases for CX solutions in healthcare.
1. Introducing New Kinds of Customer Care
Telemedicine and remote patient services have grown increasingly common over the last couple of years. Healthcare organisations are discovering the value of replacing unnecessary face-to-face interactions with video conferences, calls, and even message-based consultations.
Notably, this diversified approach to service wasn’t just a temporary solution to the COVID pandemic. Industry analysis suggests investment in digital care technologies is on the rise for the future too. With the right solutions for serving patients across a range of channels, care providers can reduce expenses, connect with a wider range of consumers, and save crucial time.
However, enabling these multi-channel interactions will require the right technology. CCaaS (Contact Centre as a Service) solutions built for the healthcare landscape will be crucial going forward. These tools will allow healthcare providers to connect safely and securely with patients over voice and video, while collecting valuable data.
The right tools can even pave the way for disruptive innovations in the future. For instance, healthcare groups could begin to implement extended reality tools to assist their patients through mixed, virtual, and augmented reality.
2. Streamline Efficiency with Automation
An increasing global population, the rise of various health concerns, and changing consumer demands all place significant pressure on healthcare providers. Many organisations are already struggling to meet with requirements, particularly as talent shortages increase. The right CX solutions can help to improve the efficiency of the healthcare landscape, and reduce some of the pressure.
For instance, chatbot and self-service tools are beginning to gain significant attention in the sector. Many health providers are already rolling out automated chatbots capable of responding to common patient queries about medications or health issues. Some tools can also help with booking appointments automatically, sending reminders to reduce missed visits, and more.
Automation tools and bots can perform a host of repetitive and mundane tasks often performed by healthcare workers, like responding to questions or cancelling an appointment. This helps to minimise the strain on staff members who are already struggling to find enough time in the day. Bots can even check a doctor’s availability, process insurance claims, and securely store customer data.
3. Boost Employee Productivity
Automation and bots are just one of the many ways CX solutions can assist in improving employee productivity in the healthcare landscape. The stress of the pandemic has led to massive turnover in health specialists and administrators, placing increased pressure on the employees leftover. The right CX solutions can empower and support staff in all avenues of the healthcare space.
CCaaS solutions, for instance, can provide administrative and reception-based staff with an all-in-one environment where they can manage patient requests and information. This reduces the need to jump between apps when scheduling an appointment, or responding to a concern.