• Health Tech

How to Offer the Experience Patients Expect: Insights From Grady Health System and Boston Children’s Health Physicians

January 30, 2023

Patients now expect to receive care through cutting-edge medical technology, looking for quick and effective attention. However, medical staff shouldn’t ignore patients unsure of the new technologies; instead, they should educate them and ease the process.

During Becker’s Hospital Review’s 7th Annual Health IT + Digital Health + RCM Annual Meeting, Glenn Hilburn, VP, and Chief Application and Informatics Officer at Grady Health System Atlanta, and Emily Sheboy Scarcello, Clinical Operations administrator at Boston Children’s Health Physicians, shared their experiences with providing a digital-first and equitable patient experience.

Here are the important notes: 

1. According to Phreesia’s survey of 4,000 patients, 86% said they felt very comfortable using technology to manage their health, 80% said they prefer using digital tools for scheduling appointments, and 70% said they would rather pay their bills online.
2. Healthcare sectors shouldn’t neglect patients who are not yet comfortable with the latest technologies but rather spare time to support them and engage with them during care. 
3. Building out customer relationships and experiences is advantageous if you are aware of the appropriate stakeholders. To promote successful adoption and high satisfaction, Mr. Hilburn advises involving patient and family councils during the development and implementation experiences. 

For digital experiences to be successful, he emphasizes involving patients and families in the development process, so leaders can be more confident that users will comprehend and appreciate its advantages.

1. Digital tools can effectively identify and target health disparities. Another key component of the digital front door is digital patient intake tools; these give access to vital information about patients’ social and demographic needs. When applied effectively, physicians can quickly determine other health factors that may not be easily detected from paper forms and deal with patients who may not feel comfortable talking.