Digital transformation has become mainstream, and healthcare industry trends, including increased costs, member demands for customized services, and the need for efficient workflows, have prompted health plans to capitalize on this movement. Yet digital adoption is not a universal approach since health plans must consider members’ unique needs and their familiarity with these technologies.
So how can you streamline digital adoption and educate both staff and members about the value of digital healthcare tools?
With so many applications and software on the market, selecting the one that fits your needs can be challenging. Since digital engagement should benefit the entire industry, factoring patients and staff into the decision is paramount. So how can you choose the right tool to facilitate your adoption strategy?
While members want to engage with their health plans and manage their care, they don’t want to be given too many digital tool options. Instead, you should adopt one comprehensive app that provides members access to their personal information, relevant healthcare resources, and plan details. This tool should also automate staff workflows and enhance internal data collection so you can deliver personalized experiences and maintain an ongoing relationship with your members.
Positioning digital tools to members and staff remains complicated due to an organization’s competing needs. Some health plans market their tools solely based on member demands without considering their business objectives. Developing a careful adoption strategy that can scale with the business allows you to align patient needs with organizational goals.
Executing this strategy requires educating staff about your organization’s purpose for digital engagement. As Wellframe’s Senior Customer Partner Michele Gabron observes, “We tend to see really positive member engagement when we have staff that has been really culturally impacted from a top-down approach.” When employees understand the company-wide benefits of digital engagement, they’re more likely to communicate the value proposition throughout the healthcare industry.
Digital transformation is an ongoing process that involves consistently refining your strategies and objectives and improving member support. So it’s critical to develop KPIs that can assess the value and effectiveness of your digital tools. This should begin immediately following the initial adoption phase. As Jessie Schiller, Senior Director of Digital Adoption at Wellframe, emphasizes, “I think the first thing is really thinking about…that [adoption] piece of it, lining that up with the goals, and then developing a process for accountability…making sure that you’re able to see progress, see where there’s gaps, and bring together best practices.”
Once you’ve acclimated to the implementation, you can set benchmarks and develop metrics to evaluate periodically. These measurements should demonstrate engagement, adoption, and retention rates so you can scale and meet monthly goals.
The key to successful digitization is to collect and analyze data points that give you actionable insights and allow you to refine your processes to meet member and industry demands.
The rise in chronic illness diagnoses has generated high healthcare costs as patients navigate numerous doctor visits, hospital stays, and surgeries. Many of these conditions are comorbid, meaning patients and health plans must manage the burden and costs of multiple illnesses, which deters members from seeking appropriate care.
Many health plans and medical providers are collaborating to develop digital content and tools to facilitate the healthcare experience and decrease associated expenses. So what should you know about these solutions, and how can you leverage digital resources to engage members and improve their overall experiences with the modern healthcare system?
As patient care and health conditions continue to evolve, insurance providers and institutions must adopt a holistic approach to digital engagement that accommodates each illness. Health plans can leverage existing member relationships to access information that helps customize and advance available medical resources. This member-centric approach to digital content gives patients a diverse experience with their insurance plans, allowing them the freedom to navigate the healthcare system independently.
From a cost perspective, patients often become overwhelmed with managing several conditions. Courtney Sadlon, Senior Program Manager at Wellframe, addresses the cost benefits of digital approaches stating, “Studies over the past couple of years have shown that digital-type approaches are actually not only helping to improve that member experience but ultimately helping to reduce some of the complications associated with managing these chronic conditions, like reducing inpatient admissions and driving members towards preventative health care services, rather than leveraging things like the emergency room.” When patients utilize online resources and manage their health in advance to offset potential illnesses, they can mitigate healthcare expenses significantly.
In addition to providing individualized resources, digital platforms can recommend and provide access to care programs that support customers’ health goals and encourage them to take control of their journey. For instance, patients can use member dashboards and mobile apps through their insurance plans to create daily checklists that hold them accountable for healthcare management.
Some customers may want to implement lifestyle changes to improve their chronic conditions. Holistic care programs provide a nurturing and empowering environment that motivates patients to manage their health. Similarly, comprehensive care programs provide opportunities for daily engagement and informational sessions for patients receiving a chronic illness diagnosis who want to understand their condition or avoid hospitalization.
When deploying digital platforms for customer engagement, it’s crucial to recognize the learning curve that accompanies usage. With customers already struggling to handle health complications and expenses, providers must promote educational initiatives to streamline access.
One instructional approach involves developing software with integrated communication channels so insurance or medical providers can answer common questions regarding care and accessible resources. These channels should be flexible to accommodate members who want to utilize traditional methods to engage with their health plans. Comparably, healthcare institutions can employ surveys to gather patient insights and make adjustments to digital tools based on feedback.
Ultimately, these digital-first strategies should encourage self-advocacy, enabling members to explore and discover relevant medical research that interests them. This foundational component of online engagement promotes digital literacy and empowers patients to seek life-saving care.
