We delve into often-overlooked aspects that influence patient experience, shedding light on how these factors influence the future of healthcare and redefine patient satisfaction.

When it comes to healthcare, the patient experience can be viewed as a game of sports. Winning a match requires more than displaying superior skills or talent; similarly, a satisfying hospital visit depends on more than just medical care. Even routine medical check-ups can leave patients feeling uneasy and overwhelmed. However, effective communication between healthcare providers and patients can be a game-changer, akin to the final sprint that seals the win in a game. Physicians who deliver information on diagnoses and treatments in a respectful, straightforward, and non-threatening way often pave the path for a positive patient experience. Thus, it is the non-medical aspects, like communication, that can make all the difference, similar to the world of sports.

This is especially important in light of The 2019 EY-FICCI report, 'Re-engineering Indian Healthcare 2.0', which provides intriguing insights into patient perceptions of healthcare in India. The report highlights a significant increase in patient distrust of hospitals, with at least 60% of patients surveyed in 2019 expressing a belief that hospitals did not prioritise their best interests. This is in stark contrast to 2016, when only 37% of patients shared this view.

Challenges Faced by Patients in India

Vivek Nambiar, founder of Antaratma, emphasises the importance of addressing these seemingly small details to reduce anxiety and create a comfortable environment for healing.

“Non-medical factors greatly impact a patient's experience in a hospital setting. It's essential to address staff behaviour, timely waste removal from rooms, and the convenience of providing necessary supplies to patients and their families. Furthermore, the quality of food at the hospital canteen plays a significant role in overall patient satisfaction. These seemingly small details can make all the difference in reducing anxiety and fostering a comfortable environment for healing,” says Nambiar.

The deteriorating trust in Indian healthcare has led many to consider relocating to other countries or to weigh health insurance options when selecting job positions.

“As a young professional, I tend to select job positions considering the healthcare insurance the employer provides. In India, a single hospital visit can push the middle class into financial turmoil. Regrettably, my latest encounter at a private hospital in Cochin was far from satisfactory. While the ICU care was outstanding, the ward nurses lacked compassion. Despite numerous complaints, they failed to replace my mother's overflowing urine bag, resulting in her being drenched in urine. Such negligence in patient care is truly demoralising. Additionally, the dietitian prescribed a generic diet without considering my mother's specific health conditions, which further demonstrated the lack of personalised care," says an individual who prefers to remain anonymous.

He continues, “Perhaps healthcare is a major factor influencing people's decisions to relocate to other countries. Patients, regardless of their age, deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. The situation can be incredibly traumatising for those who have experienced events like a stroke and must rely on catheters or struggle to access a clean bed.”

Negative Patient Experience

Acknowledging this necessity, India's private healthcare establishments have honed in on patient experience to set themselves apart from public healthcare providers. However, the pandemic has refocused priorities towards improved patient outcomes, compelling hospitals to revise their strategies with an emphasis on patient-centricity. This has led to heightened attention on the patient-discharge process, encompassing aspects such as pain management, standardised pricing, reliable clinical results, and dietary management. Ultimately, patients are drawn to healthcare facilities that deliver enhanced experiences, convenience, and superior clinical outcomes.

Fred Lee’s book If Disney Ran Your Hospital explores how hospitals can improve the patient experience by adopting Disney's customer service philosophy. The book presents nine and a half principles hospitals can implement to create a more patient-centric environment, such as "Define and Shape the Patient's Perception of Time" and "Make the Patient the Center of Everything You Do." Lee argues that hospitals can improve outcomes and create a more satisfying experience for patients and staff by treating patients like guests and focusing on their emotional needs. The book offers practical tips and real-world examples to help healthcare providers apply these principles in their organisations.

Expanding on these ideas, his TEDx talk emphasises the significance of patient experience in healthcare beyond mere patient satisfaction. Lee notes the emotional, pain, anxiety, and fear-based needs of patients in healthcare, which differ vastly from the focus on customer service in the service industry. He believes healthcare providers must strive to create meaningful, profound experiences that address patient emotions and perceptions. Lee stresses the importance of compassionate care and highlights the impact of passionate, caring individuals who engage patients in a personal and memorable way. He underscores the need to treat patients with great love and compassion, even in small actions, as it can create a lasting positive impact. Ultimately, Lee's talk highlights the importance of healthcare providers understanding the unique needs of their patients and creating a positive patient experience through compassionate care.

Communication and Information Sharing

Building on this idea, Dr Amit Verma, a Molecular Oncologist and Cancer Geneticist, emphasises that personalised attention and effective communication between doctors, patients, and their attendants are crucial factors in providing a good patient experience in a hospital setting. He believes empathy and emotional support are essential in building trust and confidence between patients and healthcare professionals. Patients expect care that smooths their lives, and it is not only the practices but also the environment and support they receive during the journey that makes a difference. Healthcare quality is measured through patient perceptions and satisfaction with the delivery of services, and a tailored treatment approach is patient-friendly and builds their confidence in the system. Proper follow-up with the doctor can help check the patient’s physical, social, and emotional balance, as this affects the receptivity of the treatment. “The key challenge is the expectation the patient keeps from the healthcare fraternity when they are on treatment versus the reality of the disease prognosis. Accepting fate sometimes becomes overwhelming for them, leading to denial. Proper follow-up with the doctor can help check the patient’s physical, social and emotional balance, as this affects the receptivity of the treatment. Usually, patients avoid taking proper treatment because they think they will burden the family and ignore their health issues for as long as they can until it is too late. This also incurs heavy healthcare expenses and leads to financial toxicity in most cases,” explains Verma.

Role of Technology

Technology is revolutionising healthcare by enhancing patient engagement, providing remote medical care, improving care quality, and making healthcare more efficient and convenient. This includes patient engagement technology like portals, apps, and wearables, allowing patients to participate in their care. Remote medical care benefits patients in rural areas, while EHRs, clinical decision support, and predictive analytics improve care quality. Online scheduling and mobile apps save time and improve convenience.

“The use of technology in healthcare is also rapidly transforming how patients receive medical care and how doctors access and use information. For instance, we are seeing more adoption of telehealth and other digital health solutions. Additionally, technology is revolutionising how doctors gather information. Over-the-top (OTT) and decision support platforms provide them with tailored resources that can be easily accessed and customised based on their preferences and specific needs, ultimately resulting in improved decision-making and patient outcomes.

In recent years, many healthcare organisations have adopted various technologies to provide better care and improve patient outcomes. “At Medix, we have launched our dedicated app, which serves as a medical command centre for every person, enabling them to assess and manage their health using various personal tools. The healthcare sector is continuously evolving with technological advancements, which promise a more accessible and sustainable ecosystem in the future,” says Sigal Atzmon, CEO & Founder of Medix Global. Medix is a global & leading provider of innovative, high quality, medical management solutions.

While medical factors such as diagnosis and treatment are indispensable, non-medical factors also play a crucial role in determining a patient's experience. Factors like bill inflation, long waiting queues in OPD, delays in discharging a patient, substandard quality of food and beverages served to patients, and pre-authorization insurance approval can be highly frustrating for the patient and their family. Consequently, the patient satisfaction score will drop significantly, leading to losing trust in the hospital.

“Ayu Health has a network of 140+ hospitals across five cities while maintaining top-notch patient satisfaction. It has an average Google rating of 4.7 and an NPS rating of over 80%. To preserve the prime level of patient satisfaction, it has inculcated certain practices in its processes that always prioritise the patient’s contentment. Ayu Health has a fixed package system that offers financial transparency. Patients need not worry about overcharging and can be aware of the costs upfront, thus leading to increased trust. Ayu Health also has 24/7 Care-coordinators, or ‘Ayu Mitras,’ who provide end-to-end support to the patients once they visit any partner hospital. Ayu Mitras coordinate with doctors to get accurate time slots from doctors to ensure that patients are not waiting for long to consult the doctor. Our technology platform also facilitates access to insurance providers and other financial support systems, the ability to take second opinions, and access information about doctors and hospitals so that they can make an informed choice,” says Dr Sarang Goel, Vice President Clinical Excellence & Quality Assurance, Ayu Health Network of Hospitals.