Providers who have enough time to spend with patients and use clear communication can drive effective engagement and lead to successful patient outcomes, according to CVS Health. 2022 Health Care Outlook Study (HCIS).
However, having enough time with patients remains a challenge for many providers who struggle with cumbersome administrative processes and staff shortages. As a result, 36% of surveyed providers say they are dissatisfied with the amount of time they spend with their patients. This number skyrockets for those providers treating patients with complex conditions, and 88% wish they had more time.
The results also show that both providers and consumers want deeper relationships, with 44% of providers pointing out the importance of speaking to patients in a way they can easily understand.
Against this backdrop, healthcare delivery continues to evolve rapidly, with virtual and digital capabilities becoming more convenient and widely adopted. People have more choices about how to access their care, whether it’s virtually, in person, or a combination of both. In the past year, people have grown more comfortable with virtual care, with 59% of consumers surveyed saying access to virtual and telehealth services is important to their health.
Additionally, providers recognize that greater convenience increases the likelihood that people will seek care. HCIS results show that 53% of providers offering virtual visits say these services have increased patient visits, with 93% of these providers finding that patients are more likely to schedule appointments and 88% who find they are more likely to keep appointments. Additionally, more than half of these providers (55%) also say that virtual visits have improved their ability to spend adequate time with patients.
Focus on communication along the continuum of care
With so much innovation in the digital and virtual space, it has never been more vital to connect these capabilities to the physical network of in-person providers, as well as the multitude of digital health applications available today. With limited time for provider-patient interactions, patients say they don’t want to waste time during an office visit reiterating the same concerns they raised during a virtual call the week before.
Additionally, consumers are engaging in deeper conversations about their social, emotional, and mental health concerns with their providers. For example, 81% of consumers say it’s important for their primary care provider (PCP) to know both their general happiness and their stress levels, while 83% want their PCP to know the lifestyle habits that could affect your health.
As consumers increasingly desire holistic healthcare, we must focus on more efficient and seamless ways to communicate and capture patient information for all providers in a coordinated, physician-led care team.
Providers recognize demands for next-generation care Comprehensive Care Teams
The future of healthcare must clearly focus on physical, mental and emotional health, a modality that requires a physician-led care team. Most PCPs (68%) say that coordination with other providers improves their ability to achieve desired outcomes for patients.
Patients also recognize that care coordination leads to better experiences and outcomes, with 83% of consumers indicating that coordination between providers is important to their health.
With an increasing focus on holistic health, it’s no surprise that 57% of providers say mental health providers are very helpful resources for patients. In fact, 48% of providers say they “always” or “often” refer patients to a mental health professional to help them with their health goals.
Virtual services are often a preferred access method for mental health care
Since stigma and other issues can make patients afraid to access mental health services, virtual visits may be a good option. Results from the HCIS study found that 55% of consumers said the availability of virtual mental health services would make them more likely to seek this type of help.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 53 million people in the United States are living with a mental health problem, indicating a great need for greater access to high-quality mental health care. For patients who have physical and mental health conditions, expenses related to their physical condition are 40% higher than someone who does not have a mental health condition.
As the pressures and stress arising from the COVID-19 pandemic make mental health care needs more urgent, access to in-person/virtual counseling and therapy services will be important.
Pharmacists maintain their role as a key point of contact
Pharmacists played a crucial role in helping to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by providing accessible care and ensuring access to vaccines and treatments. The impact of that work on trust is easy to see, as 94% of consumers report that their level of trust in pharmacists has increased or stayed the same. Additionally, 90% of consumers said prescribing information/education and support from their pharmacist were “very” or “somewhat” important.
Providers also noted the importance of patient-focused verbal and digital interventions and touch points, with 94% saying interventions such as pharmacist mentions, text reminders, and phone follow-ups help patients stay on track. successful care plans.
Pharmacists can help drive medication adherence, close gaps in care, and recommend more cost-effective drug therapies, as well as provide guidance on preventive care, treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, and management of chronic conditions. In fact, 84% of providers attest that pharmacists help patients with complex conditions and/or specialized medication needs to adhere to their health plan.
Drive effective commitments and results
As providers strive to deliver care that is seamless, collaborative, and deeply engaging, we will continue to see focused advancements in treating a person’s whole health, wherever they are in their care journey.
The pandemic impacts healthcare in a big way, with a renewed focus on integrating physical, virtual and home care; coordinate care teams led by physicians in all disciplines; and giving patients access to better manage their own health and that of their loved ones, will continue to evolve to meet the needs of patients and providers alike.
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