Healthcare providers have a massive amount of data at their fingertips—and access to patient information is only growing as interoperability and collaborative care are increasingly prioritized. With access to all of this data, it can be easy for providers to overlook a significant amount of patient engagement data. However, it’s crucial to make use of this data, as it can be used to align with—and strengthen—value-based care initiatives.
Putting this valuable data to work can help providers establish their value to payers and collaborative care teams. At the same time, they can better inform their care decisions and help patients achieve optimal outcomes, faster. Here’s how providers can maximize patient engagement data.
Develop a patient engagement data baseline
Patient engagement data is key in unlocking improved outcomes for patients, which are a cornerstone of the value-based care reimbursement model. After all, patients who are fully engaged with their care plans are more likely to see the good outcomes which are rewarded in a value-based care healthcare model. That’s why capturing data showing strong patient engagement is more important than ever—it demonstrates value to health payers and collaborative care teams.
Healthcare providers should focus on laying a foundation for data reporting that can be easily monitored and built upon. The ability to capture and use this data effectively will only be strengthened by the kinds of integrative technology currently entering the market. All together, this patient engagement data provides insights into both care effectiveness as well as business intelligence.
How to leverage patient engagement data
When used correctly, patient engagement data can simplify the path to care, improve retention, accelerate recovery, and maximize outcomes. One of the ways it does this is by signaling the trajectory of a patient’s care journey and their sentiment. When the level of a patient’s engagement and activity is clearly seen, it’s much easier to adjust their care plan according to their specific needs to reach the best outcomes. This further boosts patient engagement, providing them with the needed motivation to stick with their care plan.
As an example, happy and loyal patients tend to complete their care plans, while unhappy patients who have a poor experience are more likely to drop out. Looking at cancellations and dropout data can help providers assess their patient satisfaction rate and identify areas of the care journey that can be improved. In an era of value-based care, this can greatly affect reimbursements as well.
Providers can also leverage patient data to catch potential dropouts early and make needed adjustments to avoid losing patients. For example, tracking Net PromoterScore (NPS)—which is how likely a patient would recommend the provider/service—can provide insight into patient loyalty. When tracked throughout the course of care—not just when a patient is done with treatment—NPS monitoring can help detect signs if and when a patient may drop out and give providers a chance to improve retention.
To flag other possible issues related to the patient experience, providers can use NPS tracking that offers opportunities for patients to provide feedback. For example, if patients find the waiting time too long or the check-in process too cumbersome, they may avoid appointments. If providers are given patient feedback, they can course correct and simplify the path to care. This results in a better retention rate and better outcomes.
The role of patient-perceived success
Patient-perceived success is critical to value-based care initiatives, since satisfied patients are more likely to stick with their treatment, which leads to a better recovery. In fact, 86% of patients who had clear expectations said they would recommend their treatment, and 74% said they’d repeat their treatment, according to the WebPT PT Patient Experience Report. Out of the patients who were unlikely to return, 36% stated it was too difficult or that they did not see enough improvement.
Bridging the communication gap by setting and tracking patient communication benchmarks is crucial. According to the PT Patient Experience Report: “Communication is the single most important factor contributing to patient-perceived success. Yet, only 30% of patients report receiving regular communications between appointments.” For example, “When therapists check in on a patient’s progress between visits, the success rate of HEP is 94%, compared with only 67% of patients not receiving regular communication.” Tracking communication and patient portal activity throughout the care journey can be a key indicator of patient engagement. When providers are aware of these stats, they are better equipped to adjust care plans to best meet the needs of patients and enhance patient-perceived success.
In an era of value-based care, it’s more important than ever to fully leverage patient engagement data. Doing so not only helps meet the needs of patients, but also improves engagement, retention, and outcomes. Making the best use of data allows providers to level up in ways that truly make a difference.