Topic: 2 in 3 Healthcare Consumers Report Bad Patient Experience

New Accenture data shows that a more empathetic patient-provider interaction that meets patient emotional needs could prevent a bad patient experience.

Only one in three patients can boast they’ve never had a bad patient experience with either a provider, hospital, or pharmacy, according to the latest data from Accenture, a troubling sign for a medical industry increasingly focused on patient satisfaction.

The report, which included survey responses from some 1,800 adult patients, outlined a key patient experience lapse in the push for consumerism in healthcare. Additionally, the report found low patient engagement with healthcare technology, with only about one in four patients saying they use health IT to manage their own health.

More promising, the report found that for many patients, healthcare access either went unchanged or even got better since the COVID-19 pandemic. This is important considering the concerns for widening care gaps and chronic disease management harbored across the industry.

But perhaps most startling were the findings about patient experience. When asked about the different factors that can be detrimental to a good healthcare encounter, only 33 percent of respondents could say they’d never had a bad experience.

“Our research shows that improving care experiences will require better collaboration between all relevant parties ― from pharma companies and healthcare providers to insurance and tech companies,” Dr. Kaveh Safavi, a senior managing director in Accenture’s Health practice, said in a public statement.

“We have to lead with people first and use digital technology to make healthcare experiences simpler, more coordinated, more empathetic and, ultimately, more effective.”

Twenty-two percent of respondents said an inefficient visit led to a poor healthcare experience, while 19 percent lamented unhelpful medical advice and 17 percent cited a surprise medical bill. A notable 11 percent of patients said staff members were rude and that they did not receive emotional support.

And these bad patient experiences carried consequences, the survey continued. Forty-four percent of patients said their bad medical experience made them feel stressed out or upset, while equal proportions (34 percent) said they became less likely to access care the next time they needed it or switched their medical providers.

Patients said providers should focus on empathy during the clinical experience to prevent the side effects of low patient satisfaction. Fifty-five percent of patients said they want a clinician who explains medical information clearly, while 52 percent said they want someone who understands and meets their emotional needs.

Care coordination and efficient visits likewise rank high as contributing to patient satisfaction.

Topic Discussed: 2 in 3 Healthcare Consumers Report Bad Patient Experience

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