Executive Insight: Chief Customer Officer at Cadient, a Cognizant Company, Outlines Key Trends Transforming the Patient Journey

“Digital transformation has been quietly gathering momentum in healthcare as well, helping to transform the patient journey,” writes Chris Mycek. “Patients ― especially those who rely on Google or Yelp in order to find their next meal or plan their next trip ― are now gravitating towards these same online tools to find and research doctors, both for convenience and to ensure they are receiving the best possible care. As a result, healthcare organizations must focus on three key trends that are driving the future of the patient journey and are poised to transform the healthcare system.” Excerpts:

"Cost Conscious Patients Become Healthcare Shoppers: As insurance reform and Health Savings Accounts continue to shift the burden of payment from employer to employee, patients are becoming increasingly cost conscious about their treatment options, transforming from passive patients into active healthcare shoppers that are invested in their own health. While the merits of this change are certainly debatable from a public policy perspective, the end result is that patients are increasingly approaching healthcare with the same decision-making criteria they use for any other consumer purchase in today's digital environment, basing decisions on the best reviews, outcomes, convenience, prices, etc.

Wearables ― The Newest Form of Tech Disruption: While the ultimate winners in the wearables market remain to be seen, there is no doubt that we are entering an era of unprecedented patient data, providing consumers with a wealth of information on their health status in real-time. As consumers engage in various activities, wearables can generate a stream of actionable data used for personal goal setting, and ultimately even link the information directly to their healthcare providers. This state of always-on, anywhere health monitoring is poised to dramatically change the economics and treatment paradigm of health prevention and chronic disease management, and give rise to powerful healthcare dashboards.

Checkups In the Check-out Line: As wearable devices are transforming health data into a consumer-led service, an explosion of retail pharmacy clinics and telehealth providers is enabling many healthcare activities to become an anytime, anywhere event. As retail stores continue to improve their already strong mobile web presence, the continuing rise of mobile apps could result in capturing the convenience of an Uber-experience, combined with the local presence of a retail clinic, and ultimately delivering a truly new level of healthcare prevention and treatment for today’s digitally empowered and cost-conscious healthcare shoppers. 

As consumers increasingly rely on digital platforms to guide their decision making, forward-looking brands will develop and manage their online platforms with an eye towards addressing consumer needs such as convenience, location, hours and price.”

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