Innovation Improves the Patient Experience for Older Adults

As we age, health concerns can come with the territory. Not only do older adults go to the emergency department more frequently, but they also consume the bulk of healthcare resources. For these reasons, healthcare practices and providers need to do everything they can to optimize the patient experience for the older adults they serve. By doing so, they can improve patient satisfaction, drive profitability, and improve health outcomes.

What Does “Patient Experience” Mean?

The patient experience is the sum of all touch points and interactions an individual patient has with a healthcare provider. This includes everything from scheduling appointments, to wait times, the appearance of the office to staff interactions, and from billing for services to timely follow-ups.

The stronger a practice can make the patient experience the greater the opportunity for ongoing patient engagement in their health outcomes. That is especially important for patients that need chronic care management. 

The Challenges of Healthcare for Older Adults

Delivering exemplary healthcare experiences to older adults requires overcoming a number of challenges unique to this age group. For example, older patients are more likely to have an adverse reaction to medications. They’re also more likely to have chronic conditions; one report from 2020 found that 80 percent of seniors have at least one chronic condition, while 77 percent have two. If the majority of your patients are suffering from two or more chronic conditions, your practice might benefit from a chronic care management tool. 

Additionally, older adults can have problems with mobility and accessibility, which can make it harder to get to appointments. Modern technologies and care options can make it more difficult for older patients to adapt to the new way of providing care like telehealth and remote patient monitoring. 

By solving these challenges, healthcare practices can transform the patient experience by helping older patients live healthier lives.

The Benefits of Improving the Patient Experience for Older Adults

When healthcare practices focus on improving the patient experience for older adults, they are able to deliver better care, and patients become more engaged in the healthcare process. This, in turn, translates into better clinical outcomes, as patients experience more control over their healthcare.

As clinical health outcomes improve, patients and physicians develop better relationships, which increases the chances older adults will continue trusting your practice to take care of them — instead of pursuing alternative providers.

By leveraging new healthcare technology, you’re also able to prevent older adults’ health conditions from deteriorating — which reduces healthcare costs and lessens the strain on the system.

Now that you have a better idea about why you should focus on improving the patient experience, let’s take a look at how, specifically, you can make that happen.

Improve the Patient Experience with Technology

Invest in technology to make sure your staff has the newest tools available to assist their non-patient work load so that they can create a delightful patient experience. Does your practice have and use:

• Chronic Care Management
• Remote Patient Monitoring
• Appointment Reminders
• Batch Eligibility
• Billing Software
• Electronic Statements
• Electronic Faxing
• Integrated Payments
• MIPS Reporting

Make Telehealth an Option

According to a recent study, half of patients over the age of 55 prefer virtual visits to in-person consultations. By investing in telehealth platforms and remote patient monitoring solutions, you can give older adults more options for how they receive care, enabling them to personalize their healthcare decisions and choose whatever is most convenient.

AnywhereCare is a fully integrated telehealth module. Adding telehealth to your practice has never been easier. Whether one or all of your providers would like to expand the current services they offer, AnywhereCare can easily be integrated into your practice without a bulky implementation process.

We think you might enjoy these additional blogs from iSalus:

What Are the Key Goals of Chronic Care Management?

How Remote Patient Monitoring Helps Seniors Age in Place

What is Chronic Care Management

Smarter Choices for Practice Efficiency

Focus on what matters most – your patients.

Let iSalus help you do the other things.