Patients want physicians to have greater connectivity

(HealthDay)—Most patients want greater connectivity, online tools and text messaging, as well as more time with their physicians, according to a report published in Medical Economics.

With the increasing responsibility being accorded to patients for managing their care, their expectations of physicians are changing. Patients want experiences tailored to their preferences, and want a physician who is engaged in health care and easy to reach.

Based on the 2017 Patient-Provider Relationship Study, patients want greater connectivity, online tools, convenience (via text messages), and more time with their doctors. Connectivity can be improved by leveraging mobile apps that allow patients to communicate with staff, make appointments, and pay bills; improving communication in this way can have a positive effect on the patient experience. Online tools include e-newsletters targeting specific patients and offering public health reminders. Physicians can easily accommodate patients' preference for the convenience of text messages by using automated reminders, follow-up reminders, patient confirmations, and last-minute notifications. Although nothing can replace in-person visits, use of the right technology can ease work-related burdens that take valuable time away from patient care.

"Whatever tools and tactics a physician deploys, by addressing each of these four components through automation, primary-care providers are likely to improve their own workflows while simultaneously creating higher levels of patient satisfaction," according to the report.

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