4 Strategies for Improving Patient Experience: Aligning Brand and Care
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We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: brand matters. Your brand identity goes well beyond your company logo and is an incredibly complex and dynamic facet of your company, your values, and the services you offer. This is especially true in healthcare and wellness sectors where patients or clients (we’ll use those interchangeably throughout this blog) are typically dealing with highly-sensitive, often urgent, and sometimes emotionally-charged situations. The patient experience, therefore, is not just about the clinical outcome, but also about how patients feel they are cared for and valued throughout their healthcare journey, from receiving a weekly injectable treatment to complex surgical and recovery care.
In an industry where emotional and physical well-being are intrinsically linked, your brand's ability to convey empathy, understanding, and competence beyond competitive necessity will significantly influence patient trust and long-term loyalty (which still does matter, especially when they’re talking about their care months or years later with friends and colleagues).
The healthcare sector is uniquely positioned in that it deals directly with human health and crises — areas where stakes are high and emotions run deep. Patients and clients are not just looking for outcomes; they are seeking assurance, comfort, and a sense of understanding and respect. Your brand plays a role in delivering these intangible, yet vital, aspects of the healthcare experience. It's about creating a narrative that resonates with patients, assuring them that they are in capable and caring hands, and delivering on the values that surround your brand. In many cases this comes down to having incredibly clear corporate objectives, mission, and strategies, and having unwavering team alignment on those values, from the call center first point of patient contact, or your website, which offers a 24-hour voice online, through to provider interactions, and corporate leadership.
In this intricate dance of branding and patient experience, every touchpoint matters and these interactions collectively shape the patient's perception of your brand and, by extension, their overall healthcare experience – allowing you to foster a relationship that goes beyond the transactional and enters the realm of genuine connection.
As we delve deeper into this topic, we'll explore how strategic branding in healthcare is not just about marketing or aesthetics, but is fundamentally intertwined with patient care and their experience in that care. Through this alignment, healthcare companies can create a cohesive brand presence that resonates with patients to enhance their trust and loyalty.
Key components of your brand as a healthcare company
A brand is your organization’s entire identity. It’s the who, what, why, and how of your entire organization. It includes both quantitative, qualitative, internal, and external components, meaning, there are some aspects of a brand that are completely objective — you can put a number to them, A/B test them until you’re blue in the face, and actually see them. On the other hand, there are a large number of brand components that are subjective experiences, which evoke a feeling or attitude and provoke a behavior in response – a big part of your brand identity is emotional and experiential.
Let’s break down everything that’s included in your brand identity. Disclaimer: we think you could argue that brand encompasses even more components than what are listed here. However, in our experience, if you’ve got these items clearly defined and your team consistently aligned around them (and please do not underestimate that part of the equation), you’re well on your way to having a stellar, stand-out brand.
Mission & vision
Values
Key differentiators
Team alignment
Logo, color palette, visual identity, and guidelines
Brand voice and personality
Key messaging (audience-specific)
Website and digital marketing implementations
Patient experience (with a feedback loop)
Looking for more information on what contributes to each one of these items? Check out “What goes into a brand identity? Understanding the components of a brand and defining the ROI of a strong brand identity.” For today, we’ll dive into patient experience. What it is, why it matters, how to improve it, and how it contributes to your overall brand.
What factors contribute to patient experience?
Patient experience is influenced by a myriad of factors that encompass every aspect of the healthcare journey. These factors are not just limited to the interactions with medical personnel or the outcomes of medical treatment; they extend to every touchpoint a patient has with your healthcare brand, including digital ones. Here are a few key elements that collectively shape the patient experience:
Communication and Empathy: Effective communication is the cornerstone of a positive patient experience. This includes not only the clarity of information exchanged, but also the manner in which it is delivered. Healthcare providers who demonstrate empathy, actively listen to patient concerns, and communicate in a compassionate and respectful manner significantly enhance patient trust and satisfaction. That said, these traits are typically (hopefully) a competitive necessity not a competitive advantage. Meaning, these are likely baseline expectations that your patients have for their experience. You can improve patient experience by ensuring an aligned team where team members speak to the same company differentiators that go above and beyond what patients would expect their experience to be.
A significant part of improving patient experience is improving your team’s clarity on competitive advantages and differentiators, team alignment and genuine buy-in on why these matter, and your team’s ability to communicate these value propositions and company values concisely, consistently, and effectively to patients in a way that resonates.
Environment and Ambience: The healthcare environment plays a pivotal role in shaping the patient's experience. A clean, welcoming, and comforting setting can alleviate stress and anxiety. From the waiting room design, to a virtual background on a telehealth consultation, to a patient's recovery room, each aspect of the environment contributes to the patient's comfort and perception of care quality.
Efficiency and Accessibility: Timely access to care in acute situations, and timely access to appointments, as well as the efficiency of service delivery are critical components of patient experience. Long wait times on the phone or in person, complex navigation through healthcare processes, including online bookings, and other hurdles can lead to frustration, or even keep potential patients from making a first appointment, and both lead to dissatisfaction with your brand.
Personalization and Attention: Patients value personalized care that acknowledges a unique need a patient might have or answers a particular question in their healthcare journey. Though providers have limited time, when healthcare providers make a small effort to get to know their patients and tailor their approach, it significantly enhances the patient's experience and fosters a deeper connection.
Transparency and Trust: Building trust through transparency about treatments, procedures, and healthcare outcomes is vital. Patients who feel informed and involved in their journey and care decisions along the way are more likely to have a positive experience and perceive their care as high-quality.
Follow-up, Support, and Feedback: Post-treatment follow-up and ongoing support are essential in extending the care continuum, demonstrating that the patient's well-being is valued beyond their immediate treatment or visit. Support also allows health systems to refer internally to colleagues within a family of services, which provides more collaborative care. Asking for feedback, but more importantly, taking note of and having a process to review feedback, and making business decisions on what and when feedback should be addressed, helps businesses drive growth of their brand. Feedback is not a one time moment, but instead an ongoing necessity.
Digital Experience: In today's digital age, a patient's online interaction with the healthcare provider—from scheduling appointments to accessing medical records or receiving telehealth consultations—plays an increasingly significant role in shaping their overall experience. By testing a small sample of users of the website, businesses can learn a great deal about the patient’s digital journey and improvements that can be made from clearer messaging to calls to action.
By recognizing and strategically enhancing these factors, healthcare providers can create a holistic and positive patient experience that aligns with the core values and promises of their brand. This alignment not only elevates patient satisfaction but also strengthens brand loyalty and trust, creating a virtuous cycle of positive brand perception and enhanced patient care.
4 ways to improve patient experience
Enhancing patient experience is a multifaceted endeavor that requires a deep understanding of your brand's core values and a commitment to aligning these values with every patient interaction. Here are four strategic ways to ensure your brand effectively improves patient experience:
Brand Alignment: Aligning your brand with your patient care strategies is not just beneficial, it's essential for building long-term trust and loyalty. A brand that is perceived as caring, trustworthy, and patient-focused can significantly enhance patient satisfaction. When patients believe in your brand, they're more likely to return for future care and recommend your services to others. Working to improve each patient touchpoint reflects your brand's values and promises, which includes interactions at physical locations, through digital communications, and via care provider and staff interactions. Consistency builds trust and reinforces your brand's message, making patients feel secure and valued at every step of their healthcare journey.
A note on website , user experience, and digital marketing: In today's digital age, your online presence is a 24/7 ambassador for your brand. Ensure that your website, social media, any online content, and technology platforms consistently reflect your brand's voice, values, and commitment to patient care. Providing informative, accessible, and engaging content can help patients feel connected and supported at all times. This includes creating a user experience and journey that reinforces company values with effective interaction design and intuitive features.
Clear and Aligned Teams and Communication Practices: Your team is the embodiment of your brand in the eyes of patients. Empowering your staff with a clear understanding of your brand's values and how these translate into patient care can make a significant difference. Regular training sessions, open communication channels, and recognition of employees who exemplify your brand values can foster a culture that prioritizes patient experience. Clear, consistent, and aligned communication within your team is critical for delivering a patient experience that is reflective of your brand. When every team member, from the front desk to the medical staff, understands and embodies the brand's values, it enhances the cohesion and quality of the patient experience. Ensure that internal communication is clear, and team members are aligned with the brand's objectives and patient care strategies.
A note on patient first-point of contact: The first point of contact, whether it's a call center, reception, or digital platform, sets the tone for the patient's entire experience. This touchpoint should be a direct reflection of your brand's values, offering a welcoming, empathetic, and efficient interaction, so providing continuous updates on important messaging to those team members in charge in those places is important. Training staff to handle these interactions with care and aligning digital platforms with your brand's voice can significantly impact the patient's perception and experience.
Gather and Act on Feedback: Continuously improving patient experience requires listening to your patients. Implement mechanisms to gather feedback through surveys, suggestion boxes, or social media. Actively addressing feedback and making changes demonstrates your brand's commitment to patient care and continuous improvement. Don’t forget to communicate changes made!
Map your current patient experience: Life in healthcare is arduous. Though rewarding, it’s filled with daily twists and turns and time is a hot commodity, so it’s no surprise that many healthcare companies lack certainty about their patient experience. Having someone experienced map the current patient experience helps teams identifying areas for further investigation and/or improvement.
Improving patient experience is a strategic endeavor that should be at the core of your healthcare brand's mission. By aligning your brand values with every aspect of patient care, you can create a comprehensive and positive experience that not only meets but exceeds patient expectations. This alignment fosters trust, loyalty, and satisfaction, driving your brand's success in the competitive healthcare landscape. Evaluate how well your patient experience aligns with your brand values. Consider conducting a thorough review of patient touchpoints, communication strategies, and team alignment. Remember, improving patient experience is an ongoing journey that reflects your brand's commitment to excellence in healthcare. Commit to these strategies, and watch your patient experience—and your brand—thrive.
Ready to map and improve your patient experience?
Book a call today for more information on how you can leverage EnticEdge’s Strategic Advising and 30+ years of healthcare expertise to improve your patient experience today.