Ribbon Health (Ribbon), an industry leader in healthcare provider data management, has released the results of a new consumer survey titled How Health Plans Can Use Data to Unlock Better Care.
OnePoll polled 1,000 consumers throughout the United States regarding their healthcare experiences and discovered that 62% of Americans do not trust their health plan when seeking care.
As per Cision PR Newswire, patient dissatisfaction with the American healthcare system has a long and storied history. More than fifty percent of provider listings contain at least one mistake, leaving individuals with insufficient information and limiting their access to high-quality care.
More than one-third (38%) of people have had a terrible healthcare experience owing to erroneous provider information on their health plan’s website, according to study conducted by Ribbon.
People are more likely to opt out of the healthcare system when they have unpleasant experiences finding care or are paired with the wrong physician. This puts patients at risk for deteriorating health, more expensive care in the future, and increases future health plan costs.
“People have endured inconveniences such as not knowing how much their healthcare bill would cost and not having basic information about their treating provider for decades. Care seekers are exactly like consumers in any other field, and they should have access to measures such as price, reviews, quality ratings, and the myriad other aspects we evaluate when making a significant purchase” Nate Maslak, CEO and co-founder of Ribbon, stated as such.
“This type of information is commonplace in other businesses, so it should come as no surprise that Americans desire greater healthcare information in order to make informed decisions. Improved, transparent data affords the chance to connect individuals with providers and health plans in which they have confidence.”
According to 53% of respondents, having a personalized health plan is the most significant aspect in establishing a great healthcare experience. In addition, Americans prioritize receiving care from doctors with a strong bedside manner (48%), feeling well immediately (38%), obtaining an appointment quickly (33%), and out-of-pocket expense (31%).
Nearly half of respondents (49%) selected a provider’s level of experience treating their unique healthcare requirements as the most essential consideration when searching for a physician. The other leading reasons were location (42%) and price (40%).
According to Ribbon’s research, in order for members to develop trust in their health plan, a few critical improvements are required. A majority of respondents (66%) indicated that more accurate information on providers would have increased their trust in their health plan, indicating that people expect a centralized, accurate, and detailed source of truth and view this as a major factor in enhancing the quality of their experience.
In addition to inaccuracy, health plan listings frequently lack vital provider information, such as cost and quality of service. 61% of Americans believe that provider information, such as demographics, quality ratings, and cost of care, is “somewhat” or “extremely” significant. This reflects the growing need for comprehensive and innovative health services.
With only 28% of respondents likely to utilize their plan’s website to seek for a provider, health plans have the chance to install technology and infrastructure behind the scenes that will create a smooth member experience on the front end.
Provider data management is not a simple challenge to handle, as 30% of provider data are replaced annually. To ensure member retention, health plans must anticipate member concerns and have a deeper understanding of what provider information is most important to them, what elements will boost their trust in the system, and what data they perceive as essential for delivering individualized and inclusive care.
This study report synthesizes insights directly from Americans and provides health plans with a road map for enhancing member retention and engagement through enhanced provider data infrastructure.
