A PricewaterhouseCoopers report found that customer experience rather than cost is the #1 factor people cite when asked why they choose a healthcare provider. A mere 8% rated price first on their list for healthcare decision-making. This contracts sharply with results for the airline and leisure industries, with 69% putting cost in the top spot, and retail, with 55% ranking good prices as the prime reason for shopping at a particular store or Web site.
The survey of 6,000 consumers found, according to MedPage Today, that the "consumerism movement gained traction as individuals were asked to spend more of their own money on services and products such as insurance premiums, deductibles, and copayments." The report lists four factors that are shaping the customer experience in healthcare.
- Them more we pay for healthcare, the more demanding we are about a quality "customer experience."
- As consumers and the government alike push for greater value, organizations are competing more actively for members, which has resulted in putting quality first and managing costs better.
- Telemedicine, mobile health, social media, and retail clinics have created a rising interest in "on-demand healthcare."
- Ease of information gathering has caused the healthcare industry to review and improve its flow of information.
