5 Ways to Improve the Patient Journey with Salesforce

Healthcare has faced unexpected days, years, and months during the recent decade. Patients have more choices about their care, and they’re empowered with information on what type of experience it should be – but that also means healthcare providers need to step up or risk losing them as clients! 

In today’s digital world, it is critical to have a robust marketing automation approach in order for organizations and their clinicians to maximize patient engagement.  

This includes following up with patients who haven’t engaged as well after initial contact or treatment sessions; understanding what content they prefer based on previous interactions — or exceeding- expectations by providing them personalized service they can’t get anywhere else! 

Let’s read more to understand how this can be possible and what are the benefits of offering it. 

What is Patient Journey Mapping and should we go for it? 

Patient journey mapping can be used to understand and improve the patient’s experience. By mapping out the journey from start to finish, hospital staff can identify areas where care can be improved and make changes accordingly.  

Additionally, by tracking patient outcomes, hospitals can identify which interventions are most effective and make sure that resources are being used efficiently. Additionally, patient journey mapping can help to establish clear lines of communication between different departments and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal.  

By taking the time to map out the patient journey, hospitals can provide better care and improve the overall experience for both patients and staff. 

There are a number of benefits Patient Journey Mapping can offer you, let us have a look at these: 

Streamlined and Efficient Process Management 

The purpose of Patient Journey Mapping is to create a more efficient and streamlined process for both the patient and the organization, by identifying any bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the current system.  

In order to create an effective Patient Journey Map, it is important to involve all stakeholders in the process, from front-line staff to senior management. By understanding the needs and expectations of all those involved, it is possible to create a map that meets the needs of everyone involved.  

When done correctly, Patient Journey Mapping can lead to significant improvements in patient satisfaction scores, as well as reducing costs and increasing efficiency. 

Don't forget to check out: Salesforce Product: Salesforce Health Cloud

Added Efficiency of the Staff 

Patient journey mapping is a process that allows healthcare organizations to map out the entire patient’s experience from start to finish. By doing so, they can identify areas where staff efficiency can be increased.  

For example, if it takes a patient an hour to get from the waiting room to the examination room, that’s an hour that could be spent more efficiently.  

By mapping out the patient’s journey, healthcare organizations can see exactly where these bottlenecks are occurring and take steps to streamline the process. In doing so, they can not only improve staff efficiency but also improve the overall quality of care that they’re able to provide. 

Easy Navigation  

Hospitals are often complicated to navigate, especially if you’re not sure where everything is.  

Making clearer routes and directions across medical facilities can help patients easily find their way around the hospital – whether it’s finding an entrance or parking lot without having any confusion about how much time they have left before heading back out into traffic again! 

Better Communication  

Communication is key in any relationship, especially the one between patients and their healthcare providers. When this communication is effective, it leads to better health outcomes for patients and a more efficient workflow for providers.  

Patient journey mapping is a tool that can be used to improve communication and optimize the patient’s experience. This process involves mapping out the steps of the patient’s journey, from initial contact to follow-up care. By understanding the patient’s perspective, providers can identify potential points of frustration and develop strategies to overcome them.  

In addition, patient journey mapping can help to identify opportunities for education and prevention. By taking a proactive approach, providers can ensure that patients have the information they need to make informed decisions about their health.  

Effective communication is essential to providing quality healthcare, and patient journey mapping is a valuable tool in achieving this goal. 

Easy Connection of Family Data 

Patient and family updates are an important part of the patient’s journey. By providing timely and relevant updates, patients and families can feel more connected to their care team and the overall care process.  

By understanding the patient’s current status and needs, families can be better prepared to support their loved ones during their hospital stay.  

Patient journey mapping can help to develop seamless and timely patient and family updates by clearly identifying the communication touchpoints throughout the care journey. By mapping out the patient’s journey, care teams can ensure that all stakeholders are kept up-to-date on the latest information and developments.  

Also, by tracking and measuring results, teams can continually improve the quality of patient and family updates. 

Better Patient Journey means a better-improved Patient Car

By understanding the patient’s journey, healthcare providers can develop a deeper understanding of the care process and identify opportunities for improvement.  

By mapping out the journey, providers can see where patients are getting lost or delayed, and develop strategies to eliminate those bottlenecks. In addition, by tracking patient journeys, providers can identify areas where care is falling short and make changes to improve the quality of care.  

Ultimately, by taking a closer look at the patient’s journey, providers can make the care process more efficient and effective. 

The major steps of the Patient Journey 

A typical patient’s journey involves a number of steps, from the initial diagnosis to treatment and follow-up care.  

The first step is typically a consultation with a doctor, during which the patient will discuss their symptoms and medical history.  

The doctor may then order tests, such as blood tests or imaging scans, to confirm the diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient will be referred to a specialist for treatment. This may involve medication, surgery, or a combination of both.  

Finally, the patient will need to visit the doctor for regular checkups to ensure that the condition is being effectively managed. 

Basic Steps towards creating an improved and engaging Patient Journey  

There are many ways to create a patient engagement journey.  

However, there are a few key steps that should be followed in order to ensure that patients are engaged throughout their care journey.  

First, it is important to establish clear communication channels with patients. This can be done through face-to-face interactions, phone calls, text messages, or even social media.  

Once communication channels have been established, it is important to keep lines of communication open and proactive.  

This means regularly checking in with patients, providing updates on their care journey, and seeking feedback.  

Finally, it is important to make sure that patients feel comfortable and supported throughout their entire journey. This can be done by providing information on available resources, offering emotional support, and making sure that patients understand all of their options.  

By following these steps, providers can create a patient engagement journey that is positive and beneficial for all involved. 

Check out another amazing blog by SP here: Salesforce Veruna Implementation: Perfect Combo for Insurance Industry

Let us talk about the important steps in detail: 

Understanding the Persona of Patient 

When you create a persona, you are no longer creating marketing materials in a vacuum. Instead, you have a go-to source of information to keep you focused on your target market.  

Creating personas forces you to step outside your own assumptions about your patients and do some research to find out what they really want and need from your healthcare organization.  

Creating personas can also help build consensus within your team about who your target market is and what they need from you.  

Once you have created your personas, you will be able to use them as a roadmap for creating an engaging patient experience.  

By understanding your target market's needs and wants, you can ensure that every touchpoint along the patient’s journey is designed to meet their needs.  

In short, creating patient personas is an essential first step in creating an effective patient engagement strategy. 

Understanding Patient Lifecycle  

The patient lifecycle is the process that a patient goes through when they are interacting with a healthcare company.  

It starts with the patient becoming aware of a need for healthcare and ends with the patient no longer needing the company’s services.  

In between, there are several steps that the patient will go through, including researching their options, choosing a provider, receiving treatment, and follow-up care.  

Each of these steps presents an opportunity for the healthcare company to engage with the patient.  

By understanding the entire patient lifecycle, healthcare companies can create engagement journeys that meet patients’ needs at every stage.  

This leads to better health outcomes for patients and improved profitability for healthcare companies. 

Focus on every important step during Patient Engagement 

The patient engagement journey is the process by which patients interact with their healthcare provider to receive the care they need.  

There are three key moments that can make or break the patient’s engagement journey: 

• The first moment occurs when the patient decides whether or not to seek care.
  This decision is often based on factors such as cost, convenience, and whether or not the patient feels welcomed by the healthcare provider. 
• The second moment occurs when the patient arrives at the healthcare facility and is greeted by the staff. This is a critical moment, as it sets the tone for the entire visit. If patients feel like they are being treated as a number, they are less likely to engage in their care. 
• The third moment occurs when the patient receives discharge instructions from their provider. This is an opportunity to ensure that patients understand their care plan and what they need to do to stay healthy. By providing clear and concise instructions, providers can help ensure that patients will be able to follow their care plan and stay engaged in their own health. 

Final Words 

Salesforce is a powerful tool that you can use to improve your patient journey. By automating and personalizing the patient’s experience, you can make their journey more pleasant and less frustrating. Have you tried using Salesforce to improve your patient journey? Let us know how it went in the comments!