8 examples that define a positive patient experience

Healthcare has transitioned from focusing solely on doctors' proficiency to a patient-centric approach, bringing patients' needs and experiences to the fore.

As a result, positive patient experience examples have become integral to the healthcare system. In fact, it is now globally recognized as an independent dimension of healthcare quality, shaping a person's perception of the quality of care they receive.

In this blog post, we will look at several favorable patient experience examples, and examine the fundamental principles that drive these interactions.

But first, let’s understand the concept of patient experience.

What is patient experience?

Patient experience refers to the range of interactions that patients have with the healthcare system. It encompasses all interactions, from scheduling an appointment, engagements with staff and medical professionals to the post-visit follow-up. 

The focus remains on how patients feel emotionally and physically through their interaction with the healthcare provider, communication, hospital environment, and more.  The goal is to meet or exceed the expectations of care from the patient's perspective, making it a crucial benchmark for healthcare quality. 

To demonstrate a comprehensive view of healthcare service quality, patient experience is evaluated based on various guiding principles, for example, level of care, communication, facilities, overall satisfaction, and more.

The guiding principles of patient experience

Let’s take a closer look at some of these fundamental principles that deliver promising patient experience examples.

1. Caring

Caring is the most important and fundamental pillar of a positive patient experience. When healthcare professionals genuinely care about their patients, they show that they can go above and beyond to meet their health needs. 

On the other hand, patients who feel cared for are more likely to have higher confidence and trust in their healthcare providers, significantly impacting their overall satisfaction and treatment outcome.

2. Listening

Patients want to be heard and understood, and when healthcare professionals actively listen, it demonstrates that they value the patient's perspective and concerns.

Also, by taking the time to listen to their patients, healthcare providers can collect all the information they require to provide appropriate treatment and address any questions or worries patients may have.

3. Explaining

Clear communication is vital for ensuring favorable patient experience examples. When healthcare professionals take the time to explain diagnoses, procedures, and treatment plans simply and thoroughly, it empowers patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare and also allays any fears they may have. 

Patients who understand their illness and treatment plan well are more likely to follow the prescribed plans, leading to better outcomes. Unfortunately, 50% of all U.S. patients do not fully adhere to their prescribed care plan.

4. Teamwork

Healthcare is a multidisciplinary field; hence, collaboration and teamwork are essential. This means coordinating care among different specialists, departments, and support staff to ensure that the patient's needs are met efficiently, effectively, and seamlessly.

Strong collaboration and teamwork also prevent miscommunication and reduce the chances of errors or gaps in the patient's care.

5. Efficiency

An efficient healthcare system means shorter wait times, fewer delays, and more streamlined processes, which minimizes patient stress, cost, and inconvenience. 

Whether it is appointment scheduling, test results, or follow-up appointments, efficiency invariably leads to a better experience.

Efficiency benefits both patients and healthcare providers. Reducing costs is a major challenge for clinics: research shows that missed appointments cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $150 billion a year.

Positive patient experience examples: A Comprehensive analysis

Now, let’s look at some encouraging patient experience examples throughout the patient journey:

1. The Appointment 

• ‍Appointment Booking

Booking an appointment is one of the most important touch points. It can be among excellent patient experience examples as the first interaction with the healthcare provider leaves a lasting impression on the patient. 

Research shows that patients increasingly opt for healthcare providers who offer digital communication. 39% of patients say that a good digital experience has a major influence in staying with their provider.

• ‍Rescheduling appointments

Often, patients may need to reschedule appointments. In this scenario, healthcare providers can make life easier and less stressful for patients by providing flexibility when it comes to rescheduling.

• ‍Appointment reminders

It’s okay for patients, especially the elderly, to forget certain appointments. Timely reminders via phone calls, text messages, or emails can demonstrate a commitment to patient care. It also helps patients to keep up with their appointments without any hassle.

Having a patient communication platform in place helps to automate reminders and increase the percentage of follow up visits.

• ‍Urgent appointments

Timeliness is a significant factor among the positive patient experience examples. When patients have pressing health problems that need to be taken care of, being able to secure an appointment within a reasonable timeframe can go a long way. 

By recognizing the degree of urgency and accommodating patients accordingly, healthcare providers can create a positive and lasting impression.

2. Visiting the healthcare center

• ‍Staff interaction

Usually, patients come in feeling unwell or worried about their health. Polite and empathetic communication from receptionists, staff members, and nurses can make them feel more at ease, creating a more welcoming environment. Feeling heard and respected greatly contributes to their satisfaction, which leads to a positive patient experience.

Lately, physicians and medical staff have been relying on technology more and more. Seeing how chat solutions are used in other organizations for team collaboration, medical teams wanted to mimic that. But, healthcare industry operates under regulations such as HIPAA that dictate secure patient data use. Hence, usual commercial solutions usually aren't the best choice.

Learn more about this topic:

• What are the 10 best HIPAA-compliant messaging tools?
• How can you use WhatsApp in healthcare?
• Is Slack HIPAA-compliant?
• Is MS Teams HIPAA-compliant?

• ‍Top-notch facilities

Who does not like to visit a health care center with modern, clean, and well-maintained facilities?  Facilities’ ecosystems contribute significantly to a positive patient experience. 

From comfortable waiting areas to clean and efficient examination rooms and state-of-the-art testing facilities, the physical environment can have a profound effect on patients' overall perception of the care they receive.

• ‍The doctor-patient interaction

Although modern healthcare seeks to be more patient-centric, in the end, the most critical part of a patient’s experience is their personal interaction with the doctor.

Patients tend to evaluate their experience based on a physician’s professionalism, communication, the amount of interest they show, and their diagnosis and treatment plan. Hence, a good doctor interaction is among the vital positive patient experience examples.

When physicians take time to care for and engage with their patients at a more human level, for example, by making more eye contact, listening to them, and paying attention to both their emotions as well as their symptoms, they can diagnose and treat cases better.

In addition, when patients are more comfortable and feel that they can communicate with the doctor, they are encouraged to tell the doctor about symptoms that they may not otherwise disclose. 

3. Post-Visit

• ‍Following-Up with the patients

A truly comprehensive patient experience extends beyond the in-person visit. After the appointment, healthcare facilities should follow up with patients to ensure they understand the treatment plan and the next steps they need to take post-visit. 

By providing clear instructions, communicating test results, and offering continued support, healthcare providers reinforce their commitment to patient care.

4. Embrace technology to enrich patient care

• ‍Connect through digital tools

Implement user-friendly electronic health records (EHRs), portals, and online patient chat solutions. This gives patients seamless access to their medical history, appointment scheduling, and provider communication. The result is a smooth, integrated healthcare journey.