The current decade has seen a lot of changes, unlike any other before. The first time when technology attempted to usher in change on its terms, it blew it up in its proverbial face when the bubble burst in 2000. This time around, it is different. The difference has a lot to do with the current young generation and disruptions occurring across industries and fields. The healthcare sector is not immune to these changes. The mandates that government has placed on healthcare professionals have also given rise to what has been dubbed as healthcare consumerism.

What is Healthcare Consumerism?

According to Carenet, today’s healthcare consumers are beginning to exert their power by expecting convenient, high-quality and personalized care experiences delivered on their terms. Government mandates have caused the quality of care to fall, the amount of bureaucracy to rise and costs to consumers to rise. Healthcare consumerism is defined as patients becoming wholly involved in all aspects of their care related to health.

What Do Today’s Patients Want?

Today’s patients want reduced wait times for appointments and in the waiting rooms, reduced medical care costs and friendlier non-medical staff interactions. They are also yearning for increased transparency and better information. According to Healthcare Success, studies show that consumers are mostly happy with their interactions with their medical care providers. They just wish that their providers had more time to get to know them as patients.

Why it’s Time to Change

The healthcare industry is not the only one experiencing demands for change from its customers. Sports, for example, are seeing the same demand. If companies do not want to change, they risk losing their market share, which could prevent them from gaining more in the near future. While you can resist change to wait and see what the following generation will bring, you risk your business going under in the present day.

Changing Your Clinic to Meet Consumer Demand

According to Revcycle, changing your clinic to meet consumer demand does not have to result in a drastic windfall. You can start by adding online access and an online new-patient application. You can educate your patients to reduce visits and offer care alternatives.

The combination of technology, software and data has allowed a generation within the population to disrupt business as usual. Healthcare consumerism means patients want to know how their health procedures are conducted, how much they will cost and whether any medical alternatives exist.
As a healthcare practice, you’ll want to make sure your billing practices are up to speed with the latest technology. Let Healthcare Partners help!