Reducing Friction for Patients to Access Care: 5 Existing Friction Points and How to Alleviate Them

Improving access to care can improve the quality of life for patients and lead to better outcomes. However, there are still some existing friction points that can make it difficult for patients to access care. Here are five common friction points and how healthcare providers can alleviate them:

Some patients prefer to communicate via email or text message, which can be more convenient and efficient. Requiring patients to use phone calls for all communication can lead to patients not seeking care, drop off and frustration from long hold times, or unresponsiveness for outbound calls.

Patients often have to wait weeks or even months to see a specialist or get an appointment with their primary care physician. This can create anxiety and frustration for patients, especially if they are dealing with a medical issue that requires prompt attention. Because of the challenges of getting an appointment with a Primary Care provider, only 2/3rds of Americans have access to a PCP which has led to the rapid expansion of walk-in and urgent care clinics. [1]

Asking patients to download an app to access healthcare services can create friction for a number of reasons. For older patients, figuring out how to access an app can be confusing, and even for younger patients, having to use an app with a poor user experience can make it difficult to figure out how to access care. In both instances, it’s common for an additional app to cause clutter and have patients forget they even have access to it if they’re not using it frequently.

Navigating billing and payment systems can be confusing and time-consuming for patients, especially if they’re not tied together with the digital platform patients are using. This can lead to missed payments and billing errors, which can create additional stress for patients.

Underserved populations, such as low-income or rural communities, often face significant barriers to accessing healthcare services. This can include a lack of transportation, limited access to healthcare facilities, and a shortage of healthcare providers.

Providers can better accommodate patient preferences and reduce friction by offering multiple communication channels, such as email, text messaging, and video conferencing. This allows patients to choose the method of communication that works best for them and can reduce wait times for phone calls.

Healthcare providers can offer online appointment scheduling, allowing patients to book appointments at their convenience. Providers can also offer same-day or next-day appointments for urgent medical issues. Services like Zocdoc can help providers fill availability in their schedules or re-open time slots from last-minute cancellations for urgent appointments.

Healthcare providers can reduce friction by providing clear and transparent billing and payment information. This can include offering online payment options, providing billing statements with itemized charges, and explaining insurance coverage in simple terms.

To reduce friction for patients, healthcare providers can develop mobile-friendly healthcare services, such as mobile-optimized websites. Instead of requiring patients to go through multiple steps to find, download, and set up a mobile app, having a web portal on your site can make it easier for patients to find and access. 

Healthcare providers can work to expand access to care for underserved populations by offering telemedicine services, partnering with community organizations, and opening clinics in underserved areas. This can help reduce the barriers that prevent these populations from accessing healthcare services.

Reducing friction for patients to access care is crucial for providers to get better patient outcomes and satisfaction. Fill out the form below to learn how Tellescope can help you deliver a frictionless digital patient experience.