Why Patients Prefer Digital Communication with their Healthcare Providers

Digital communication has become increasingly prevalent in the healthcare industry, and for good reason.

Patients today expect to be able to communicate with their healthcare providers through a variety of digital channels, and for many, these channels are preferred over traditional in-person communication

In this blog post, we'll explore why patients prefer digital communication with their healthcare providers and provide examples of how providers can implement solutions to address these preferences.

1. Convenience - Digital communication allows patients to communicate with their healthcare team from the comfort of their own home, at any time of day or night.

2. Accessibility - Digital channels offer greater accessibility for patients given all that is required from them is a phone and being able to contact their provider.

3. Speed - Digital communication allows for quicker communication and response times, which can be beneficial for both patients and providers.

4. Preference - For providers who have implemented omnichannel patient communications (Calling, SMS, Email, Video Chat, Patient Portal) patients can engage with their provider through their preferred channel.

5. Comfort - For some patients, the thought of talking about sensitive medical issues in person can be intimidating. Digital communication allows patients to communicate through channels or at a place (such as their home) that feels more comfortable to them.

6. Personalization - Digital communication allows for greater personalization in healthcare. For example, providers can use portal messages, texts, or emails to send personalized reminders and alerts to patients based on their individual needs.

7. Efficiency - Digital communication can be more efficient for both patients and providers. A patient portal, for example, allows patients to access their medical records and communicate with their healthcare team in one place, reducing the need for multiple phone calls or in-person visits.

8. Cost-effectiveness - Digital communication can be more cost-effective for both patients and providers. It can reduce the need for in-person visits, saving patients time and money on transportation. It can also reduce the workload for providers, allowing them to see more patients in a shorter amount of time.

9. Familiarity - Many patients are already familiar with digital communication channels, such as email and text messaging, which makes them a natural choice for healthcare communication.

So, how can providers implement solutions to address these patient preferences for digital communication? Here are a few examples:

1. When a new patient joins, collect their communication preference so you can use that as their primary method of communication from the start

2. Have the proper tools in place to meet your patient's expectations. Typically an EHR will provide a patient portal, but to provide other communication channels, providers will either need to buy other messaging solutions or a CRM platform.

3. If you’re working with patients that live in a rural area or come from a certain socioeconomic status, ensure that they’ll be able to utilize the communications your practice offers.

4. Whenever a patient asks a question or has a request, reply in a timely manner with a message that isn’t cookie-cutter and actually addresses their inquiry.

5. Unless the type of appointment or procedure has to be in person, give patients the option to attend it virtually through a telemedicine appointment.