Consumerism among Healthcare Patients with High-Deductibles Has Not Yet Altered How Most Hospitals and Healthcare Systems Operate
New study shows most hospitals now recognize that patients are becoming more cost-conscious and customer-service driven due to the high cost of healthcare, but few have strategies in place to attract a more-engaged consumer
High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) are forcing consumers to be more cost-conscious when making healthcare decisions. This trend toward consumerism could be beneficial for clinical laboratories and pathology groups, whose patients would have multiple choices in where to purchase medical laboratory testing services and are looking for labs with good quality and competitive prices.
Greater numbers of patients must pay more out-of-pocket for their healthcare, but are also gaining access to increasing amounts of information about doctors and hospitals. As this happens, patients are “demanding straightforward information on prices, proof of value, and excellent customer service,” according to an article in Trustee, a publication of the American Hospital Association (AHA).
However, hospitals have been slow to react to this new interest by patients in transparency in prices and quality by developing a consumer strategy. That’s according to the “2016 State of Consumerism in Healthcare” report prepared by consulting firms Kaufman Hall and Cadent Consulting Group. (more…)
