With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act taking full effect in 2014, the healthcare industry is taking careful note of who will direct the government’s purse. No surprise—it’s the customer. Consumer input of their experience and satisfaction will connect nearly one-third of the fed’s government value payment program (i.e., bonuses, penalties, and reimbursements to healthcare facilitators). Approximately 1% of total reimbursement in 2013—$850 million—could be retained. And, according to the Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) Health Research Institute, customers are in favor of these effects.

“Nearly half of consumers surveyed by PwC’s Health Research Institute said that customer feedback should affect payments to healthcare organizations. “Nearly 70% of consumers have used reviews to make healthcare decisions related to their doctor, hospital, insurance company or pharmacy. And more than 60% said that a hospital’s quality of care affects their healthcare decisions.”

In the healthcare sector, customers are far less forgiving of negative experience than they are with the retail, banking, and utilities sectors. The implications of this reality coinciding with upcoming changes to reimbursements should not alarm healthcare service providers. That is, healthcare service providers with a well integrated customer engagement strategy. With the right platform, hospitals, insurance companies, and the businesses that partner with them will be able to streamline consumer experience. They will be able to anticipate a consumer’s needs along diverse touch points; and, when the provider falls short of consumer demands, they will be able to create proactive solutions, all while shaping the consumers perception of their engagement response.

If you would like more information on how USAN can partner with your business to enhance your healthcare customer engagement platform, please contact us.