Patients demand convenient healthcare access akin to online services. A robust digital front door, integrating online scheduling, telehealth, patient portals, symptom checkers, and payment management, is crucial. It offers a competitive edge by enhancing accessibility, patient loyalty, brand perception, market reach, revenue, and leveraging data for insights, ensuring health systems meet modern expectations and stay competitive.
Modern patients rightly demand that healthcare access be as straightforward as ordering a meal online or hailing a ride, which is still far from the norm.
While patients’ desire for convenience is justified and increasingly feasible thanks to technological advancements, substantial changes in a health system’s structure, culture, and operations typically are required to meet their expectations.
Enter the digital front door, a well-worn yet heady concept that leaves many health system leaders grappling with what it means and where it should fit into their world of staff shortages, declining reimbursements, and supply needs.
The truth is that the need for a robust digital front door impacts how all of these challenges should be addressed.
What makes a robust digital front door?
At a high level, developed digital front doors include the following elements:
- Online scheduling and registration – 76% of patients surveyed expressed a desire to schedule appointments online, according to a recent Experian Health survey.
- Telehealth – accounts for 37% of mental health services and 11% of infectious disease visits.
- Patient portals – in 2022, 57% of patients were offered and accessed medical records and a patient portal; 73% were offered access, according to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT.
- Symptom checker and triage tools – Clearstep’s triage symptom checker and healthcare navigation assistant achieves >95% triage accuracy, and >60% of users convert to new patients.
- Payment and insurance management – 73% of baby boomers and seniors expressed satisfaction with digital channels for healthcare-related payments, according to a PYMNTS Intelligence study, dispelling the notion that only younger generations gravitate toward this technology.
Note: This is not a simple checklist and is not necessarily in prioritized order. To truly enhance patient engagement and streamline access to healthcare, these elements should be integrated into a cohesive way – designed with the patient’s journey in mind.
6 Ways a robust digital front door is a competitive edge
- Differentiating in a crowded market: The healthcare market is more crowded and competitive than ever. Establishing a robust digital front door allows health systems to stand out by offering an unmatched level of accessibility and convenience. This digital differentiation is a critical factor in capturing the attention of potential patients and setting a health system apart from its competitors.
- Attracting and retaining patients: A digital front door is instrumental in attracting and retaining new patients. By providing a streamlined, engaging, and hassle-free healthcare experience, health systems can foster loyalty and encourage patients to continue choosing them for their healthcare needs. This loyalty helps retain patients and strengthens the health system’s competitive position in attracting new patients.
- Enhancing brand perception: Adopting a digital front door significantly enhances a health system’s brand perception by showcasing its commitment to innovation and patient-centered care. A strong digital presence signals to patients that a health system is forward-thinking and dedicated to providing high-quality, convenient care, further solidifying its competitive edge in the healthcare landscape.
- Expanding market reach: By implementing a digital front door, health systems can extend their reach beyond traditional geographic boundaries, making their services accessible to a broader audience. Such expansion increases the patient base and amplifies the health system’s influence and presence in the market, providing a significant competitive advantage.
- Driving revenue growth: A robust digital front door’s efficiency and patient satisfaction directly contribute to revenue growth. Streamlined administrative processes and improved patient experiences help health systems see increased service utilization and patient throughput—often leading to higher revenue.
- Leveraging data for competitive insights: A digital front door is a rich data source on patient behavior, preferences, and health outcomes. Accessing and analyzing this data allows health systems to gain valuable insights that inform strategic decisions, tailor services to meet patient needs, and predict healthcare trends. Additionally, taking a data-driven approach improves patient care and provides a strategic advantage in understanding and responding to market dynamics.
Don't be left in the digital dust
A robust digital front door is not just a tool for improving patient care—it’s a strategic asset that provides health systems with a competitive edge in several key areas.
From meeting patient expectations to driving revenue growth, the benefits of a digital front door extend throughout the entire organization, ensuring that health systems remain competitive and successful as patients’ desires for convenience continue to become more entrenched in healthcare.
Raven Cobb is Vice President of Marketing & Growth at Clearstep. Clearstep’s Smart Care Routing™ AI assistants for self-triage and healthcare navigation harness rigorously validated and curated AI models that empower patients to navigate their healthcare needs securely. Clearstep’s impact extends across call centers, websites, mobile apps, patient portals, and 2-way SMS platforms. Through these mediums, it seamlessly automates symptom assessments, streamlines triage processes, addresses routine patient inquiries, facilitates remote patient monitoring, and optimizes administrative and clinical workflows.
