Whole-Patient Experience. The New Frontier

2020 was an unprecedented year that has both disrupted and innovated major parts of our lives. From business practices to the delivery of healthcare, we move through 2021 with very different expectations for the year ahead.

Regardless of age and wellness profile, the way each of us receive support from doctors and healthcare providers has moved away from the traditional in-person model and towards remote visits. This shift in the delivery of healthcare has impacted all constituents across the lifecycle. To optimize this new modality of care, we must consider two factors: the digital experience, and the psycho-social experience. 

The Digital Experience

Not surprisingly, there is a known correlation between technology adoption and demographics. The younger generation that grew up online are more open to embracing technology and trying new things versus their older counterparts.

In a Wellinks survey of people living with chronic respiratory disease, we learned that 100% of respondents age 18-34 years of age had used a digital health tool such as a wearable device like FitBit or a wellness app to monitor their health. Digital tool usage is much lower among their older counterparts age 35-59 (56%) and of those age 60 plus (39%). The same trend appears when asked for their openness to trying new tools to help manage their chronic respiratory disease. The younger cohort was universally open, those age 35-59 very open and those age 60+ were least open (100%, 80% and 66% respectively).

That said, can a standard user experience appeal to the younger and older alike? Can we achieve unilateral agreement on ease-of-use, visual appeal, simple structure and navigation? If so, we then must take into account something else: the psycho-social side of healthcare.

The Psychosocial Experience

Once we optimize the digital experience, another consideration is how people are handling the changes in their environment and the widespread change across the healthcare system. As many medical appointments have moved to remote delivery via telephone or video conferencing, we now face a new dynamic with a backdrop of anxiety, depression and fear. According to the Morning Consult’s weekly survey tracker this week, 56% of adults in the US are “very concerned” about COVID.

Our survey of people living with COPD reveals that 71% have such concern with 76% feeling emotionally impacted by COVID. As an at-risk group with inherent respiratory challenges, the fear is amplified. While fear of COVID exposure keeps many at home, in-person medical visits play a role in increasing human connection, especially for older patients who crave connection with medical providers and their family members who accompany them on visits. According to research published in the American Journal of Public Health, lonely seniors visit doctors more often.

Thus, the growth in remote care may be contributing to the increase in anxiety, depression and feelings of isolation. Interestingly, our survey shows in-person visits are most favored by patients age 60+ versus those under the age of 60 (68% v 48%). The fear of exposure is superseded by the need for human contact. How can we solve for this?

Whole Patient Design and Experience

While it is uncertain where the world is going, we do know that from the efficiencies gained from telemedicine and virtual healthcare, we will not be going back to the way things were. The question is how can we optimize the digital experience while taking into account the human condition and the need to connect?

In time, the data will help us understand how digital tools can improve things like patient compliance, doctor-patient engagement, preventative interventions, etc. We will learn this through quantitative research which will tell us what is happening, but it is imperative that we take the time to ask “why”. The qualitative stories are what will educate us on how to design and execute the most inclusive digital experiences to reach a broad audience.

Beyond human centered design, we need to design an experience that considers loneliness as a co-morbidity. We need a new Whole Patient Paradigm that mindfully follows the patient journey from doctor selection through after care. We need to take into account how people feel physically and emotionally at each touchpoint. We need to find ways to alleviate uncertainties and minimize the inherent anxiety that is felt when interacting with the healthcare system. This requires 360-degree input from all constituents in the system to ensure the highest quality of care while creating an environment of safety, trust and connectivity. In doing so, we can improve the efficacy of virtual care, increase user experience and ultimately improve outcomes beyond what we know of the old healthcare delivery model.

Whole Patient Experience is the new frontier as a better way of delivering quality healthcare evolves.

*Source: The research was conducted on behalf of Wellinks by Experience Design International, an independent strategic market research firm.