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Consumers are increasingly using reviews and rating systems to help guide their healthcare decisions because they are responsible for paying more of their healthcare costs. As a result, the voice of the consumer is taking a larger role in the bottom line of healthcare organizations, according to a report released Tuesday from PwC's Health Research Institute.
[See also: Low patient activation scores linked to higher costs]
Researchers found that 48 percent of respondents said they have read healthcare reviews, and of that group, 68 percent used the information to select a physician, hospital, and to a lesser extent, a health plan, pharmacy and drug or medical device, according to the report, "Scoring Healthcare: Navigating customer experience ratings."
Companies that translate consumer feedback into improved quality and better experience are more apt to be rewarded, said Kelly Barnes, PwC's U.S. health industries leader in a news release.
"Healthcare organizations are increasingly operating in a world in which the voice of the consumer impacts the bottom line, and where customer experience is now a matter of dollars and cents," Barnes said the press release. "Ratings connect consumers' experience to quality, and quality connects to financial performance, market share and reputation."
The importance of patient satisfaction has even been incorporated into Medicare payment policies. Insurers that serve Medicare beneficiaries may gain $5 billion in bonus payments linked directly to patient feedback. In 2013, Medicare will shift $850 million in provider pay based in part on patient satisfaction scores. The aim is to translate consumer engagement into smarter care choices, healthier behavior and lower costs.
[See also: 4 ways patient engagement reduces healthcare costs]
Consumers look to health-related ratings from commercial forums such as Yelp, Vitals, Healthgrades and Consumer Reports, as well as government-sponsored databases, the report said, but no single trusted source for ratings has emerged in the health industry.
Positive ratings are just the starting point for connecting consumer experience with quality, the report said. Consumers care the most about topics such as the physician-patient relationship, understanding what to do after a clinic or hospital visit and how to obtain more helpful service from their health plan.
Four of the strategies that PwC recommends for tapping the power of customer ratings include:
1. Sort by "people like me." Consumers want information that is relevant to them.
2. Keep an eye on exchange policies on health plans as they may become more popular. Medicare Advantage members can switch to a 5-star rated plan at any time if their current health plan falls below 5 stars. If the practice spreads to commercial plans, there will be one more reason for insurers to bolster customer service.
3. Navigator roles should connect care and coverage. Individuals such as customer service representatives or brokers now help consumers obtain coverage, but the assistance often stops there. Consumers need help wading through coverage and care decisions well after signing up.
4. Combine experience data. As more accountable care arrangements develop, insurers, hospitals and physicians can use experience data from several consumer surveys to create a more complete portrait of patients and a more coordinated care path.