By Dr. Jose Quesada, Vice President, Global Healthcare, Salesforce

COVID-19 is shining a light on the critical role of technology in healthcare. From rapidly setting up triage centers to streamlining contact tracing programs, technology has enabled our frontline heroes.

Now, we’re seeing digital transformation accelerate as payers and providers resume business and make up for lost time. Even older patients who aren’t traditionally fluent in technology embraced virtual visits to maintain care continuity while reducing potential exposure to the virus.

This isn’t just a passing moment or a short-term effect of the pandemic. People want personalized, connected care. So how do you reassure patients, effectively communicate, anticipate needs, and evolve for what’s next? Here’s a peek at the four steps you’ll learn in our new guide, Enhance Patient and Member Engagement.

Step 1: Create personalized experiences

What does a personalized experience look like in healthcare? It begins with a deep understanding of patient and member demographics, health status, and personal preferences.

It’s taking that data and using it to deliver contextually relevant messages and omni-channel communications at the right time on the right device. Perhaps it’s a tailored communication to a member affected by COVID-19 during open enrollment. Or, maybe it’s accelerating a postponed elective procedure for a patient who needs it most.

Step 2: Empower consumers and build trust

Self-service experiences are quickly going from “nice-to-have” to “need-to-have.” Salesforce research found that 23% of patients were already using them to communicate with providers before the pandemic.

Payers and providers can facilitate these experiences with a portal that surfaces account information, knowledge articles, assessments, and live chat for additional support. You can also build a scalable and connected app that ensures HIPAA compliance and securely manages sensitive data.

Step 3: Integrate and scale

COVID-19 is forcing the industry to step up to meet the challenge of interoperability. Employing solutions like Health Cloud can help payers and providers connect systems and applications to exchange and interpret data. This strategy is incredibly valuable because it directly translates into the ability to automate clinical workflows within and across organizational boundaries. At the end of the day, organizations that implement systems and tools to manage these shifts will meet expectations and build trust now and into the future.

Step 4: Evolve for what’s next

COVID-19 not only surfaced the need for better digital experiences but proved the urgency. Payers and providers must connect systems to improve operational efficiencies and increase revenue while reducing costs and enhancing experiences — all while complying with regulatory requirements.

Whether it’s a continuation of the ongoing pandemic or another crisis, payers and providers must be ready. Putting these kinds of stopgaps in place prepares everyone, no matter the situation.

Read our interactive guide for a deeper dive into how you can enhance patient and member engagement – including details on the solutions that will help you make it happen.

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