- Pramod Goel
- Jul 20, 2023
The current patient journey in the healthcare industry is complicated and not relevant in the present times. They need to search for the right solutions and generate a request, which the provider assesses before sending quotes and solutions. The patient again checks it and only if it fits their requirements, they proceed to book. This whole process is time-consuming and lacks transparency. What is needed now is a system where patients can ‘shop’ for services just like a customer shops for a car. That is why retailing healthcare is the new normal. They must be able to consult with the doctors and experts to clarify their queries and doubts about the procedure before booking the treatment. Patients need a self pay marketplace where they can make informed decisions based on readily available reports on price, service and quality along with doctor’s advice.
Why Retailing Healthcare is Important?
In the retail market, interaction, engagement and customer-centric service are the key points. This leads to transparency and lets patients choose suitable healthcare programs conveniently and at competitive prices. The providers can follow examples set by the retail brands to device new ways to engage patients in a better way and expand their reach to the global self pay healthcare market.
Retailing helps Consumers to Plan Healthcare Needs
Retailing healthcare will create a scenario where providers will offer high-quality care to consumers with a variety of convenient choices at competitive prices. This will lead the consumers to be able to evaluate the available solutions in terms of quality, service and cost and plan their healthcare needs by taking informed decisions. So, some of the major benefits of retailing healthcare would be:
- Consumer-Centrism
- Informed Decision Making
- Transparency and Innovation
Patient-Centric Care
Healthcare providers must offer greater service, support and convenience to the consumers. The retailers are offering more hours of operation, multiple location care centers, lowering fees, etc. Using innovative technology, providers can ensure better connectivity, direct patient-provider communication, online consultation by experts, and access basic medical services.
Advance Connectivity with Omnichannel Presence
Consumers are becoming more engaged and active in managing their health. Just as they curate their own experience while shopping for goods and services, they seek to do the same for healthcare solutions. The providers must have an omnichannel presence in different communication tools such as phone calls, emails, texting, WhatsApp, etc. to connect with the consumers seamlessly. Just like buyers have countless options in the retail market using smartphones, patients must have the same experience with healthcare.
Continuum of Care
As patients gain proper knowledge about possible treatment options and how personalized care can be continuously provided, it leads to a continuum of care. This is possible with complete knowledge-based management and persona-based care just like many retail providers do with behavioral marketing. In the same way, by using behavioral marketing, healthcare providers can focus on patient engagement patterns on their website and suggest relevant solutions, not just general messages. This will establish a continuum of care and improve patient outcomes.
Encourage Healthy Lifestyle
Several technology-enabled applications and devices have made their way in the healthcare market to monitor the physical conditions of the patients such as blood pressure, heartbeat, etc, which helps to improve medication observance. For example, a patient wants to have a tummy tuck or hair transplant, if he/she can monitor such physical conditions, it will lead to a healthy lifestyle before getting the procedure done. This leads to long term incentives for healthy living.
Retailing healthcare fits well to the concept of self-pay healthcare for elective procedures such as cosmetic surgery, obesity surgery, dental care, fertility, hair transplant, etc., which are generally not covered by insurance policies. Retailing is more likely to segment health offerings, which leads patients to plan ahead while making healthcare decisions by evaluating a broad array of opportunities, especially in elective procedures.
PlacidWay, being the global leader in the medical tourism marketplace can help you explore the benefits of retailing healthcare with a wide range of innovative solutions. Our focus on direct patient-provider communication, AI-based omnichannel presence, behavioral marketing strategies and hybrid experience will help you offer consumer-centric care, customized services, price transparency and improve customer experience like retail brands.
For more information about Retail Healthcare and PlacidWay's Global Self Pay Marketplace, click the button below:
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