The following is a guest article by Lucienne Ide, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO at Rimidi
The retail industry’s longstanding commitment to meet consumer expectations at nearly any cost has driven the adoption of strategies that prioritize personalization, convenience, and responsiveness. When new resources become available, there’s usually a brand willing to try them out in hopes of increasing customer engagement and satisfaction. For the most part, this tactic works. Retail’s willingness to continually evolve has conditioned consumers to expect customized, well-timed experiences that efficiently meet their needs.
Following the most basic lines of logic, the healthcare industry should emulate retail’s flexible, accommodating approach. After all, patients aren’t passive recipients of care anymore. They’re healthcare consumers who expect the same ease and personalization they enjoy in other daily interactions. However, there are some nuances and challenges at play that other sectors don’t face, such as regulatory scrutiny, complex payment systems, and stricter privacy rules, much less the foundational trust needed between healthcare providers and their patients. Keeping those differences in mind, healthcare can still learn from other industries’ best practices and apply them when shaping its own techniques — but it needs to be done through a clinical and ethical lens using innovative technology and resources, like remote patient monitoring (RPM).
The Consumer Mindset is Redefining Patient Engagement
In healthcare, engagement typically refers to communication and treatment adherence. In the consumer world, however, engagement is more closely linked to tailored experiences, anticipation, and empowerment. These dynamics, often associated with smooth and frictionless transactions facilitated by brands eager to earn repeat customers, are now changing attitudes and behaviors when it comes to care access and choices.
Nearly 60% of patients will hold off on scheduling an appointment if they can’t find high-quality provider reviews from former patients, according to Press Ganey’s research report, “Consumer Experience in Healthcare,” released earlier this year. Furthermore, four out of five consider online scheduling options essential, yet only a quarter of users rate their experiences with these tools as excellent.
With clear evidence of shifting preferences and demands, it’s increasingly important to better align the delivery of medical services with the broader, consumer-driven models that define most industries. For instance, when was the last time you went to a bank to do a financial transaction? Further digitizing healthcare will require providers to adopt more continuous, proactive, and patient-centered care approaches that meet people where they are, both physically and digitally. In this respect, connected devices, monitoring tools, and the use of patient-reported outcomes are useful to providers in more ways than one.
However, it’s also crucial to recognize the limits of importing retail models into healthcare. While convenience and access are essential, large retailers and tech companies that try to provide direct-to-consumer care often fall short. From Walmart to Amazon, organizations with models built on volume and efficiency typically lack the personal continuity and clinical expertise that define meaningful care relationships.
Trust and personalization can’t be mass-produced in healthcare, which gives traditional providers a unique opportunity. They already possess the most valuable asset in healthcare, trust. They can help lead this transformation by combining the convenience consumers crave with the individualized, data-informed care only a connected, human-centered system can provide — giving patients the best of both worlds.
Digital Health Solutions Meet Patients’ Healthcare and Customer Service Expectations
RPM and telehealth platforms, which enable providers to engage with and evaluate patients faster and from any location, expand access to care and often lead to improved outcomes. They also provide clinicians with the real-time data needed to better understand patients’ expectations and preferences so they can more effectively customize interactions and plans. Care teams using RPM usually benefit from more efficient clinical workflows as well, with automated data collection and analysis saving time so providers can concentrate on providing better care and service.
Remote technology is already making a vast difference in many areas of healthcare. A heart failure study at a suburban New York hospital, for example, noted a 20.4% decrease in 30-day hospital readmission rates when newly discharged patients used cellular-connected devices, tele-pharmacy services, and virtual and in-person care coordination. In rural areas, initiatives like these are even more impactful as residents face higher rates of chronic conditions — like diabetes, heart failure, and behavioral health disorders — and often travel twice as far for care as those in more densely populated regions.
In addition to improving outcomes, the usage of digital monitoring tools by patients tends to enhance overall satisfaction and care experiences. A survey of over 3,000 patients enrolled in RPM reported that 88% were comfortable managing their health, 94% perceived the program positively, and 93% would recommend it. The findings emphasize the ability of strong digital engagements to boost patient satisfaction just as exceptional customer service does in retail.
Responsibly Translate and Apply Other Industries’ Lessons to Healthcare
The main difference between customer service in healthcare vs. retail is the goal. Rather than aiming to sell a product, care providers are striving to develop and sustain lasting, trust-based relationships – and for good reason. Patients who trust their doctors are more likely to stick to treatment plans, share important information about their health, and take an active role in their care, all of which improve outcomes. A 2024 study of in-center hemodialysis patients found that every three-point increase in the Patient Activation Measure — a scale that assesses a person’s knowledge, skills, and confidence in managing their own health — was associated with a 10% lower risk of mortality.
Given the different objectives, healthcare doesn’t need to replicate the retail journey. The industry just needs to translate and apply retail lessons appropriately. It’s been done before and can be done again. Lean methodology, for example, originated in the automotive industry but has been successfully adapted in healthcare to enhance patient outcomes while cutting costs and waste. One study of the methodology’s implementation in surgical workflows reported a 49.5% decrease in sterilization time and reduced the number of instruments used per procedure by 47%, enabling hospitals to complete additional surgeries each day.
By combining data, ethics, and proven innovation with RPM and other digital strategies, providers can deliver care that’s more engaging, efficient, and equitable. A healthcare industry that continuously learns and evolves is vital to a well-connected ecosystem that puts patients first.
About Lucienne Ide
Lucienne Marie Ide, M.D., PH.D., is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Rimidi, a digital health company that supports healthcare providers in the delivery of remote patient monitoring and chronic disease management with EHR-integrated software, services, and connected devices. She brings her diverse experiences in medicine, science, venture capital, and technology to bear in leading Rimidi’s strategy and vision. Motivated by the belief that we can do so much better as individuals, in industry, and in society. After completing her internship in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UPMC, Dr. Ide left clinical medicine to join the ranks of healthcare entrepreneurs who are trying to revolutionize an industry.
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