{"id":48458,"date":"2021-07-12T04:00:30","date_gmt":"2021-07-12T11:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"\/us\/en\/blog\/?p=48458"},"modified":"2025-07-02T01:52:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:52:05","slug":"consumerization-in-healthcare-what-it-means-for-providers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/us\/en\/blog\/consumerization-in-healthcare-what-it-means-for-providers\/","title":{"rendered":"Consumerization in healthcare: What it means for providers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Highlights:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare consumerization is creating unwelcome competition for providers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To retain patients and attract new ones, providers need to build relationships and create a better patient experience<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthcare communications platform helps providers offer a better patient experience with greater flexibility, accessibility, and security<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consumerization has made its way into healthcare, becoming a force to be reckoned with for providers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read on to learn what healthcare consumerization means for providers and which technologies they can put in place for a better patient experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"rc-bottom-cta rc-bottom-cta__landscape\" style=\"background-image: url(\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/ringcentral\/assets\/images\/temp\/rc-bottom-cta-bg.png);\">\n<div class=\"bottom-cta-img\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/retail-health.png\" class=\"responsive-image\" alt=\"4 ways retail ...\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"bottom-cta-copy\">\n<div class=\"rc-bottom-cta__text\" style=\"\">\n<h3\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"rc-bottom-cta__title headline-copy\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>4 ways retail health can benefit from a unified communications platform<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"rc-bottom-cta__btn-wrapper\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg rc-bottom-cta__link\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Learn more\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/netstorage.ringcentral.com\/documents\/retail_health_unified_communications_platform.pdf\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-dl-name=\"Learn more\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-dl-element=\"button\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-dl-additional-info=\"bottom cta banner\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-no-auto-dl=\"true\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tonmouseover=\"\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tonmouseout=\"this.style.backgroundColor='';this.style.borderColor='';this.style.color='';\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>Learn more<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What is healthcare consumerization?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to UBS analysts,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ubs.com\/global\/en\/investment-bank\/in-focus\/covid-19\/2020\/consumerization-of-healthcare.html\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthcare consumerization<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the trend of people influencing and controlling their medical care and wellness. Until recently, healthcare providers (and later, healthcare payer organizations) had the biggest influence on people\u2019s care and wellness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare consumerization stems from the following factors:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High healthcare out-of-pocket costs and deductibles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An aging population that needs more healthcare treatments and services<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More sophisticated technology, which enables new entrants to serve patient needs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>The effect of healthcare consumerization on providers<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most obvious effect of healthcare consumerization is that there\u2019s greater competition for providers.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.managedhealthcareexecutive.com\/view\/what-consumerization-means-healthcare\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare delivery models<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have changed; for example, retail healthcare attracts patients due to its convenience and lower cost. A patient\u2019s history with a provider no longer carries the same weight for consumers, and they\u2019re not afraid to switch providers if a better option comes along.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, new technology has made it easier for patients to track their own health and wellness. Many traditional healthcare providers are still grappling with integrating monitoring applications. There are patients who believe they get better information from their apps than from their providers.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How can providers mitigate the impact of healthcare consumerization?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare consumerization leaves providers vulnerable to losing patients to competitors such as retail healthcare. How can providers stay relevant in this environment?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The answer lies in forging stronger relationships with patients and creating a more positive patient experience. Here are the hallmarks of a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/6-ways-to-improve-patient-experience-with-telehealth-services\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">positive patient experience<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Efficiency<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Convenience<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accessibility<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empowerment<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>An efficient patient experience<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2018, the average patient wait time in the US was<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/medcitynews.com\/?sponsored_content=how-patient-wait-times-affect-customer-satisfaction&amp;rf=1\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over 18 minutes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For visits to the emergency department, wait times can be even higher. A 2019 survey showed that emergency department wait times vary widely by state: you could be waiting for<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/newsapps\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">49 minutes on average<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Washington, DC, while in Colorado, it could be 10 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No one wants to sit in a waiting room (especially if that person has already spent a chunk of time commuting to the doctor\u2019s office in the first place). Patients want to be able to see a provider quickly and move on with their day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Telehealth enables an efficient patient experience; patients can attend appointments wherever they are. Moreover, forward triaging allows healthcare facility staff to assess whether patients even need to come in, which reduces wait times for those with critical situations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-48460\" src=\"\/us\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/retail-health-2.jpeg\" alt=\"RingCentral for healthcare\" width=\"930\" height=\"620\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>A convenient patient experience<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Patients of all ages bemoan the inconvenience of traditional healthcare. In Accenture\u2019s<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.accenture.com\/_acnmedia\/pdf-94\/accenture-2019-digital-health-consumer-survey.pdf\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2019 Digital Health Consumer Survey<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 21 percent of Millennials, 18 percent of Gen Z, and 57 percent of Baby Boomers expressed disappointment with appointment times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retail healthcare locations are generally closer to patients\u2019 homes. Moreover, telehealth services represent the most convenient option because patients don\u2019t even need to leave their home or workplace to have an appointment with their provider.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>An accessible patient experience<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For patients living in areas where there aren\u2019t many providers, healthcare accessibility represents a major obstacle for them. A 2016 survey showed that<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/aspe.hhs.gov\/system\/files\/pdf\/204986\/ACARuralbrief.pdf\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over a quarter of uninsured rural residents<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> put off healthcare that year due to lack of access and high costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To retain patients in rural locations, and to make healthcare accessible to other underserved patients, providers must invest in technologies that enable telehealth. Telehealth dramatically reduces access and cost barriers for rural residents.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>An empowering patient experience<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the 2019 Accenture study cited above, patients also expressed dissatisfaction with providers\u2019 lack of responsiveness outside of scheduled appointments. Nearly three-quarters of Millennials, 18 percent of Gen Zs, and 63 percent of older patients want to ask their providers questions without having to book an appointment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providers can empower patients with self-service capabilities. A<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/patient-access-centers-elevate-the-patient-experience\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">patient access center<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> utilizes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/contact-center.html\">contact center<\/a> technology and a unified communications platform. A unified communications platform includes telephony, chat, video conferencing, and secure file sharing, so a patient could contact his provider outside of office hours to ask questions and receive a quick response.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Improving the patient experience with the right technologies<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providers can improve the patient experience and mitigate the negative effects of healthcare consumerization with the right technologies. A healthcare communications and collaboration platform helps providers create a better patient experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare communications and collaboration platforms are built on unified communications platforms. Unified communications platforms offer a variety of communications channels. A healthcare communications and collaboration platform also includes contact center technology so providers can set up a patient access center.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how a healthcare communications and collaboration platform improves the patient experience:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It gives patients a choice<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s convenient<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s secure<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>A healthcare communications platform gives patients choices<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Traditional modes of communication limit patient choice; they can typically only call their provider to make an appointment. A healthcare communications platform, on the other hand, enables them to call, chat, and video conference.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>A healthcare communications platform is a convenient option for patients<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthcare communications platform enables the delivery of telehealth services. Telehealth offers patients greater convenience; they can hold an appointment with their provider from the comfort of their own home or their office.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>A healthcare communications platform is secure<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With cybersecurity threats running rampant, patients worry that their confidential information could be up for grabs. In a 2020 poll, RingCentral revealed<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/us\/en\/blog\/why-cloud-is-the-future-of-telehealth\/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 percent of healthcare organizations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> don\u2019t have enterprise-grade security.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthcare communications and collaboration platforms are protected by multiple layers of security to keep patient information safe.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Improve the patient experience with RingCentral<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RingCentral\u2019s market-leading unified communications platform creates a better patient experience with multiple communication channels, self-service capabilities, and robust security. To learn more,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/office\/industry-solutions\/healthcare-payer.html#SFForm\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">request a demo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Highlights: Healthcare consumerization is creating unwelcome competition for providers To retain patients and attract new ones, providers need to build relationships and create a better patient experience A healthcare communications platform helps providers offer a better patient experience with greater flexibility, accessibility, and security Consumerization has made its way into healthcare, becoming a force to &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":292,"featured_media":48459,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18674,33837],"tags":[16334,1682,7534],"class_list":["post-48458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare","category-telehealth","tag-communications-and-collaboration-platform","tag-healthcare","tag-unified-communications-platform"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.3 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Consumerization in healthcare: What it means for providers | RingCentral Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Providers can mitigate the negative impacts of healthcare consumerization by improving the patient experience with a unified communications platform.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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