Updated on November 5, 2024
The patient experience is at the heart of quality service in the healthcare industry, and customer support (also known as patient support) is often the first step in this journey.
The first voice your patient hears can either make them stay or leave you for another provider.
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), patient experience is a crucial quality metric that directly impacts patient satisfaction and healthcare outcomes.
With an increasing focus on personalized care, healthcare providers recognize the decisive role of customer support or non-licensed call center agents.
Non-licensed support teams set the tone for improving patient satisfaction in a world where personalized and empathetic communication is central to your success as a healthcare provider.
This blog will discuss how the voice of healthcare customer support transforms the patient experience. We’ll also discuss how patient support agents play significant roles in fostering effective healthcare communication and improving the overall healthcare journey.
Understanding the Importance of Patient Experience
Patient experience includes scheduling appointments, receiving test results, billing concerns, and everything else involving the patient.
Patients can have a positive or negative experience depending on the agent at the other end of the line.
A positive patient experience makes patients feel cared for and respected, but a poor one can lead to frustration, distrust, and even determent from seeking care.
The demand for efficient and compassionate customer service in healthcare has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Like all of us, more patients seek providers who value their time, privacy, preferences, and concerns.
Every patient wants to feel valued and heard—healthcare communication is crucial in meeting these needs.
Agents who are empathetic and professional when talking to patients can help reduce stress. They can foster a calm, respectful environment that helps patients feel safe and cared for.
By training these agents in soft skills like empathy and active listening, you can bridge communication gaps and ensure patients feel comfortable and valued throughout their care journey.
What Is Customer Support in Healthcare?
Customer support in healthcare is more than taking phone calls and talking to patients.
The US healthcare system is complex, so support agents must understand and guide patients to ensure they don’t become confused and overwhelmed.
According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), customer support is critical to enhancing patient satisfaction in healthcare.
By addressing patient needs, easing frustrations, and creating a welcoming environment, your healthcare organization can improve the patient experience and gain patients’ trust.
When patients get lost in the maze of US healthcare, your customer support teams should be there to help them find their way.
Skilled customer service representatives, especially in the business process outsourcing (BPO) setting, undergo rigorous training in healthcare communication that enables them to approach each interaction with empathy.
For instance, when a patient calls about a billing concern, a skilled agent can explain the details clearly and patiently, helping the patient feel understood rather than overwhelmed.
This level of communication and attention to detail goes a long way in building trust between patients and their healthcare providers. These elements leave a lasting impact on patient satisfaction, making patients feel cared for and understood.
Elements of Effective Customer Support in Healthcare
Here are vital factors in making a meaningful and positive impact on patients:
Empathy and Active Listening
Train your agents to listen attentively and respond with empathy.
Well-trained healthcare support teams can defuse difficult situations and turn stressful experiences into positive ones.
Clear Communication
Explaining healthcare information in plain language makes it easy for patients to understand, letting them feel confident and make informed care decisions.
Patience and Compassion
We’ve established that US healthcare is often overwhelming.
Agents who show patience and compassion help alleviate this feeling, making patients feel comfortable and respected.
Learn more about our healthcare support services.
How Non-Licensed Healthcare Support Agents Enhance the Patient Experience
Non-licensed call center agents are often the first customer touchpoint in healthcare, even though they aren’t licensed medical professionals.
Their role extends beyond scheduling or answering basic queries. As the first point of contact, agents set the tone for the rest of the patient’s journey—and when it goes well, you make the patient happy and gain their trust.
Here’s how non-licensed healthcare support teams make a difference:
1. Reducing Wait Times
Customer support agents can quickly handle large call volumes, preventing patients from waiting too long on the phone. Shorter wait times mean less stress and less pressure for patients.
2. Managing Appointment Scheduling and Reminders
Agents can help ensure patients attend their appointments on time by scheduling them and sending reminders.
3. Providing General Information
Non-licensed agents help patients navigate healthcare systems.
Agents can answer basic questions and provide crucial information like clinic hours, locations, and documentation requirements.
Knowing where to start makes patients more eager to seek necessary care.
4. Handling Follow-Up Calls
Follow-up calls are vital for patient satisfaction, and agents help address post-visit questions and assist with administrative processes.
When non-licensed call center agents understand the essentials of healthcare communication, they can create a positive experience, even without clinical expertise.
Their ability to engage with patients using simple, caring language makes them invaluable assets in improving patient satisfaction.
Improving Patient Satisfaction with Strategic Communication
Addressing patients’ needs at all stages of the healthcare journey is essential to improving patient satisfaction.
Each interaction has the potential to enhance or hinder the patient experience, so you need to choose the right BPO partner.
For healthcare organizations, this means implementing a strategic approach to customer support that includes:
Rigorous, Standardized Training
Ensure every agent understands the importance of empathy and clear communication.
Feedback Mechanisms
Encourage patients to provide feedback and use the information to improve the patient experience. Your BPO partner can help you collect and analyze patient feedback data and measure other relevant healthcare KPIs to optimize your operations.
Proactive Support
Agents who reach out to confirm appointments or provide helpful reminders contribute to a sense of continuity and care.
Cultural Sensitivity Training
Culturally aware support agents can communicate more effectively with diverse patient populations. Implementing inclusive communication processes will significantly improve patient satisfaction across demographics.
Remember, how you handle healthcare communication impacts your patients’ perception of your organization.
The Role of BPOs in Improving Healthcare Communication
Healthcare BPO partners play a pivotal role in modern healthcare support. They can help healthcare providers by managing all non-medical tasks, allowing providers and their licensed staff to focus on patient care.
BPO companies specializing in healthcare equip their teams with specific training, even for non-licensed call center agents, to ensure they meet the healthcare industry’s unique—and often strict–demands.
You gain access to the following benefits when you partner with a healthcare BPO company:
Enhanced Flexibility
With a BPO partner, support teams can handle peak volumes without overwhelming your in-house staff, ensuring timely responses for all patients.
Cost-Efficiency
Outsourcing non-clinical tasks reduces overhead costs while maintaining high service quality, benefiting your organization and patients.
Data Security
BPOs adhere to strict data privacy regulations, ensuring the secure handling of patients’ personal and medical information. They combine compassionate service and regulatory compliance to drive success for healthcare providers of all sizes.
Outsourcing to BPO experts allows you to improve the patient experience and streamline your operations, allowing you to focus on the most crucial thing: patient care.
ClearSource: Your Partner in Transforming the Patient Experience
ClearSource understands the importance of creating a positive, seamless, supportive patient experience.
Our patient-centric approach is the primary essence of our healthcare support solutions. We train our non-licensed healthcare agents in empathy-based communication to provide the best customer service and ensure every patient feels valued and heard.
We take the time to develop agents who are efficient in handling high volumes of patient inquiries and skilled in making each interaction as meaningful as possible.
Our mission is to be more than just a service provider; we aim to be a part of your healthcare team and enhance patient satisfaction at every step.
Explore our solutions to see how ClearSource can improve your patient satisfaction and elevate your healthcare communication strategy. Schedule a call with one of our experts today to learn more!
