IBD Engagement: Identify Patient Priorities

A few decades ago, it was simple. Patients had a primary physician, most likely for the entire family. Consistent jobs would offer employees a healthcare plan that they would be committed to for life. As a pharma company or medical provider, you would have a relatively steady client base.

But nowadays consumerism has taken over the healthcare world, forcing you to continuously revaluate how to engage your patients.

To build dedication to your company, the best place to start is to understand the priorities of those you’re serving.

Patient Priorities

Patients have almost endless options when it comes to care, including apps, remote practitioners, self help techniques, and medical clinic choices. If they don’t get the care that they want, patients are more and more likely to look elsewhere.

Focusing on patient needs and wants will encourage loyalty in your company.

In 2016, Deloitte completed a Health Care Survey focusing on what matters most to the health care consumers, ranked according to an interaction preference score:

–First priority: personalization expected via providers

–Second priority: economically rational coverage and care choices

–Third priority: convenience-driven use of care

–Fourth priority: digitally connected to manage health care

Personalized Relationship

Patients are looking for a personalized relationship with their providers. They want to be known and understood, in order to get services that reflect their lifestyle and needs.

According to the Deloitte’s Survey of US Health Care Consumers, 75% of consumers want their providers to involve them in the treatment decisions. And one in three customers want their providers encouraging them to be more active in researching and questioning their recommended treatments.

The human element is important when it comes to bedside manner, personalized care, and involving the client in their health care journey:

“We found that the number one preferred interaction is having a doctor or other health care provider spend sufficient time with the patients and not rushing through exams.” – Deloitte 2016

Economically Reasonable Coverage

Customers are requesting up front predictions of how much their care will cost them.

The Deloitte Center Health Solutions 2015 Survey found that nearly three in five surveyed customers reported wanting providers to give cost information. Yet, less than one in five reported that they actually asked about pricing before agreeing to a treatment.

Patient involvement can also save your company expenses. According to Primary Care Collaborative, people who are actively engaged in their health care, are more likely to stay healthy and manage their condition. This includes following suggested care, sticking to treatment plans, eating well, staying active and receiving screenings, immunizations, and medications.

As a result, the patients who better manage their care incur 21% less cost than those who are not engaged in their care.

Convenient Use of Care

Let’s face it, we’re all busy and health care can easily drop to the bottom of the to-do list. Especially those patients living with a chronic disease such as Crohn’s or colitis. With low energy, it can feel like an uphill battle to even get out of bed, let alone to a hospital or clinic.

Consumers rank time-saving conveniences highly among the top important health care interactions. They desire minimal to no wait times in clinic waiting rooms and plenty of appointment availability.

Geography is also a factor that comes into the equation. Especially when there is a high risk for exposure of diseases such as coronavirus.

Digitally Connected Health Care Management

We live in a digital age. Consumers are seeking digital support to assist in the management of their care. According to the Deloitte report, in order for digital capabilities to be more efficient in driving provider strategies and service offerings, they must be easier to use.

A Deloitte report in 2015 explored the utilization of digital apps in health care and found that related patient involvement in care had risen from 17 to 28% from 2013-2015, with millenials being much more likely to use digital medical care sources.

Whether you’re a pharma company or physician, Nori can help by offering your clients specialized and guided support, through a personalized digital health program.

IBD Patient Barriers

A study presented at the Crohn’s & Colitis Congress in 2019, brought attention to the barriers that IBD patients face when trying to access the care they need.

Researchers recruited 20 adult patients in order to receive their input on the disease and the care they received. After analyzing collected data, researchers concluded that the main patient struggles are:

-Lack of multidisciplinary care with psycho-social support

-Delay in being diagnosed

-Inability to effectively receive and provide communication with health care providers

-Very few services have the ability to offer patients psychological support. IBD nurse specialists are few and far between.

Typically patients have to wait over a year to even get their diagnoses.

Nori Health to Engage Your Patients

According to the World Health Organization, informed patients are more likely to feel confident in reporting experiences which not only improve health outcomes, but also support learning and condition improvement. This also sets patients up for better management of difficult medical events.

Nori helps your patients make better life choices to increase their medication or treatment protocol with the ultimate goal of increasing quality of life. The program has been proven to increase daily management of the condition, which can increase the belief and commitment in your medical plan and medication treatment.

Contact us to inquire about partnerships.

This article has been written by Lisa Booth, registered dietitian and nutritionist, and co-founder of Nori Health. Content is based on her professional knowledge, and our collection of 100+ scientific research study papers.