4 tips to enhance the patient journey – and your business. Part 1
It was not until I experienced this firsthand as a patient that I realized: the patient journey and experience are complex and frustrating. This is also an opportunity for businesses to create value and profit from providing much needed solutions.
When I went through my undergraduate education in pharmacy, I was told, if there are red flag symptoms/signs, refer to a doctor. That was the end of that conversation. Here is what we thought the patient would go through. 5 simple steps. Done!
The truth is, not all patients fall under this category. Especially those who struggle with multiple co-morbidities and have received not one, but multiple misdiagnoses due to non-specific signs and symptoms. For some of these patients, their journey can look like this and can last anywhere from months to years!
We currently have well intentioned health-care providers doing their best in an imperfect health-care system. Unfortunately, we still very much operate in silos. Our understanding of our counterpart health-care professionals is very preliminary and often we have to assume their job descriptions based on their credentials and designations.
When was the last time you received information regarding a patient’s diagnosis at a community pharmacy setting?
Did you ever assume that a specialist treats all spectrums related to that specialty? I did. It was not until I heard firsthand that certain specialists have special interests and do not treat certain diseases within that body system. So how can we help and increase business?
Read Part 2 to learn how to enhance the patient experience.