In the United States, a shift toward consumer‑centric care has put patient experience—how patients feel during every interaction with the health system—into the spotlight. Recent data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and industry surveys show that while clinical outcomes remain high, many patients report dissatisfaction with the overall care journey. The trend underscores a national push to improve service quality alongside medical treatment.
Measuring Patient Experience
Standardized Surveys
Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) and its hospital counterpart, HCAHPS, are the primary tools used across the country to gauge patient experience. These surveys, administered by independent vendors, include a fixed set of questions that allow facilities to benchmark against national averages. In a CMS report covering hospital discharges through June 2024, the national top‑box scores were 80 % for nurse and doctor communication, 67 % for staff responsiveness, and 70 % for patients who would “definitely” recommend the hospital.
Operational Key Performance Indicators
Beyond survey data, hospitals track operational metrics that reflect day‑to‑day patient interactions:
* First call resolution – the percentage of inquiries resolved on the first contact; the national average is about 71 %.
* Average handle time (AHT) – the mean duration of a patient call, including hold and wrap‑up time; the benchmark for healthcare is approximately 6.6 minutes.
* Wait times – measured in waiting rooms, on the phone, or in virtual queues.
* Follow‑up turnaround – the speed at which test results and follow‑up instructions are delivered to patients.
* Missed appointments and no‑show rates – vary widely, from 5 % in some primary care offices to over 30 % in certain specialties.
Challenges Highlighted by Patient Feedback
A 2023 Accenture report found that one in five patients switched healthcare providers, and 89 % cited difficulty in doing business with the facility as the reason. Additionally, a survey of younger patients in 2022 reported that 41 % would change providers over a poor digital experience, and one in five had already switched.
Patient comments often reveal specific pain points, such as long wait times, unclear communication, and the need for better digital self‑service options. These insights are captured through free‑text survey responses, social media posts, and automated voice‑response prompts that invite patients to rate their experience immediately after a call or visit.
Strategies to Improve Patient Experience
1. Enhance Scheduling and Access – Offering open‑access or same‑day appointments for urgent needs and self‑service scheduling via patient portals or interactive voice response (IVR) systems can reduce frustration and improve satisfaction.
2. Improve Communication – Clear, empathetic communication is essential. Techniques such as the teach‑back method, where patients repeat instructions to confirm understanding, help mitigate the fact that up to 80 % of information given during a visit is forgotten immediately.
3. Train Staff in Empathy and De‑Escalation – Regular training and huddles focused on empathy can address patients’ emotional needs. Experts note that patients often value perceived care more than technical knowledge.
4. Build a Culture of Follow‑Up and Accountability – Electronic health record (EHR) systems should be used to contact patients about lab results or missed appointments, ensuring promised follow‑up actions are completed.
5. Leverage Digital Tools – Mobile apps, secure messaging, and patient portals provide convenient access to test results, appointment scheduling, and billing. Integrating these tools with a healthcare customer relationship management (CRM) system can streamline communication across touchpoints.
6. Streamline Care Coordination – Interoperable EHRs and a “tell it once” policy reduce the need for patients to repeat their medical history. Care navigators or case managers can coordinate appointments and reminders, especially for patients with complex conditions.
7. Adopt Shared Decision‑Making – Involving patients in treatment choices, tailored to their preferences, improves adherence and satisfaction. Recent surveys indicate that 44.6 % of patients in England wanted more participation in decisions.
8. Address Health Literacy – Providing written and verbal information at a sixth‑grade reading level and using visual aids helps patients understand medical instructions and reduce anxiety.
9. Create a Welcoming Environment – Clean, quiet, and well‑signposted physical spaces, combined with a seamless digital experience, can lower patient stress and build trust.
10. Use Feedback for Continuous Improvement – Systematic collection of post‑visit and post‑call surveys, combined with regular review of sentiment trends, allows facilities to close the feedback loop and demonstrate responsiveness.
Technology’s Role in Enhancing Experience
Unified communications platforms that integrate voice, chat, video, and messaging into a single interface can provide staff with real‑time patient context, reducing miscommunication and the need for patients to repeat information. Features such as omnichannel support, EHR integration, and analytics on call metrics support higher quality interactions. Reliability is critical; any downtime can pose safety risks in a healthcare setting.
Looking Ahead
As patients increasingly treat healthcare quality as a core service attribute, health systems that systematically measure experience, address operational gaps, and adopt patient‑centered technology are likely to see higher satisfaction scores and lower provider churn. Regulatory bodies and payers continue to emphasize patient experience metrics in reimbursement and accreditation, suggesting that the focus will intensify in the coming years.
