The “Retailization” of Health Care: Patients Take Charge

Lindsay Resnick, executive vice president, Wunderman Thompson Health

“With today’s constant stream of digital health tools, it’s never been easier or faster for customers to take charge,” says Lindsay Resnick, executive vice president of Wunderman Thompson Health. “They’re following a path to care where they feel important and are treated well — and they’ll avoid hospitals that fall short.”

Here’s an excerpt from Resnick’s new article:

As the health care industry undergoes historic transformation, consumers are quickly becoming empowered to take responsibility for their health care decisions. They manage benefit choices, budget out-of-pocket expenses, choose providers, and navigate sites-of-care. Patients find themselves front and center in their role as health care customers. Empowered patients compare prices, quality, convenience, and outcomes.

Inside the walls of most hospitals, the mention of “customer” when referring to patients still gets raised eyebrows. But the “retailization” of health care means patients are in control. They set expectations based on their best, most recent customer experience, inside and outside the health care ecosystem. This new era of self-sufficient, activist patients means that they scrutinize marketing messages, conduct their own research, and share their opinions.

What is it going to take for hospital systems to become truly customer-centric and move patients to the status of customers by knowing them and serving them better than competitors?

Read the full article now: Patients as Customers: Hospitals Play Catchup

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President