By Danielle Grasso
Danielle is on the patient success team at Force.
The purpose of healthcare has always been to help people get and stay healthy. Recently though, we’ve seen a shift in the way that physicians think about their relationship to patients. Leaders are thinking of their job, less as a guardian of patient health, and more of a coach or teacher, activating and educating patients to take better care of themselves. This approach leads to more sustainable outcomes for patients but requires a new level of education and a different kind of support on the part of providers. So, everyone is looking for new and better ways to connect with patients.
At Force, that’s our entire mission -- to use technology to bring patients and providers together, empowering patients and helping them be successful. As a member of the Force patient success team, I serve as a bridge between patients and the product, helping patients get comfortable with the technology, and answering Force-related questions throughout recovery.
We often run into the assumption that patients won’t actually use technology. Actually, 44% log in without any support and 34% login with my help. One call from me goes a long way. Once I help a patient log in, that one interpersonal interaction becomes several digital interactions as the patient moves through their care in Force.
Given how much time our team spends in conversation with patients, we’re in a unique position to support the product team. Our one-on-one interactions with patients give us valuable feedback daily that directly impacts and improves the platform.
We meet with the product team weekly, to discuss patient feedback and think through solutions. This pathway to innovation ensures that our team and our product remains patient-centric and empathetically responsive.
Companies that better understand and respond to their users’ needs create the best products. Healthcare providers who understand and respond to their patients needs provide the best care.
Empathetic solutions are a crucial element of success in a patient-centric healthcare landscape. Providers and health systems who understand how their patients think and feel between appointments will be better able to meet them where they are and provide more high-touch and effective care.
Here at Force, we’ve seen organizations we work with experience a 26% increase in patient satisfaction and a 28% decrease in readmissions. I attribute this in large part to our company’s focus on empathy -- the work we put in to understand and be responsive to patients needs, to empower them to take an active role in their care.
