- The “death” of provider referrals is imminent as patients now prefer to use online resources 2x more than using traditional referrals to find a doctor, according to the newly released report by Doctor.com
- Customer Experience Trends in Healthcare report reveals that the use of referrals to find a provider has declined by 44% since 2018.
Doctor.com, a provider of critical infrastructure and integrations necessary to enable modern digital experiences for patients has released its annual “Customer Experience Trends in Healthcare” report that signals the death of provider referrals is imminent. Based on survey results of more than 1,600 U.S. adults, the report reveals that patients now rely on online sources 1.7x more than they do provider referrals to find a doctor.
Will 2020 Mark the Death of the Referral?
The digital era has ushered in a more empowered patient as more patients are utilizing available digital tools to conduct their own healthcare journeys from the comfort of their homes, very similar to what they do in other customer journeys: browsing the web for options, comparing providers through profile descriptions and patient reviews, and booking appointments through convenient digital apps. Patients are now making healthcare decisions long before they step foot into a doctor’s office.
The report finds that the use of referrals to find a provider has declined by a whopping 44% and a 26% decline in phone usage to make an appointment since 2018. However, despite the advancements in digital health tools, more than half of consumers find the patient journey to be difficult. Survey respondents expressed frustrations in “finding enough information about a provider online.”
Despite the roadblocks, patients are increasingly moving to digital channels to conduct their healthcare research and transactions, becoming an essential part of today’s patient journey. In 2020 and beyond, patients will select their provider based on the online information, reviews, and tools available.
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The survey finds 88% of patients will go online to read reviews about a provider they’ve been referred to. Patients ranked ratings and reviews as the most important factor when making a doctor’s appointment, with referrals coming in second.
Growing Importance of the Patient Experience
Until someone enters an examination room, he or she goes through a series of actions that highly resemble any customer journey: researching and evaluating providers, comparing services and reviews, taking action to schedule an appointment, and advocating for your providers or services via 5-star reviews. A broken, frustrating, or inconvenient experience at any of these touchpoints could lead a patient right to a competitor’s practice or hospital.
Source: Hit Consultant
