Patients at hospitals and healthcare centers widely report that – in addition to good health outcomes – they want to receive better communication, information and engagement. If a healthcare provider can succeed at delivering those elements, they will more easily earn patient trust, confidence and loyalty.
In the process, many patients will be more likely to take advantage of other services and to book follow-up appointments, all of which will help contribute to the health system’s bottom line.
The good news is that the tool that can drive these behaviors is already present in most patient rooms – the in-room television set.
Closing the loop on digital investments
One can think of hospital TVs as the missing link in digital front door strategies. Sure, patients rely on them to get news and entertainment. But in-room TVs are capable of providing so much more.
In-room patient marketing devices provide important personalized information for a patient. That includes biographical details and links to the care team, resources related to their medical condition or disease, information about the care journey in the hospital and after discharge, prescription information, and care advice. All of this information is presented in billboard or dashboard fashion on the television screen, with links to regular programming and subscription services readily available.
To remain competitive, hospitals and healthcare centers need to close the loop on existing investments. Hospital room TVs are an under-valued resource that can be tapped, offering the benefits of personalization, education, engagement, post-discharge care coordination, and ongoing communication. That leads to happier patients and more revenue for health systems.
In-room hospital marketing devices are continuously being updated to provide new features. The combined features and information they provide serve as bookends to the entire patient experience in the hospital and after they leave.
Making TV time valuable services time
Hospital patients typically spend about 11 hours – or 85% of their waking time – watching in-room TVs. This is the perfect time to get their eyes off regular programming, and engage patients with a variety of healthcare information and services related directly to them and that they need.
Forward-thinking health systems recognize the power of converting basic televisions into interactive digital hubs. With them, patients would be able to access their health portal, research related healthcare information, communicate with their health team, and schedule appointments or services as needed. Some in-room TV platforms also display a QR code that helps guide a patient to the hospital’s mobile app or patient portal.
Patients can use this screen time to coordinate care – whether it is scheduling physical therapy appointments, booking follow-up visits with physicians, or filling a prescription from the hospital pharmacy. This leads to improved engagement, better quality outcomes, and ultimately increased revenue for the health system.
This ability for patients to access services and make appointments with all of their providers directly is important. It gives the patient greater control of the overall care experience. Patients cite the lack of access as the number one reason why they seek treatment somewhere else. Patients are also much more likely to show up to follow-up appointments the closer the appointment is booked following a treatment.
Building customer loyalty and health literacy
In-room patient marketing systems provide opportunities to increase revenue, reduce re-admissions and deliver quality outcomes. They also have a ready-made opportunity to build patient loyalty through personalized content and services targeted to an individual patient’s needs.
Driving the capability is advanced data analytics which automatically collects and analyzes patient information. It then provides links to information related to the patient’s medical condition or disease, history, treatments, providers and recommended sources and services.
The value of customer loyalty can’t be understated, especially when one considers how many patients are likely to be served in each room annually. A typical hospital or healthcare center experiences 50 patients per bed per year.
The in-room TV can be a valuable tool in combating low health literacy. That is, the ability of patients to obtain and understand basic information about their medical status and treatment options in order to make decisions about care, or understand decisions being made on their behalf.
According to The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), “More than one-third of U.S. adults – an estimated 80 million persons – have limited health literacy, making it more difficult for them to read, understand, and apply health information.”.
Improving health literacy must be a top priority in the growing digital healthcare environment. Patients should have access to devices and tools that can better educate them, and help enable them to manage both the in-hospital and post-hospital experience. That will improve patient engagement and loyalty, wellness and satisfaction.
Hospitals and health systems invest millions to acquire and engage patients digitally, but the missing link lies in patient hospital rooms. Connecting in-room TVs with patient-focused content is an incredible opportunity to improve access to care, build patient loyalty, and create an overall better patient experience – all of which contribute to health system profitability.
Adam DeRocher
Adam Derocher is the Vice President of Sales at Lincata, an in-room digital marketing solution for health systems. He brings more than 20 years of sales and business development experience in the healthcare technology sector. Prior to his role at Lincata, Adam served as Regional Director of Hyro, where he played a key role in the company’s success with conversational AI. Before that, he held the position of Regional Sales Director at Phynd, contributing to the growth needed for a successful acquisition by symplr. His extensive career also includes leadership roles at companies that intersect with the digital front door space, such as b.well Connected Health.
