Discover New Ways to be Accessible to those you Serve
The way customers interact with businesses and access goods and services is changing rapidly. Customers want to know their voices are heard and that they can access what they need, when and where it is convenient to them.
At ThedaCare, we are committed to enhancing access to care in a way that meets patients’ needs at the right time and in the right place. A key component of access is local presence, which is much more than bricks and mortar. Being accessible is about being present in the communities we serve and including the patient’s voice in the way we improve health.
As leaders, we can enhance access and advance our organizations’ missions by keeping in mind the following:
Turn the model on its side. Expert models, like those in healthcare, engineering or legal, tend to operate on the premise that experts are best qualified to determine how to deliver that service. To elevate satisfaction, include customers in defining what the model looks like. When we invest in local presence with the genuine intent to engage our customers, we learn what they truly want and expect. Fundamentally, every idea matters and it is our job to bring expertise and make adjustments to our model based on what we hear. In healthcare, that means combining patient preference with physician expertise and the latest medical evidence to ensure the best outcomes.
Exercise agility. The marketplace is constantly evolving. Those who understand the changing needs of customers will succeed. We must monitor and remove the friction that arises between us and our customers due to changing dynamics in everything from demographics to perceived value. Listen to the community as it progresses and respond to shifting expectations.
Celebrate Creativity. Seek new and interesting partnerships. Some may result in formal business agreements, while others may simply be safe spaces to brainstorm. Explore new ways to deliver products and services in a manner that adds value and convenience. For example, within ThedaCare we’ve developed in-school licensed athletic training programs for young athletes so they can access injury prevention, treatment and rehab services with no out-of-pocket expense. Our ThedaCare At Work on-site and near-site employee wellness clinics help address health concerns before they elevate and negatively impact quality of life.
Our Lifestyle Medicine program is a non-traditional approach to healthcare that recognizes up to 75 percent of factors that affect a person’s well-being do not relate to clinic visits or medication; rather, they are influenced by where we live, what we eat, and how we socialize, exercise and learn.
When we truly listen to our customers, we discover new ways to be accessible for the communities we serve.
Imran Andrabi, MD, is the president and chief executive officer of ThedaCare. He can be reached at askus@thedacare.org.
