THE BERYL INSTITUTE – IPSOS PX PULSE: CONSUMER PERSPECTIVES ON PATIENT EXPERIENCE IN THE U.S.

January 2020

The Beryl Institute is the global community of practice committed to elevating the human experience in healthcare. We believe human experience is grounded in experiences of patients & families, those who work in healthcare and the communities they serve.

We define the patient experience as the sum of all interactions, shaped by an organization’s culture, that influence patient perceptions across the continuum of care.

You can follow The Beryl Institute on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter (@BerylInstitute).Visit The Beryl Institute website at www.theberylinstitute.org.

Ipsos is the third largest social science and market research firm in the world, with offices in 89 countries and over 18,000 employees who are passionately curious about people, markets, brands, and society. We have more than 30 years of experience working with physicians, hospitals, payers, brokers, and healthcare organizations on improving healthcare quality, increasing accountability, and advising on new and emerging health policy issues.

For more information on Ipsos’ patient experience and healthcare contributions, you can follow Ipsos Public Affairs on LinkedIn and Twitter (@IpsosPA).

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INTRODUCTION

A NEW WAY TO TRACK CONSUMER PERSPECTIVES ON PATIENT EXPERIENCE

Improving patient experience has becomean increasing priority for healthcareleaders in the United States. Patientexperience metrics are now built intoperformance-based reimbursement,board certification and licensing, andpractice-recognition programs.Underlying these and other policychanges is the acknowledgement thathealthcare consumers and their familiesshould be at the center of the way care isprovided. Moreover, past research hasshown that consumers themselvesreinforce the importance of patientexperience in their healthcareinteractions. A positive care experience isalso found to be associated with a wide-range of health outcomes—both self-reported and objectively measured, all ofwhich indicates that patient experiencematters, and it will continue to be a coreelement in the discourse about improvinghealthcare delivery.

This growing emphasis on patientexperience is a key facet of thecontinuous discussions and actions takento improve the U.S. healthcare system.The proliferation of innovative paymentand delivery models, the emergence ofdisruptive technologies changing how weinteract with providers, and theprominence of healthcare political debateand legislative activity have createdconditions where the care experience ofconsumers is continuously evolving. Withthis context, it is important to carefullytrack the implications of these changes onall aspects of a consumer’s experience.

In response to this need, The BerylInstitute and Ipsos set out on apartnership to regularly capturehealthcare consumer perspectives ofpatient experience in the United States.The Beryl Institute – Ipsos PX Pulserepresents a first-of-its-kind effort toelevate understanding of the currentperspectives on patient experience in U.S.healthcare, determine the practices andprocesses that have the greatest impactand influence on healthcare consumers,and track how the market sees patientexperience evolving over time.

Built into this partnership is a continuationof The Beryl Institute’s efforts to expandthe conversation around patientexperience into one that represents theintegrated nature of a healthcareencounter—the sum of all interactions—encompassing all that occurs across thecontinuum of care, across touchpointsand transitions, in quality, safety, andservice efforts, and in its implications oncost and the issue of access. With thehelp of Ipsos, who brings over 30 years ofexperience capturing and understandingpatient experience sentiments fordifferent actors across the healthcareindustry, The Beryl Institute – Ipsos PXPulse will provide new insights on theexperience of consumers across varioushealth settings and specific aspects of ahealth encounter.

The Beryl Institute – Ipsos PX Pulse willprovide a common language by which todiscuss the evolving nature of patientexperience in the United States. Thisinaugural publication highlights what willbe a quarterly report sharing experiencetrends and providing new insights for thehealthcare industry.

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ROADMAP

NEW INSIGHTS DELIVERED QUARTERLY

The Beryl Institute – Ipsos PX Pulse effortwill publish findings quarterly, sharingnew insights from consumers abouthealthcare that will further elevate theconversations around patient experience.

The survey will ask five core questionsthat will track consumer perspectives onpatient experience and healthcare overall.

PX Pulse will help ensure that as theconversation on human experience inhealthcare continues to expand, a focus

on the needs of the consumer remainscentral to the evolving healthcare system.

In addition, each quarter will feature adeep dive into consumer experienceswithin specific health settings, includingprimary care, hospital care, emergencyand urgent care, as well as post-visit care.Consumers will also be asked aboutspecific dimensions of care, includingaccess, cost, and use of telemedicine.

A roadmap for The Beryl Institute – IpsosPX Pulse 2020 publications and theinsights to be included are outlinedbelow.

Release Month:

January Public Release

April Public Release

July Public Release

October Public Release

Healthcare Setting-specific Questions

Primary Care Acute Care / Hospital

Emergency Room / Urgent Care

Following Guidance about At-home / Post-visit Care

Domain-specific Questions

Access & Cost

Provider Communication

Factors Influencing Hospital Use

Telemedicine Practices

Scope of Consumer Practices

Telemedicine Portals

Framing Patient Experience

Core Questions Asked Each Quarter

1. Thinking about the healthcare system in America as a whole, overall, how would you rate the quality of healthcare in this country?

2. From the following list, which healthcare issue is most important to you?

3. Thinking about how you have experienced healthcare in the past year, how would you rate your overall experience?

4. Overall, how important is it that you have a good patient experience?

5. Why is having a good patient experience important to you?

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METHODOLOGY

This research was conducted usingonline surveys fielded through the IpsosKnowledgePanel®, one of the onlyprobability-based online panels that isrepresentative of the U.S. population.The KnowledgePanel was chosen toprovide one of the highest levels ofaccuracy and representativenessavailable on the web, allowing for theaccurate measurement of consumerexperiences, opinions, and behaviors inthe United States.

In total, 1,048 completed surveys wereobtained in the United States throughthe KnowledgePanel for this quarter’srelease. The survey was fielded to asample group of people that wererandomly selected to be representativeof the U.S. population in terms of Censusestimates of gender, age, race, ethnicity,education, income, and region. Thesurvey was fielded in English only.Findings presented in this report wereweighted to correct for any over- orunderrepresentation in the distributionof completed surveys across thesedemographic categories.

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CORE FINDINGS

Quality of Healthcare in America

Overall Care Experience in the Past 12 Months

45%

32% 6%16%

21% 27% 5%3%

34%12%

2%

3%

4%

4%

7%

7%

8%

8%

15%

19%

23%

Reducing the threat of infectious diseases

Communication with patients and their families

Quality of care provided by hospitals

Quality of care for people with chronic conditions

Treatment of people by the healthcare system

Access to quality hospitals

Cost of prescription drugs

Cost of hospital care

Cost of health insurance premiums

Out-of-pocket healthcare costs

Having affordable insurance options

Which healthcare issues are most important to you?

Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor

CONSUMERS ARE MORE POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR OWN CARE EXPERIENCES THAN ABOUT OVERALL HEALTHCARE QUALITY

In comparison to people’s assessmentson the overall quality of care in the UnitedStates, consumers are highly positiveabout their own personal experiences in ahealthcare setting within the last 12months. On a five-point response scale ofvery poor to very good, 66% of peoplereport a good / very good personalexperience, while only 46% of peoplereport a good / very good perception ofquality. These initial questions provide abaseline assessment of general attitudestowards experiences in the United Stateshealthcare system.

COST WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT HEALTHCARE ISSUE FOR CONSUMERS

Breaking down the issues people careabout most in healthcare, we see a largeshare of respondents address issues ofcost. About 73% of people prioritize issuesof cost, whether it be costs pertaining toinsurance coverage, prescription drugs,hospital care, or other out-of-pockethealthcare costs.

Quality-related issues, such as access toquality hospitals, quality of care, and howpeople are treated by the healthcaresystem are also cited as importanthealthcare issues.

6

1%

6%

35%58%

Not at all important Somewhat important

Very important Extremely important

25%

33%

33%

35%

43%

48%

51%

56%

67%

I see myself as acustomer

My time matters

Influence futurehealthcare decisions

I am spending mymoney on this

I want to be addressedas a person, not disease

I want/deserve to betreated with respect

Good PX contributes togood outcomes

I want my physicalneeds taken seriously

My health and wellbeingare important to me

Overall, how important is it that you have a good patient experience?

Experience influences expectations, which influence behavior, which further influences experience.

CONSUMERS SAY THAT PATIENT EXPERIENCE MATTERS TO THEM

Even though affordability and cost ofhealthcare are top-of-mind as importantissues, healthcare consumers also saythat having a good experience isimportant to them as patients. Comparedto the 73% of people who stated someaspect of cost is important to them inhealthcare, over 90% of people affirmthat good patient experience is eithervery important or extremely important.

A few of the top reasons stated for whygood patient experience is important toconsumers include their health beingimportant to them, knowing that theirphysical needs are being taken seriously,and believing that good patientexperience contributes to goodhealthcare outcomes.

These views reflect a growing body ofacademic research that consistentlyindicate patient experience is positivelyassociated with a wide range of importantclinical care outcomes. Theseassociations can be found across a widerange of disease areas, settings, outcomemeasures, and study designs.Additionally, patient experience mattersas an end in itself. At the human level, thefindings also reflect consumers’ desire tobe treated with respect and as a person—in line with the overall mission ofhealthcare.

Why is having a good patient experience important to you?

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PRIMARY CARE VISITS

2%

3%

4%

5%

11%

18%

18%

24%

26%

30%

32%

37%

Positive comments onsocial media

Awards and/or highrankings

High online ratings viaprovider website

High online ratings viaYelp, Google, etc.

Other reasons

Referred by anotherprovider

Convenient office hours

Friendly and respectfuloffice staff

Recommended byfamily/friends

Friendly and respectfulproviders

Included on insurancecompany list

Proximity of office tohome, work, or school

CONSUMERS ARE HIGHLY POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR PRIMARY CARE EXPERIENCES

Over 90% of consumers who have had aprimary care visit in the past three monthsreport being satisfied with their primarycare experiences and felt that their needsrelated to those visits were addressed. Iftheir needs weren’t met, consumerslargely report looking up informationonline (30%) or waiting to see if they feltbetter (25%).

The most common reasons for visiting aprimary care provider included going fortheir annual physical (48%), returning forfollow-up appointments (38%), annualwellness visits (25%), regular visits forchronic conditions (21%), and visits forlabs/procedures (20%).

Why did you pick your primary care provider?

61%

33%4%

2% Very satisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Somewhat dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

How satisfied were you with the visit(s)?

My primary care provider addressed all my needs related to my appointment.

62%

32%4%

2% Strongly agree

Somewhat agree

Somewhat disagree

Strongly disagree

ALONG WITH CONVENIENCE AND AVAILABILITY, THE FRIENDLINESS/RESPECTFULNESS OF STAFF ARE AMONG TOP REASONS CITED FOR CHOOSING A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER

The top reason consumers choose their specific primary care providers is the proximity of their offices to home, work, or school (37%), followed by their inclusion in an insurance company list of eligible providers (32%).

Friendliness and respectfulness of both providers (30%) and staff (24%) are also important factors in choosing primary care providers, underscoring the importance of consumer interactions.

Reviews, ratings, and awards had a comparatively lower impact on choosing a primary care provider.8

SOME CONSUMERS CITE ACCESS AND COST CHALLENGES TO GETTING CARE

In terms of cost and affordability,consumers strongly agree or agree thatthe co-pays they pay are reasonable (72%)and that they can afford to get thehealthcare they need (71%). A sizeableportion, however, also indicate that theyavoid non-urgent care visits due to costs(47%), suggesting challenges amongcertain consumer types in getting neededcare and concerns with unstated costs.

About 85% of consumers agree that theirinsurance provides access to theproviders they need to see, though 30%say that it is hard to find a providercovered by their insurance.

In terms of access, consumers felt that itwas easy to get to the healthcare facilitiesthey need to visit (87%), and that findingtransportation to reach the facility waseasy (86%). Similarly, consumers wereable to see a provider when needed for aroutine appointment (87%), get healthcarewhen they need it right away (78%), andhad reasonable wait times when visitingthe provider (77%).

Despite consumer experiences withaccess being reported as generallypositive, a sizeable proportion indicatethat they avoid non-urgent care visitsbecause of inconvenience (47%). Thissuggests that consumers may experienceaccess challenges that prevent themfrom addressing all their heath needs in atimely manner.

ACCESS & COST

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements:

47%

43%

55%

45%

28%

25%

29%

30%

22%

10%

19%

11%

7%

40%

44%

31%

40%

50%

52%

43%

41%

34%

38%

28%

34%

23%

10%

9%

8%

10%

16%

17%

17%

16%

19%

37%

28%

32%

35%

3%

3%

6%

5%

6%

5%

10%

13%

25%

16%

25%

23%

36%

It's easy to get to the health facilities I need to visit

I can see a provider when I need a routine appt.

Finding transportation to the health facility is easy

My insurance provides access to providers I need

I can get healthcare I need when I need it right away

Wait times are reasonable when I see a provider

The co-pays I have to pay upon a visit are reasonable

I can afford to get healthcare that I need

I take off work / change schedule for provider appt.

I would pay more to see my preferred provider

I avoid non-urgent visits because of cost

I avoid non-urgent visits because of inconvenience

It's hard to find a provider covered by my insurance

Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree9

CONSUMERS FIND IT EASY TO UNDERSTAND AND COMMUNICATE WITH PROVIDERS

Good communication skills and a positivepatient experience go hand-in-hand.Various studies have highlighted theimportance of provider communicationand interpersonal relationships inimproving overall care experience.

The vast majority of consumers find iteasy to understand what their healthcareproviders are saying (94%) and arecomfortable discussing personal healthissues with them (91%).

Consumers who did not find it easy tocommunicate with providers asked thatthey use more layman’s terms instead ofmedical jargon, appear less rushed, listento their issues more closely, and clearlyexplain different treatment options anddisease causes.

60%

31%

5%

1%3%

Very comfortableSomewhat comfortableSomewhat uncomfortableVery uncomfortableDon't know

COMMUNICATION

60%

34%

5%

1%

Very EasySomewhat EasySomewhat DifficultVery Difficult

What healthcare providers could have been done better, as told by the consumers:

“Ask if I’d like to take notes and allow me time to write down what they are saying”

“Stop using words that only people in the medical field use”

“Spend more time explaining why”

6% of people found it difficult to understand what the healthcare provider was saying

6% of people were uncomfortable discussing health issues with a healthcare provider

What healthcare providers could have been done better, as told by the consumers:

“Treat me like a human and listen to my issues”

“Not appear rushed or uninterested”

“Explain different options and causes”

“Treat me like a person”

“Be more open”

How comfortable do you feel talking to your doctor about health issues?

When you go to a healthcare provider, how easy or difficult is it to understand what they are saying?

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IMPACT OF PATIENT EXPERIENCE

PATIENT EXPERIENCE IS SIGNIFICANT IN CONSUMER HEALTHCARE DECISIONS

The vast majority (94%) of consumersindicate that patient experience issignificant to decisions about their own ortheir family’s healthcare—reinforcing theimportance of promoting a positivepatient experience.

Overall, consumers also report havingmore positive experiences (70%) thannegative experiences (12%), which isconsistent with the findings reported inThe Beryl Institute’s 2018 ConsumerPerspectives on Patient ExperienceReport.

In terms of impact, consumers withpositive experiences are likely to continueto use the same healthcare provider /organization and tell others about theirexperience. Consumers with negativeexperiences are likely to tell others suchas providers, health organizations, friends,family, and through larger social media /review channels.

2% 4%

35%59%

Not at all significant Somewhat significant

Very significant Extremely significant

How significant is patient experience to your decisions about your healthcare or your

family’s healthcare?

70% of consumers said they had a positive experience in the past 12 months

12% of consumers said they had a negative experience in the past 12 months

0%

1%

2%

2%

4%

8%

16%

23%

37%

63%

2%

2%

5%

6%

3%

18%

25%

21%

47%

26%

Notify governmental or rating agency

Volunteer to provide ongoing feedback

Post comment/review on social media

Send comment(s) directly to insurer

Comment/review on healthcare org. website.

Send comment(s) directly to healthcare org.

Send comment(s) directly to provider/team

None of the above

Tell another person about experience

Continue/stop going to provider/org.

Negative experience Positive experience

Did you do any of the following as a result of your positive or negative experience?

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TAKEAWAYS

The Beryl Institute - Ipsos PX Pulse willhelp put consumer voices and the humanexperience at the forefront of healthcareimprovement discussions. This inauguralpublication furthers this aim by sharingkey consumer insights with the healthcareindustry:

• Consumers are more positive abouttheir own care experiences (66%) thanabout overall healthcare quality (46%).

• Cost is the most important healthcareissue for consumers, with 73%prioritizing some cost-related issue likeinsurance coverage or drug prices.

• Over 90% of consumers say that patientexperience is either very important orextremely important.

• Consumers are highly positive abouttheir primary care experiences, withover 90% reporting being satisfied withtheir visits and having their care needsmet.

• Some consumers cite access and costchallenges to getting care, with 47%saying they avoid non-urgent visits dueto costs and inconvenience.

• Over 90% of consumers find it easy tounderstand and communicate withtheir providers.

• Patient experience is a significant factor(94%) in consumer healthcare decisions.

• Consumers have had more positivecare experiences within the past 12months (70%) than negative careexperiences (12%).

A LOOK AHEAD AT THE INSIGHTSTO COME

The Beryl Institute - Ipsos PX Pulse willcontinue releasing quarterly reports tofurther elevate the conversation aroundpatient experience.

The next quarter’s release will include adeep dive into the consumer experiencewith acute hospital care. This includesasking consumers about their satisfactionwith the overall experience, how easy itwas to understand acute care providers,and how respectful acute care providerswere during their stay, among othertopics. In addition, consumers will beasked about the factors that influencetheir decisions to use certain hospitals, aswell as their own experiences withtelemedicine providers.

PX Pulse will also continue asking its fivecore questions each quarter, developing anational barometer for consumer careexperiences that can be trended andmeasured against larger changes in thehealthcare delivery landscape. Ashealthcare continues to evolve, PX Pulsewill provide healthcare stakeholders withdependable, representative insights onhow consumers experience thosechanges and how the changes impacttheir ability to receive care.

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