Can you have patient/customer evangelists in healthcare?

With the dynamic and changing healthcare environment, satisfaction with services is but one indicator, abet an important one, in qualifying for additional incentive payments in a value-based payment model. But satisfaction is really only a measure of future potential purchase or repurchase. It is not as commonly assumed, to be a predictor of loyalty. Just because someone says they are likely to return or recommend you to another, is only an indicator of potential purchase not loyalty.

The hospital CEO, medical business leader, managing partner, vice president, director, manger and employees need to be focusing on creating customer evangelists to not just survive, but grow and thrive in a value-based healthcare payment system.

A customer evangelist is an individual, who has such an outstanding experience that they freely become your brand spokesperson in the community. They are not paid. They have no financial sake in your survival, but have come to believe so completely in what you do, they drive business to you.

Notice I did not say patient or customer satisfaction. Anyone can have good and even high patient satisfaction scores. But, that my friend is the fix you are in. High satisfaction scores do not for one minute translate into customer evangelists. Don’t stop measuring satisfaction; you have to for a variety of reasons. I say focus on creating customer evangelists through outstanding patient-centered, or customer-centered experiences and the scores will be fine.

Ask yourself these questions.

Do you want an unassailable position in the market?

Do you want to be the market leader in healthcare?

Do you want to grow and not merely survive?

Do you want the area's best doctors on your medical staff?

If you answered yes to all the above, then you need to focus on creating patient/customer evangelists.

No better time then like the present to start.