Many top health systems still behind on digital patient access, report finds

Though the pandemic has accelerated health organizations’ digital initiatives, the race to keep up with patient preferences continues to be challenging for many top-ranked hospitals, a new analysis from Kyruus finds.

The health tech company assessed the top 20 hospitals in the U.S. according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. It looked at four categories—consumer engagement tools, an easy and modern search experience, consumer-centric filtering options and self-service booking capabilities—to determine areas of strength and opportunities for improvement when it comes to digital patient access and engagement.

Overall, hospitals need to focus more on the end-to-end consumer experience, with the ability to find care online, book an appointment and prepare for it with ease, according to the analysis.

Only one-quarter of health systems have virtual assistants or chatbots, Kyruus found, though they are considered highly helpful to patients. More than half display clear and embedded calls to action that prompt consumers to do things like book appointments online or call a number to schedule one. While many also have mobile apps for existing patients, just over a third have apps through which new patients can find or schedule care without creating an account.