Bumrungrad International, THAILAND

Dr Chatchai Arthur Yachantha

Introduction

Telehealth was unquestionably used during the pandemic and tended to set groundbreaking rules for new generations. Several companies and medical facilities were being forced to jump down onto this cyber-cruise to secure their business by customers. However, many have failed telehealth and yet were unable to understand why their patients and customers dropped out of the service both online and offline. The engagement attempts were put right after. However, it was too late to retain their customers. This article will discuss three key success factors for engaging patients and customers.

From VUCA to BANI

An acronym introduced by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus in their book "Leaders. The Strategies For Taking Charge" in 1985 and being used frequently during the COVID-19 pandemic to explain customer settings, VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) was evolved to BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible) by JamaisCascio which extended over anthropologic thought on liquid modernity. The reflects on BANI by customers are becoming unpredictable and cause challenges to the business vastly as customers and patients react to the more complex changes.

Factors to engage patients using Telehealth Experience

Throughout the distance and BANI world, telehealth is the first port of entry for customers and patients prior to their steps outside residences to the medical facility. Patients usually search for their symptoms which somewhat leads to the pre-assumption of their symptoms. Anxiety leads them to panic about their symptoms. Therefore, telehealth must act itself with these three factors:

(1) Screening Triage with Recommendation

Telehealth shall deploy its experience to empower patients or customers to search regarding their concerns on symptoms and allow the patients to connect right through medical staff to confirm their symptoms. The service experience can be further elevated by the introduction of the support provision, such as calling an ambulance or reaching a pharmacy store. Such access provisions by telehealth will create trust in their experience with hospital care.

"Throughout the distance and BANI world, telehealth is the first port of entry for customers and patients prior to their steps outside residences to the medical facility"

(2) Connecting Multiple and Complex Dots

Apart from using telehealth as the primary tool to connect to care, telehealth platforms should be designed to offer flexible experiences with connectivity. Patients shall be able to sit relaxingly waiting for the at-home blood collection service and other possibilities, including physiotherapy, nutrition consultation, and care team support. All the information is also being monitored, recorded, and made accessible from the fingertip of the patient. With this, the patient or family member will be able to experience the smooth one-touch services provided by the medical facility. Such platform design will also allow the doctor and nursing teams to provide extended care and follow-up for better patient experiences. Peace of mind in the care continuum will be in place just right at the mobile screen.

(3) Data Analysis Intelligence for Further Care

To fully satisfy patients or customers using telehealth, it must be able to offer a wide range of data analysis intelligence to create 'from cure to wellness' experiences using telehealth. In general, telehealth session usually ends for single use only. The key to success is enhancing the gathered data to propose patient wellness care. This will lead to a better experience for the patient, including the family. Further engagement to lead to highly advanced care of the patient and family will leverage the patient experience up to a maximum level.

Despite the pandemic, telehealth has become the new medical care norm. Enhancing the capability of telehealth to serve patients' wellness will also turn the care business from health to wealth in the BANI world.