Health Satisfaction

An article online at AISHealth.com (oddly dated for June 27, although it's online today) talks about the growing practice of utilizing customer satisfaction surveying in Heath Plan selling and delivery.

Although clearly a b2b styled article, it offers a great prescription (pun intended) for Health companies to work with clients in improving customer satisfaction. The three step approach that they offer is typical of Customer Experience programs within other Industries. Money quote:

"One of the best ways to build and sustain high customer satisfaction is to implement a communications strategy that encompasses both active listening and proactive outreach to members. "

One of the challenges I see in measuring Customer Satisfaction within Health Plans is the lifecycle of the client and what their feedback will be from a health services side versus a plan servicing and claims side. That is, their experience (and subsequent satisfaction) may be adversely impacted by the treatment they receive, as opposed to the ability of the Health Plan to provide service and coverage as required.

What Health Insurers and Health Plan companies should do is develop programs that monitor service and coverage of a series of life events (births, operations, etc) and as their programs are tailored, so to should the service experienced by the client.

The client that is going into or recovering from an operation may need assistance with a claim. Dealing with a new born at home and processing a claim could also be troublesome. The processes should allow for life events and underlying circumstances, or the true satisfaction may not be captured.