Customer relationship management (CRM) is regarded as one of the most important areas to focus on in the modern business world. Health care used to be the sector of the economy that paid limited attention to this matter, but recently an increasing number of health organizations acknowledge the critical role of CRM for their development (Mohiuddin, 2019). The primary elements of CRM, or patient retention management (PRM) as some scholars refer to it, include proper reporting and data analytics, efficient communication channels with customers and organizations, using different platforms (computers, smartphones, and tablets), and a personalized approach (Poku, Behkami, & Bates, 2017). Atrium Health has CRM practices that have proved to be beneficial for its growth, but the organization should introduce new strategies to attract new customers and retain existing ones.
As far as the effective CRM practices at Atrium are concerned, Proactive Health can be regarded as a comprehensive project that can become the basis for their future CRM. The organization provides wellnesses services that imply an integrated approach to the delivery of personalized care (Atrium Health, 2019). Patients receive reports and reminders, as well as recommendations based on the data the healthcare professionals receive via mobile devices. However, this kind of personalized relationship is available for a limited group of patients (who pay for the program participation). One of the practices to improve the CRM of Atrium Health is to introduce different communication channels based on patients’ practices (Poku et al., 2017). Although computer- and mobile-based communication channels are common, people tend to prefer different platforms, so it is pivotal to use the preferred type of communication.
It is essential to ensure the use of a sophisticated information systems that could store data provided by customers, analyze this information, and assist in making the most appropriate decisions. These systems should be compatible with the existing software and processes (Fibuch & Ahmed, 2015). The use of advanced information systems is critical for health organizations’ competitiveness as they need to use a vast bulk of data, which guarantees the delivery of high-quality care. Finally, in order to remain competitive in the nearest future, healthcare organizations should ensure the provision of personalized relationships where customers address a team of professionals throughout the patient lifecycle. The team members should not change (the team can be only expanded), which will contribute to the development of trusting patient-doctor relationships (Poku et al., 2017). This approach is necessary for the establishment of effective patient-doctor relationships that lead to care improvement and increased patient satisfaction as modern people seek personalized services.
In order to improve CRM, the organization will need to focus on such pieces of information as patients’ age, preferable communication type, health history, expected health outcomes, and health-related beliefs. This data will help to create patients’ profiles and identify their needs (depending on their age and health history) and expectations (health-related beliefs). For instance, younger patients may prefer mobile-based platforms and social networks in particular (Poku et al., 2017). It is noteworthy that the so-called population Z is growing in number and tends to pay more attention to wellness, which is associated with numerous opportunities not to be wasted. The elderly is another group that is increasing, and these people have different preferences as to the communication channel. Older patients are in favor of personal contact although they can also use computers and mobile devices.
The focus on health history and expected health outcomes is beneficial for the organization as this information will be instrumental in the development of the most effective treatment plans. Health-related beliefs shape people’s expectations as to healthcare services provided, so it is important to consider patients’ cultural peculiarities to make the offered treatment well-understood and accepted. Understanding patients’ needs will enable the organization to cater to high-quality healthcare services.
The patients can be asked to complete questionnaires during their first visit that will cover the areas mentioned above (including age, health history, cultural background). This strategy will help the organization elicit the most relevant information once a patient starts using the services. It is also possible to provide similar questionnaires to the existing patients once a year to keep the records updated. Apart from the questions related to demographic data and personal data, the surveys should include some open-ended questions (see Table 1).
Table 1. Survey Questions and Their Justification.
In conclusion, it is necessary to note that Atrium Health has acknowledged the critical role CRM plays in health organizations’ development. The organization in question has such programs as Proactive Health that have the features of effective CRM, but it is still important to introduce new practices. The use of a sophisticated information system and the provision of personalized care can help Atrium Health to remain competitive.
References
Atrium Health. (2019). A new kind of healthcare experience. Web.
Fibuch, E., & Ahmed, A. (2015). Managing customer relationships: A health care imperative. Physician Leadership Journal, 2(1), 28-33.
Mohiuddin, A. K. (2019). Patient relationship management: A CRM approach to patient care. International Journal of Health and Clinical Research, 2(2), 1-11.
Poku, M. K., Behkami, N. A., & Bates, D. W. (2017). Patient relationship management: What the U.S. healthcare system can learn from other industries. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 32(1), 101-104. Web.