Stericycle Communication Solutions Survey Finds Patient Satisfaction Declined During Pandemic

Stericycle Communication Solutions, an industry leader in patient engagement technology and solutions and a service of Stericycle, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRCL), today announced the results of its U.S. Consumer Trends in Patient Engagement Survey, conducted at a pivotal moment in time when consumers across the country were faced with unprecedented challenges related to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the survey was to gain an understanding of current U.S. healthcare consumer behaviors and attitudes regarding their patient experience during the pandemic.

The survey examined provider communications, missed appointments, virtual and in-person visits, and mental health during the pandemic. Findings reinforce the need for health systems to effectively re-establish communication with patients in order to rebuild trust and help patients adapt and succeed with both digital and in-person experiences. Findings were based on an online- and telephone-based survey of more than 500 consumers across all 50 states that was representative of various household incomes, marital statuses, geographies and ages.

“The findings of our inaugural survey are indicative of a notable shift in patient behavior and expectations around provider communication, insights more important than ever during this critical time of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout,” said Matt Dickson, vice president of product and strategy and general manager of Stericycle Communication Solutions. “Re-establishing communication with patients needs to be a primary focus of hospitals and health systems to get patients back on track with their care and reconnected to their providers.”

Key report findings show that:

Provider communication missed the mark

The pandemic exposed and magnified existing weaknesses in patient communication and scheduling. When the pandemic hit in the U.S., the combination of lockdowns and fear of the virus set off massive cancellations of in-person medical services and the postponement of elective surgeries. Roughly half (51%) of patients in the survey report being contacted “fairly quickly” about rescheduling their cancelled appointments. However, for more than one-quarter (27%), it “took a while” for their healthcare providers to contact them to reschedule. Another 8% of respondents were still waiting to hear from their providers months after their existing appointments were cancelled.