Many health insurance companies and healthcare provider organizations understand that supporting effective health consumerism is a foundational component of a better system, and therefore, a strategic imperative for their company.
The question? “How do I get there from here?”
Generally speaking, the health industry is not a high performing sector in terms of meeting the needs and expectations of consumers. Although health companies provide value in many ways, at their core, health plans are risk managers and healthcare providers are clinical organizations.
The healthcare consumer journey presents two major challenges: cultural transformation and technical execution.
Much has been studied and written about organizational cultural transformation. Most often, legacy companies fail to fully realize their transformation vision. A good starting point is belief. Does your executive leadership really understand and support the effort? Is your company prepared to invest in and persist through the journey? Does your company see the strategic value in creating a consumer-focused culture?
Technical execution is the second challenge. Operating a consumer-focused company requires several foundational building blocks including:
Done well, this journey can be a game changer for your company and a true sustainable competitive advantage. Companies that complete the journey are ensured accelerated growth, a strengthened brand and the ability to deliver better value for their consumers and stakeholders.
The good news is that value can be added along each step of this journey.