How Health Plans Can Improve Member Growth and Retention by Offering Digital Solutions
With the rise of digital technology in healthcare, health plan members have come to expect a high level of service and experience. If a health plan doesn’t deliver everything that its members need—exactly when they need it—they will start to shop around. And it won’t take long to find a health plan that has all the tools and services that meet their expectations.
One way that health plans can improve member growth and retention is through digital solutions. According to a report from The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital delivery, both care and medicine benefits and also enrollment. This acceleration was in response to consumer demand and health plan providers realizing that digital technology is a good way to keep their members out of their physician’s office and still get the care they need.
Let’s take a closer look at how digital solutions may help to build retention, increase satisfaction, and improve member growth for health plans.
Using Digital Solutions to Deliver Exceptional Member Experience
User experience impacts everything from the meals we order to the clothes we purchase. It also influences health plans, and excellent user experiences can lead to member growth and higher retention. Digital solutions are one effective way to improve your members’ user experiences. Think about tapping into these four digital options to shape up your member experience:
Send appointment reminders via their preferred channel.
During signup, members often declare their favorite method of communication. Based on the member’s preference, send appointment reminders by email, text, or phone call.
Give members access to their health plan representatives via phone, chat, or email.
When a member has a question, make it easy for them to reach a representative. Keep contact information up to date and readily available, so members can reach their reps by phone, chat, or email.
Provide easy access to health records.
Not being able to review vaccination records or doctor appointments or lab results is frustrating. Online digital portals or mobile health apps can put all this information at their fingertips.
Give them personalized attention from your sales team.
Members will appreciate personalized attention when it comes exactly when they need it. For example, when they are growing out of their current health plan. Digital services can help you know when these moments are happening, so you can engage with members at the right time and in the right way.
Keeping Regular Contact with Members
Digital services make it easier to have regular communications with members, and keeping in touch with them is a great way to strengthen relationships and improve retention. Here are a few ways (some can even be automated) that health plans can stay in touch with members:
- Send out a congratulation email after a member has a new baby.
- Inquire about a member’s health after a medical procedure.
- Notify a member about a drug recall or a new drug relevant to their condition.
- Remind them to schedule ongoing services, such as a flu shot or annual checkup.
Identifying Opportunities for Preventive Care
Health care members are relying more and more on digital services. Wearables such as Fitbit are also part of the digital trend, and they can help health plans identify preventive care opportunities by leveraging heart health, sleep, physical activity, and BMI data.
Preventative care supports healthy choices. By helping members identify care opportunities before they become an issue, health plans position themselves as a great resource for their members.
