In order for health systems to “not be commoditized fully,” they need to collect data to know their patients’ behaviors better and build stronger relationships with them, argued Sara Vaezy, Providence’s chief strategy and digital officer. Consumer brands like Amazon have been doing this for years so they can deliver personalized experiences to their users, and it’s time hospitals take a page out of their playbook, she said.

Patient demand for digital payment communication — both reminders about bills, as well as text messages that enable bill payment — is on the rise, according to a recent report. This is in line with growing consumerism trends in the U.S. — patients want their healthcare payment experience to mimic the convenience and ease they have when they pay for things like travel or retail goods.

Healthcare consumerism and prioritizing the customer experience to boost loyalty are key focus areas for providers and payers in the months and years ahead.

Health systems are trying to deploy self-scheduling technology to meet patients’ demand for consumer-friendly tools. However, a lack of physician buy-in is preventing the technology from taking off.

We’re past the point of technology being a Band-Aid to get practices through a pandemic. Investing in the right digital tools can help practices attract new business, get them paid faster and provide better patient care.

The Iowa-based health system will leverage b.well Connected Health’s platform and services to enable patients to view and share their health data. The platform will also allow patients to access all of UnityPoint’s digital tools in one location.

Consumers want the healthcare industry to meet them where they are, and this shift in patient mindset has expanded the definition of home healthcare and who benefits from it, according to a panel at MedCity INVEST Digital Health conference.

Healthcare is in the midst of a digital revolution, unlike anything the industry has experienced before. But, according to CHIME CEO Russell Branzell, the growing dependence on technology for patient care and remote work is raising concerns related to cyberattacks.

What would the future look like if we continue down the path of active healthcare consumerism?

In a Definitive Healthcare survey of more than 1,000 healthcare leaders, industry consolidation earned 25.2 percent of the votes and the title of the top healthcare trend in 2019.

In a phone interview, Allscripts CEO Paul Black chatted about interoperability, artificial intelligence and provider burnout, as well as what Allscripts has been up to recently.

A new report about the state of consumerism in healthcare shows that hospitals and health systems do not have the means to gather and analyze data about their patients.