Healthcare's Next Frontier: Meeting the Demand for Exceptional Patient Experience

Published: January 14, 2025

This blog has been adapted for Stamford Health web purposes and was originally published in the Stamford Advocate on Sunday, December 22, 2024.

Since 2021, Gallup, one of the nation’s most trusted research and analytics firms, has tracked American views on healthcare. In a report released this December, the results were sobering: Americans reported the lowest positive rating of U.S. healthcare in 24 years.

Unsurprisingly, Gallup identified cost and access as the most urgent issues. Locally, we see this play out every day, and Stamford Health has taken a multi-faceted approach to address these challenges—expanding our network of primary care providers, improving digital tools for scheduling and test results, and delivering $98 million in uncompensated care in 2023. We have also employed community health workers to connect underserved populations with resources, overcoming socioeconomic or language barriers.

Yet, there is an often-overlooked piece of this complex puzzle: patient experience.

The Beryl Institute’s Ipsos PX Pulse, which tracks consumer perspective, found that only 62% of patients report a positive healthcare experience-- the lowest level since 2021. This widening gap between patient expectations and reality challenges health systems to rethink the care journey from the ground up.

To meet this challenge, health systems can draw inspiration from industries like hospitality, where exceptional customer experiences are built on personalized service, attention to detail, and making every guest feel cared for. Hospitals are not hotels, of course, but they can embrace a similar mindset to lift burdens off patients and families by providing person-centered care—care that sees patients as individuals, not just cases.

At Stamford Health, we begin with listening. Patient surveys are critical tools for identifying pain points and co-designing the care experience with the people we serve. It’s this commitment to listening and responding that earned Stamford Health Planetree Gold Certification—an honor achieved by fewer than 100 health systems worldwide. By integrating patient feedback into our care model, we ensure that every decision, big or small, reflects our patients' needs.

Patients have told us that while a hospital visit can be inherently stressful, they deeply value human connection and personalized care. Sometimes, the smallest gestures carry the greatest impact. For example, we take cues from top-tier restaurants by creating tailored in-patient meals for cultural and religious celebrations, such as Rosh Hashanah and Chinese New Year. Holiday caroling, information about religious observances broadcast on bedside TVs, and moments of joy—like Nutcracker performances in our lobby—bring comfort to patients during challenging times.

These efforts go beyond sentimentality. Studies show that emotional well-being plays a key role in healing. At Stamford Health, we partner with a local professional orchestra whose music therapists visit patients to enhance recovery. In one unforgettable instance, a stroke patient spoke for the first time in their recovery during a music therapy session—a milestone that brought tears to the patient’s family and care team. While grand gestures are meaningful, a positive patient experience often comes down to consistency in the small things. When a member of our Concierge Team ensures a patient is warm and comfortable during an unexpected ER visit, or when they help a pediatric patient feel at ease with activity books and toys, it’s not just about comfort—it’s about dignity.

In many ways, we all know what this feels like. It’s the warm cookie handed to you at a hotel check-in or the complimentary dessert at your favorite restaurant. In healthcare, these thoughtful touches help patients and their families focus on what matters most: healing.

Ultimately, delivering exceptional patient experiences is about more than technology or data—it’s about cultivating a culture of empathy and respect. By listening to our patients, honoring their individuality, and consistently innovating to meet their needs, we can redefine what it means to deliver truly positive, patient-centered care.

Healthcare’s next frontier is not just about cost or access. It’s about creating experiences that make every patient feel seen, heard, and supported. At Stamford Health, that is the care we are committed to providing—today, and every day.

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