{"id":624226,"date":"2021-06-03T08:00:09","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T12:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/?p=624226"},"modified":"2023-01-14T00:23:09","modified_gmt":"2023-01-14T05:23:09","slug":"higher-expectations-less-patience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/research\/articles\/topics\/healthcare\/higher-expectations-less-patience\/","title":{"rendered":"Higher Expectations, Less Patience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Only about 10%. That\u2019s the amount of time a patient typically spends with the care provider during a medical appointment. The other 90% of the time patients are mostly waiting to check in, waiting for their exam, waiting for tests, waiting for results, waiting for a consultation regarding the next step in their care.<\/p>\n

Waiting is an inescapable part of healthcare. And every moment that patients and their families spend waiting or transitioning to the next step in the process can have a huge impact on their perceptions of quality and their overall impression about the care they receive.<\/p>\n

Steelcase Health research reinforces that it\u2019s impossible to separate the act of care from where it occurs, including and especially the areas where patients wait. In fact, in one survey, 63% of patients said the most stressful part of visiting their doctor is the time they spend waiting in the lobby.<\/p>\n

Though often overlooked, waiting and transition spaces are taking on new importance in today\u2019s competitive healthcare marketplace where every element of the patient\u2019s experience matters. Thanks to the surge of technology in everyday life, we\u2019ve come to expect receiving something very soon after we\u2019ve decided we want or need it, whether that\u2019s an Uber pickup, an Amazon delivery or an answer from Google or Alexa. When it comes to service, \u201cASAP\u201d is often no longer good enough; we want responsiveness geared to us and our timeframes. We\u2019ve also become comparison shoppers, researching our choices and comparing their ratings. Because of these pervasive trends, patients and their families have become savvier consumers with escalating expectations. They\u2019re shopping around for care and reporting their experiences online \u2013 the good, the meh and the bad \u2013 especially the bad. These new expectations and behaviors are challenging healthcare to change.<\/p>\n

“A real question for healthcare organizations is how waiting can be made a valuable part of the healthcare experience, not just a necessary evil.”<\/p>Seth StarnerSteelcase Health Researcher<\/span><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n

At the same time, healthcare organizations are facing substantial pressures as they struggle to recover from COVID-related revenue drops, which can range from 20-30% according to several recent studies. With non-essential healthcare appointments on hold for months, COVID generated a massive shift to virtual care. There are strong signals that virtual care is here to stay, a valued solution for a significant number of care needs. At the same time, according to a recent McKinsey study, many patients are also returning to in-person care, either because of personal preference or the nature of their ailment or need. Regardless, the time-related convenience of virtual visits has had impact on expectations regarding in-person care. Patients have less patience than ever for waiting, considering their own time \u2013 not just the doctor\u2019s \u2013 a valuable commodity. The same is true for the family members or others who often accompany them.<\/p>\n

\u201cA real question for healthcare organizations is how waiting can be made a valuable part of the health care experience, not just a necessary evil,\u201d says Steelcase Health Researcher Seth Starner. \u201cFrom the patient\u2019s perspective, the waiting experience is part of how I determine the quality of care I receive. Yes, it\u2019s time-related \u2013 the longer I wait, the less positive my view. But a big component of the evaluation is also spatial. Do the waiting and transition spaces help me feel better about the 10% of my appointment time that\u2019s active engagement with my care provider? Is the space clean? Does it feel safe? Is it welcoming? Is it comfortable? Is it a functional place where I have choices and can be productive while I wait?\u201d<\/p>\n

Time to Revisit Waiting<\/h2>\n

The right settings can create welcoming waiting experiences that set the stage for positive interactions with care providers. As recovery from the massive disruption of COVID continues, future-focused healthcare organizations are seizing this opportunity to completely rethink their waiting spaces and explore new paradigms. As Starner puts it, \u201cWas it ever a good idea just to have rows and rows of connected seating in waiting spaces? And is the best solution now just to run tape across some of those chairs and put in more sanitizer stations?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"waiting<\/p>\n

The good news is there are many ways to create more efficient, adaptable and patient-pleasing waiting spaces. What\u2019s key, says Starner, is to focus on waiting and transition spaces as experiences to be designed not just operational necessities. Here are six design principles that can help steer you toward creating an effective solution.<\/p>\n

Design for productive waiting<\/h3>\n