Figuring out what to expect next with the COVID-19 pandemic might be as simple as figuring out the right way to listen to patients.
Officials at Boston-based Kyruus — a company that offers provider search, scheduling, and data management — says one of the windows into understanding how to respond to patient demand is watching the queries patients make as they search for information on health system websites.
"In the pandemic days, we certainly did see COVID-related terms rise in terms of the related searches that were being done," said Erin Jospe, M.D., chief medical officer at Kyruus.
But beyond that, the search data the company began to see appeared to indicate other shifting concerns and priorities for patients — particularly when it comes to behavioral health needs, Jospe said.
Here's a look at some of the findings healthcare providers can glean about future healthcare demand due to the pandemic and how they can better use their own websites to understand and meet the demand.
FH: What are some of the trends you've been seeing since March?
EJ: Many of these searchers are being conducted on their website in their “Find a Provider” tool. So what types of conditions are they searching for? What type of specialties are they searching for?
What we’re seeing is a tremendous peak in gynecological care being a consistent high percentage of searches as well as searches being conducted for behavioral health and for chronic conditions. Where this becomes important for a health system is to understand, 'Do they have the capacity to meet that demand? How can they get creative to meet that? Do they have providers who could provide behavioral health care? Do they need to think about other partnerships or relationships for telemedicine or is that something they can offer themselves? What types of providers should be made available? How can they leverage their advanced practitioners like their nurse pracitioners and their PAs to meet some of this demand? So it’s really looking and seeing what their patients are wanting and then how can they best meet that need. That’s what really helpful to have the data to support what you anecdotally suspect.
FH: Why do you think we're seeing these shifts in healthcare-related search trends online?
EJ: I think that people are acknowledging they need to take good care of themselves, that there is a lot out there right now that is a potential assault to ones health. For gynecologic care, it is really important. Do you have contraception available to you? Do you understand what your options are? ... I would be interested if people are also looking to shore up some things as their financial pictures are changing. As jobs are being lost or people feel at risk for unemployment, making sure you’ve got access to contraception and making sure you’ve tied off as much of your healthcare as you can may also be a driving force.
Then, as I was saying, from a mental health standpoint I think it’s more acceptable to acknowledge that everyone is impacted from a behavioral health standpoint from living through a pandemic. I think the more we become comfortable with that, the more we can expect people to reach out for care and say "I am suffering and I want to be better," It's very vulnerable and powerful statement for patients to be able to make. We’re seeing that reflected in searches.
FH: How can providers best respond to some of these trends?
EJ: There are lots of searches for pregnancy-related issues. Women’s health has been much higher than in comparable times in years’ past. So for exaple, really making sure women’s health is discoverable [on a health system webpage] is really important because we are seeing that reflected in the search trends ... Do people need family planning guides now? Part of the opportunity here is to think creatively about how to meet that demand. What type of educational materials should be on your website? What type of service line pages can be there to further guide patients. Who should see patients and how can we make sure that the create swath of patients gets the care they need. It’s an exciting time and its exicting to see data driving what otherwise would’ve been anecdotal hypothesis.
FH: One of the big concerns early on in the pandemic was: Where are all the patient's with heart attacks. There was a real concern that people were putting their lives at risk as they avoided medical settings. How is that reflected in the searches?
EJ: I don’t think people aren’t having heart attacks or strokes. I think they’re dying at home. Some of this is creating a message that we’re not going to see reflected in search behaviors so much because theose are acute and rapidly unfolding conditions in those settings. It is a question of: how can health systems reassure patients that they can and should still be seeking care in some of the more traditional mechanisms? You want to make sure people know they can safely come into clinical spaces. We’re certainly seeing those types of educational outreach campaigns taking place and, to good effect. Of course, my hope is with more searches like these being done for diabetes and heart disease and cholesterol management, what we’re hopefully doing is getting care to people before they have complex issues.
And that, in conjunction with the assurance they can come back for those types of visits as well, and that there are other visit modalities that can help address some of those needs, is also going to be an important aspect of care so people don’t need to go to the emergency department. You can make those interventions sooner and be able to keep people healthier.
FH: Do some of these search patterns indicate a pent-up demand health systems should be paying attention to?
EJ: As restrictions are loosening, we’re seeing a number of bookings going up particularly through that front door [set up on physician websites.] Drastic, drastic increases in people wanting to book those appointments.One of our customers, for example, really has the numbers that reflect that desire to be seen now and get in while the window exists. Those type of appointments run the gamut from chronic conditions, gynecologic care is another big example of the types of appointments people are looking for, and then acute care needs. Piedmont [Health] is top of mind because their numbers came out recently. [They] just saw really stunning increases in the number of appointments that have been booked now. Just over the last few weeks.
FH: What do you mean when you say they are trying to book while the window exists?
EJ: There is a realistic concern that those restrictions will need to be put back in place with both COVID and flu-season. I think it's our expectations of what our timelines might be. What is my workweek looking like, where do I have opportunities to engage this way? Or childcare is opening back up now, but will it go away? Can I get everything done now in this window before things evolve again. There’s definitely a thought on the part of the general population that "I may have some increased freedoms, but just like we had to clamp down before, you never really see the clampdown coming. So how can I make sure I’m using my time wisely." I’m not saying people should be paranoid, but I do appreciate the resiliency I think people need to show.
FH: What are some of the biggest changes health systems and physicians offices should be making in their online communications?
EJ: It’s not enough to just be able to have a search that suggests a provider when you can then in that same moment say “Book here now.” That’s really closing the loop. The health systems that are embracing that ability to directly book those telemedicine visits are seeing patients really convert that way ... Those numbers are going to be important from a recovery standpoint of the health system. It is a mutual good. We want them to come to the health system. We want patients to get the care that they need in the time that they need it. So it’s amazing how quickly people were able to pivot to different visits and offerings in telemedicine. The types of outreach they are doing to assuage concerns about coming in and seeking care. Those two things in conjunction with the ability to direct book those appointments are translating to actual visits.
FH: What changes in healthcare that have resulted from the pandemic do you expect to stick?
EJ: I am really hopeful mental health will start to get the attention it deserves. I think it feels very important. The data is bearing that out that this is something people are seeking and we need to do a better job of meeting that demand, of providing education. If it wasn’t just a good enough reason that because people are suffering, we should treat that, there are huge economic ramifications to untreated mental health. I think as we begin as healthcare providers to really internalize that, I would love to see those searches as an asset of that reflected need really begin to be met ... And we should be prepare just like with potential baby booms, for this potential influx of substance abuse, of eating disorders, of addiction or depression, and anxiety. Behavioral health will have its time in the sun. I wish it didn't take something like a pandemic to surface it. We are seeing the data back this is going to be a real need that is going to be addressed much sooner than later.
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