How Customer Portals Are Revolutionizing Healthcare CRM?

Over the past few years, significant changes have occurred in healthcare. The most significant change is the increased use of customer portals. Patients can book appointments, view their medical records, and speak with doctors online through healthcare portals.

It’s part of a larger system known as healthcare CRM, which assists hospitals and clinics in managing their relationships with patients. But customer portals make things easier for patients and provide a better service for healthcare providers.

In this article, we will explain how customer portals have changed the healthcare CRM and the importance of customer portals.

What Are Customer Portals in Healthcare?

Patient health information is accessible through secure customer portals, which are typically websites or mobile apps. Through these portals, patients can:

• Book or cancel appointments

• View test results

• Request prescription refills

• Communicate with doctors

These portals are part of healthcare CRM systems. They assist healthcare providers in keeping track of patient information and in communication.

Benefits of Customer Portals in Healthcare CRM

Benefits of customer portals extend to both patients and healthcare providers.

For Patients:

• Convenience: Patients can access their health information at any time, from anywhere.

• Better Communication: They can also send messages to their doctors and get quick responses.

• Empowerment: Patients can take an active role in managing their health.

For Healthcare Providers:

• Efficiency: This means that staff have less time on administrative tasks.

• Improved Patient Engagement: More satisfied patients come from better communication.

• Data Management: Patient information is available easily and can be updated by providers.

The Role of Self-Service in Healthcare

The term "self-service healthcare" refers to situations where patients can perform certain tasks independently, without needing to contact the clinic or hospital. This includes:

• Scheduling Appointments

• Accessing Test Results

• Managing Prescriptions

  Self-service options mean that patients and healthcare staff save time. It also reduces the number of phone calls and in person visits, particularly helpful at busy times.

Impact on Healthcare CRM

Healthcare CRM systems are greatly impacted by customer portals. They help healthcare providers:

• Collect Data: Patient behaviour and preferences are collected through portals.

• Personalize Care: This data can be used by providers to provide more personalized treatment plans.

• Improve Communication: Reminders and follow-up messages are easier to send via Portals.

Integrating customer portals into their CRM systems can provide better care and increase patient satisfaction for healthcare providers.

Why Self-Service in Healthcare Is Growing

Today, people expect fast online services in every aspect of life. Healthcare is no different. Self-service in healthcare reduces the time spent by patients as well as hospitals.

Using portals empowers patients to take charge of their health journey. It also relieves pressure on medical staff.

Portals are also a self-service tool that can help elderly patients who may need reminders, updates, or medication alerts. All this can be received without needing to visit the clinic each time.

Future of Customer Portals in Healthcare CRM

In the coming years, customer portals will become more advanced. New features will include:

• Video Consultation Support

• AI Chatbots For Basic Queries

• Integration With Fitness Apps And Wearables

These changes will improve the healthcare system. They will also help patients monitor their health more easily.

As more hospitals migrate to electronic systems, having a customer portal will no longer be an additional feature. It will be a basic need.

Customer portals in healthcare CRM are going to be extensively utilized. In recent reports, it is estimated that the global healthcare CRM market will be worth $43.4 billion by 2034. The growing need for digital solutions in healthcare drives this growth.

Comparison Table: Traditional vs. Portal-Based Healthcare CRM

Feature

Traditional CRM

Portal-Based CRM

Appointment Scheduling

Phone/In-person

Online

Access to Medical Records

Limited

24/7 Access

Communication with Providers

Delayed

Instant Messaging

Prescription Management

Manual

Online Requests

Patient Engagement

Low

High

Conclusion

Healthcare CRM is being transformed by customer portals that enable patients to have easier access to their health information and communicate with their providers. They provide convenience, improved efficiency, and enhanced patient engagement. With advancements in technology, it is becoming increasingly important to integrate customer portals into healthcare CRM systems. These tools must be adopted by healthcare providers to deliver better care to their patients and meet the ever-changing needs of patients.

Mr. Maulik Shah is the founder & CEO of CRMJetty, a hub of innovative customer relationship solutions, provides ready to CMS integrate portal solutions for SuiteCRM, Sugar CRM, Salesforce, and Dynamics CRM including WordPress Customer Portal.