If healthcare could find a silver lining for future-proofing patient care amid the pandemic perils, telehealth and virtual health services would be among those innovations. Research shows over 80 percent of adults ages 25 to 40 intend on using telehealth services in the future, and almost 70 percent of adults ages 41 to 56 have the same plans. 

Sounds like patient care via Zoom is here to stay. But what about providing care after the Zoom call ends? If a doctor prescribes a portable heart monitor or glucose strips, how can your patient receive seamless care with the resources they need offline? 

“Demand for medical devices, particularly for remote monitoring, home healthcare, and wearables, has never been higher,” said Eric Lessard at Salesforce. “But buying medical devices online is harder than it should be for patients.”

Lessard explained that despite the array of medical devices that healthcare companies prepare to go to market every day, the online ordering processes for patients are hard to use. Eighty-one percent of patients shopping for healthcare believe shopping for medical supplies and equipment should be as easy as shopping for other common services. Furthermore, 76 percent say they wish there was a single place they could shop for and buy healthcare while 67 percent say they want to shop for healthcare entirely online. 

Remote care is an exciting first step toward patient-centric services, but it’s only part of the healthcare delivery system. Creating a seamless online purchasing experience for patients is an essential next step. Let’s examine how trends in Medtech Sales and eCommerce platforms can expand healthcare commerce. 

 

Take cues from medical virtual sales

Statistics show that even before the pandemic altered business trips forever, med sales strategies were moving toward eCommerce platforms to promote products. In a 2019 survey, a little over half (54 percent) of physicians surveyed reported in-person visits from medical sales reps during pre-pandemic times. Instead, medical companies were developing omnichannel strategies that combined D2C and B2B eCommerce market platforms to increase sales. 

Those strategies remain in place with experts predicting that sales for medical products marketed through eCommerce will reach $1.8 trillion in the U.S. alone by 2023. 

As the sales and manufacturing side of healthcare products turn to online market platforms, telehealth and remote healthcare illustrate the possibilities this space can provide for the healthcare services industry via an omnichannel experience. 

 

Offer an omnichannel patient experience

An online shopping platform can appeal to a patient’s unique needs, lifestyle, schedule, and personal preferences without compromising HIPAA guidelines. A digital-first approach to healthcare delivery solutions strengthens patient relationships and improves health outcomes while securely connecting data to create personalized digital experiences. 

A great example of health services innovation is Salesforce Patient Commerce Portal, a platform that enables providers to deliver scalable and customized shopping experiences for their patients. In addition to purchasing prescribed medical supplies or equipment, providers can supplement the buyers’ experience with video tutorials on specific devices and offer chatbot services to handle routine patient questions at any time. This blend of asynchronous and real-time services creates a comprehensive, secure, and trustworthy patient experience. 

 

Personalize the purchasing platform

This isn’t the time for your patient to have to research prescribed medical devices or equipment to facilitate their treatment. In fact, a recent poll found that patients will likely step away from care rather than try to navigate through the confusing processes. 

Results of a recent poll by Change Healthcare found that more than two-thirds of patients say that every step of the healthcare process is a chore. They based their decision on factors like the lack of price transparency and the inability to shop around for care as they do other common services.

“Consumers want health plans and providers to end the fragmentation, simplify the experience, and deliver a fully connected encounter that makes healthcare as seamless as any other digital endeavor—whether that’s shopping for goods, booking a trip, or paying bills,” said William Krause, vice president of Connected Consumer Health at Change Healthcare. “Payers and providers that streamline healthcare for patients and members will gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.”

Digital technology gives a whole new meaning to the term “the doctor will see you now.” From a patient’s virtual visit to their online purchase, the most impactful health care keeps the patient at the heart of innovation and service. 

Let’s talk more about how Commerce Cloud can transform your clinical practice.