2020 Was 'Breakout Year' for Digital Engagement in Health Care

by Jane Anderson

Health care organizations, eager for innovative ways to engage members in the midst of the pandemic, ramped up their use of email and texts in 2020 and found they were highly effective at prompting consumer action, a recent survey on health care consumer engagement found.

The survey, conducted annually for the past five years by consulting and research firm Engagys, found when it polled around 100 health care entities in November that 2020 had been a "breakout year" for use of more efficient digital channels and personalized messages, says Kathleen Ellmore, the firm's co-founder and managing director.

Digital engagement in health care had been growing very slowly, propelled by Medicare Advantage star ratings and consumer demand, until the pandemic pushed health care organizations to adopt it on a much broader scale, according to Ellmore.

"It's stunning to see such big moves in a single year," Ellmore says, noting that going forward, the increased focus on member experience may provide health plans with an opportunity to differentiate themselves in novel ways.

The survey found that email and text messaging were considerably more effective at moving members and consumers to action in 2020 than other channels of communication. Text messaging made the largest gains: Its ability to inspire action increased by 154% from 2019 to 2020. Email also posted a substantial 107% increase in effectiveness in 2020, compared with 2019.

Considerations of social determinants of health became more important in 2020, with behavioral health programs leading the list of those SDOH programs considered most consequential, the survey said.

When asked about communication priorities in the near-term, survey respondents said they expect their 2021 messaging to center on health concerns arising from the pandemic. Plans report that it's most important to them to drive members back into care, including high-risk members, those who have deferred care due to the pandemic and members with gaps in screenings.

Personalization is key, Ellmore says, adding that the most sophisticated health plans and provider systems are working to understand all the "touches" consumers have with their health plans, along with their health needs and their service needs

From Health Plan Weekly