I love reading patient comments. There are so many instances of positive feedback, which affirms that we’re doing what we do with a level of professional excellence that our patients didn’t anticipate. There are occasional comments that discuss areas for improvement (and those should be cherished as well), but overall, the feedback we receive is reflective of a delivery of care that goes far beyond each patient’s expectations from treatment.
But I have no idea how we’ll manage expectations in the future.
Changing expectations with new technology
I’ve written recently about the impact of AI on our workflows and practice. We’ve all considered what AI can do in terms of acting as a tool for improved efficiency and potentially even better care. It will impact so many tasks and daily routines. There’s no question about that. But it will also inevitably impact patient experience.
Consider these scenarios:
- A recent graduate comes in with knee pain from training for a marathon. She has the latest smart watch and she closes her circles every day. She expects online scheduling and wants her home exercises texted to her phone. Then she expects that the exercises will seamlessly integrate with her fitness tracker to maximize compliance and feedback.
- A factory worker was laid off when his plant was fully automated. He never used computers before having to apply for healthcare coverage in the marketplace. Getting connected with his physician was a struggle. Appointment reminders came through text, but he felt frustrated that he wasn’t actually connected to a person on the other end. When being seen for his evaluation, he breaks down when he’s asked to repeat the information that he’s already entered into five different forms prior to arrival.
- An elderly woman arrives following shoulder surgery. She sees the excitement of a younger patient utilizing her smart watch and phone to confirm and track plan of care details. She says she wants all the “bells and whistles” of fitness tracking and electronic access to visit notes and plans. Then she reveals her antiquated phone that may not be compatible with any of your clinic’s software or tools and asks you to show her how it all works.
At the desk, on the phone, in the gym, or online, we are going to have to understand each of these points of view if we intend to continue to deliver care that exceeds expectations. Technology is going to be an incredible tool, but it will also come with challenges that never existed prior to this moment in time.
Our response as clinicians
Our clinics will grapple with widening socioeconomic divides within our communities. People may have access to modern care without being able to afford or understand the tools for accessing it once they leave the facility. People may want the most advanced decision-making available but will also be hesitant to trust an algorithm over a person. Patients may demand the most current technologies and conveniences and will not understand that the pace of AI adoption in healthcare systems isn’t the same as the pace of adoption in software companies.
As a profession, we’ve always been excellent at continuing to learn. We take courses on shoulder movement and back pain. We learn about neuroscience and kinesiology. My impression is that the exceptional therapists in the next decade will work extremely hard at intentionally refining listening skills and communication. They’ll also remain adaptable in terms of how to deliver high-quality care in multiple ways.
Regardless of your role, you will undoubtedly come across people at every stage on this technological path. From flat-out rejection to full immersion, we have a responsibility to each patient to meet them right where they are and deliver care accordingly. We understand the potential of the destination. It makes sense for us to be the ones to establish that initial common ground.
AI isn’t a replacement. It’s an enhancement. As it frees up our resources and improves our connection to the evidence, we won’t have tons of newfound free-time. We have an opportunity to reinvest those gains into actively connecting with our patients. We can do more than participate on an interventional level that addresses their dysfunction. We need to connect at a personal level that allows them to access our professional excellence on a level playing field, regardless of technological advantage.