As healthcare changes, so has the COO/VP of Operations role. These leaders were once largely responsible for internal efficiencies, but they are now helping to transform the patient experience through digital technology. With patient demand for seamless, digital-first interactions on the rise, operations managers are leading the way to create patient-first paths to care and enhance their healthcare systems’ competitive edge. With an emphasis on access, loyalty, and one digital home, COOs and VPs of Operations are turning healthcare around for the patients.
Here’s a closer look at how these leaders are driving the future of patient experience and why their role is now more integral than ever.
Operations leaders’ roles are much expanded. One HIMSS report notes that patient experience is no longer an afterthought for healthcare systems but has become a competitive advantage. Patients want more digital, and COOs and VPs of Operations are delivering solutions to meet them.
This shift has placed operations executives in closer collaboration with IT teams so they can design solutions for patient satisfaction and business efficiency. COOs, for instance, are now actively engaged in building digital front door mechanisms (like automated registration and scheduling) that make it easy for patients to get into an EHR and access care. Such expanded function speaks to the role of operations leaders in the healthcare sector’s transformation to a more patient-focused mission.
Patient experience is becoming more and more critical to patient satisfaction and loyalty. Yet there are still challenges for patients at the gate, such as registration and scheduling, which keep them from receiving timely care. Making these entry points easy helps patients and decreases dropout rates by as much as 50%. With strategies that help make digital paths as seamless as possible, operations managers are enabling access to patient-centered health systems in their organizations.
COOs and VPs of Operations are investing in digital platforms to simplify processes, enabling patients to access healthcare services without unnecessary delays. These patient-oriented products are removing traditional barriers to care, helping operations leaders ensure that patients feel valued and cared for from their very first interaction. This, in turn, positions their organizations as responsive and patient-centric.
Patient adherence now relies on quality care and the digital environment around it. An Accenture study concluded that 71 percent of patients see access as a top influencing factor when selecting a provider. Access consists of leveraging digital interaction to get the basics of healthcare, like scheduling and information access. This increasing preference reveals a potential gem: by digitally improving the most crucial interactions, operations executives can turn one-time stops into lasting relationships.
For COOs and VPs of Operations, a frictionless digital experience drives trust. Everything from a seamless appointment scheduling interface to a user-friendly patient portal shapes the patient’s impression of the health system. These executives are putting their money into systems that offer integrated, automated digital experiences, converting patients into advocates and driving retention and engagement. This digital loyalty focus not only helps in patient satisfaction but also strengthens the healthcare system's brand.
The more interconnected healthcare systems become, the more persuasive it is to have interconnected digital ecosystems. Operations executives are pushing for platforms that combine patient search, scheduling, and communication into a single, intuitive interface. Such unified platforms have the potential to significantly streamline administrative processes and improve patient care, highlighting the need for cohesive digital solutions in healthcare today.
These unified platforms cut out redundancies, ensure smooth data flow between departments, and provide a seamless patient journey—from initial appointment scheduling to follow-up reminders to billing and health information access. For patients, this means stability and trust. For health institutions, it provides connectivity, automation, and process improvements. By implementing unified solutions, operations managers achieve their dual objectives: enhancing patient experience and driving internal efficiency.
COOs and VPs of Operations today aren’t just process optimization wizards — they’re patient experience architects. When hospitals are being pushed to deliver quality, accessible care, operations managers are stepping up to the task. They are using digital innovation to improve access, build loyalty, and standardize systems so that care can be convenient and pleasurable for patients.
At Amenities Health, we empower these leaders with solutions that allow them to design a patient-first future. Our digital front door solutions enable operations teams to improve the patient experience while protecting their health system's investment in legacy EHRs. Whether it’s simplified registration, scheduling, loyalty memberships, or other patient engagement tools, we help operations leaders transform healthcare delivery from the inside out.
Contact us to Learn how Amenities Health’s digital front door platform can help your team bring about real transformation in patient experience and care access.