Most Americans aren’t happy with their healthcare experiences, and the perception of quality has slid to a new low this year.
That’s according to a recent survey from The Beryl Institute – Ipsos PX Pulse, which found only 40% of Americans rate the quality of U.S. healthcare as “good” or “very good.” That represents the lowest response since the start of PX Pulse, the report noted. When the survey queried Americans in March 2022, 46% rated U.S. healthcare as “good’ or “very good,” underscoring a steep slide in the latter half of the year.
Despite the overall quality ranking low among survey respondents, 64% rated their overall healthcare experience as “good” or “very good” in the last 12 months. That dichotomy between the two figures was also a trend found during the earlier years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Americans may be less than impressed by the quality of U.S. healthcare as some of the pandemic effects continue to impact the sector.
“The weight on healthcare with workforce and staffing challenges, supply chain issues and economic tightening have placed enormous pressure on healthcare specifically,” the report stated. “It can only be expected these pressures are reflected in the very ways people experience care overall.”
At the beginning of 2022, the PX Pulse survey revealed many respondents saw general strain on the healthcare system and healthcare workforce fatigue as the greatest causes of incivility. Those perceptions from earlier this year may now bear weight on perceptions of care quality.
“The scores we are seeing in this report bear this out and should act as a warning light for healthcare in what it will take to regain both the positive engagement and support of the healthcare consumer,” the report surmised.
Consumer Concerns
When asked what is top of mind, consumers resoundingly said having affordable insurance options was most important to them, as well as out-of-pocket costs and cost of insurance premiums. Overall, out-of-pocket costs were the most important item (41%), though the high importance of having affordable insurance options (39%) may reflect more people returning to receiving regular healthcare after the height of the pandemic paused many routine procedures and Americans put off care.
When it comes to the experience of healthcare, consumers are most concerned with feeling they are being listened to. The quality of interpersonal communication is extremely important in how consumers describe their healthcare experience. Negative experiences are closely tied with describing words such as rushed, rude, wait, dismissive and long.
Surprisingly, when asked about healthcare experiences, 76% said they have had a positive patient experience in the past three months and 60% said they have had a negative experience. In addition, more than two-thirds (68%) agreed trust in healthcare has declined in the last two years.
“While there was a period of support and positive response to healthcare during the height of the pandemic, the factors now impacting healthcare have not only impacted people’s view on how healthcare is doing but also on their trust of the system overall,” the report found.
The biggest decline in trust was due to the consumers’ perception that healthcare systems are only out for themselves, though 44% also said COVID-19 and pandemic-related issues have played a large or some role in eroding trust.
To rebuild trust between consumers and healthcare providers, consumers want 50% of ability to get the care they need in a timely manner (50%), to be treated as a person, listened to and respected by their care team (44%) and transparency in healthcare pricing (40%).
“Consumers in healthcare want to feel listened to and they want to understand their information and plans of care,” the report concluded.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."