Tips
Improving the patient experience: tips for your practice
Each year, Aetna® sends a Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) survey to gather feedback from members about their overall health care experience, including their experience with their personal doctor.
It’s important that members have positive experiences with their providers. Better outcomes lead to healthier, happier patients.
Tips for how to improve the patient experience
Encourage open communication
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Benefits |
|---|---|
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Use receptive body language (for example, sit down, lean in and maintain face-to-face engagement) |
Shows patients you acknowledge that their time is important |
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Maintain eye contact with the patient and avoid interrupting while the patient is speaking |
Shows patients that they are being heard |
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Use simple, easy-to-understand words, and avoid using medical terminology and abbreviations |
Facilitates adherence and better health outcomes |
Tips |
Use receptive body language (for example, sit down, lean in and maintain face-to-face engagement) |
|---|---|
Benefits |
Shows patients you acknowledge that their time is important |
Tips |
Maintain eye contact with the patient and avoid interrupting while the patient is speaking |
Benefits |
Shows patients that they are being heard |
Tips |
Use simple, easy-to-understand words, and avoid using medical terminology and abbreviations |
Benefits |
Facilitates adherence and better health outcomes |
Offer flexible access to care
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Tips |
Benefits |
|---|---|
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Consider offering evening and/or weekend appointments |
Better access to care |
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See patients within 15 minutes of the appointment or arrival time |
Patients feel that you spent sufficient time with them |
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Call patients 24 to 48 hours before their appointments to confirm and remind them about items they will need to bring |
Reduces no-shows |
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Explain how to access care after hours, the Aetna after-hours nurse line, and when to seek urgent versus emergency care |
Reduces ER visits |
Tips |
Consider offering evening and/or weekend appointments |
|---|---|
Benefits |
Better access to care |
Tips |
See patients within 15 minutes of the appointment or arrival time |
Benefits |
Patients feel that you spent sufficient time with them |
Tips |
Call patients 24 to 48 hours before their appointments to confirm and remind them about items they will need to bring |
Benefits |
Reduces no-shows |
Tips |
Explain how to access care after hours, the Aetna after-hours nurse line, and when to seek urgent versus emergency care |
Benefits |
Reduces ER visits |
Keep the patient informed
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Tips |
Benefits |
|---|---|
|
Consider providing a preventive health care visit at the same time that you see a member for a sick visit |
Addresses patient needs and improves health outcomes |
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Review the member’s chart for any consults or specialist treatment prior to seeing the patient to help facilitate coordination of care |
Shows patients you acknowledge that their time is important
Addresses coordination of care |
|
Review all treatment options with member and/or parents/guardians and allow their input, questions and collaboration |
Patients feel sufficient time was spent with them
Facilitates adherence and better health outcomes |
|
Provide handouts, brochures, diagrams and other materials to help members understand diagnostic tests, medications, and prevention |
Reduces patient anxiety
Facilitates adherence and better health outcomes |
Tips |
Consider providing a preventive health care visit at the same time that you see a member for a sick visit |
|---|---|
Benefits |
Addresses patient needs and improves health outcomes |
Tips |
Review the member’s chart for any consults or specialist treatment prior to seeing the patient to help facilitate coordination of care |
Benefits |
Shows patients you acknowledge that their time is important
Addresses coordination of care |
Tips |
Review all treatment options with member and/or parents/guardians and allow their input, questions and collaboration |
Benefits |
Patients feel sufficient time was spent with them
Facilitates adherence and better health outcomes |
Tips |
Provide handouts, brochures, diagrams and other materials to help members understand diagnostic tests, medications, and prevention |
Benefits |
Reduces patient anxiety
Facilitates adherence and better health outcomes |
Additional resources for office staff and patients
The 24-Hour Nurse Line
Our 24-Hour Nurse Line gives members ready access to registered nurses who can answer their questions on a variety of health topics, which can prevent an unneeded trip to the emergency room. Aetna members can reach these nurses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, via a toll-free phone number. Refer members to their health plan’s customer service department for additional information.
While only your doctor can diagnose, prescribe or give medical advice, the 24-Hour Nurse Line can provide information on a variety of health topics.
Aetna care management
The Aetna One® care management program is transforming the health care experience using predictive analytics, personal outreach and local access. We engage members in a more proactive and connected way. Our care management model takes a holistic approach to physical and emotional well-being. Refer members to their health plan’s customer service department for additional information.
While only your doctor can diagnose, prescribe or give medical advice, the Care Management nurses can provide information on a variety of health topics.
Our provider portal
Our Availity provider portal helps you spend less time on administration so you can focus more on patient care.* You get a one-stop portal to quickly perform the key functions you do every day. If you’re already registered with Availity® for another payer, you’re all set. You can use your existing log-in credentials to get started with Aetna.
You can:
- Submit or check claims
- Submit or check prior authorizations
- Check patient benefits and eligibility
- Upload medical records and supporting documentation
- File disputes and appeals
- Update your information, including race and ethnicity
Cultural competency webinar
Good health — and a good doctor–patient relationship — begins with understanding patients' cultural, ethnic, racial and linguistic needs. Watch this short cultural competency video to learn more about cultural competency and the important roles that you and your office staff members play.
*Availity is available only to providers in the U.S. and its territories.
Legal notices
Aetna is the brand name used for products and services provided by one or more of the Aetna group of companies, including Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliates (Aetna).
Health benefits and health insurance plans contain exclusions and limitations.