Most healthcare organizations are generally satisfied with their IT vendors' proactive service – but it's a core capability that has a particular impact on customers’ perception of company performance in other areas, according to a new study from KLAS.

WHY IT MATTERS

To best differentiate their proactive service, vendors need to own support issues and guide customers to improved outcomes, the KLAS Arch Collaborative said in its new Hallmarks of High-Performing Companies 2023 report.

KLAS researchers said the trend is consistent across organization size, years with a vendor and other demographic differences, and that it illustrates how proactive service is a key HIT differentiator.

"Respondents who have positive views of their vendor’s proactive service often mention their regular vendor interactions," they said, outlining four commonly held views about proactive service that often don’t hold true in the actual customer experience.

Chief among those myths is the belief that superior resources eliminate any need for proactive service and "high-touch guidance," which does not align with customer expectations. KLAS respondents said they wanted proactive services, like monitoring legislation and regulatory changes, identifying new integration opportunities and sharing best practices from similar organizations, from their vendors.

"Without communication and partnership, organizations are left to their own devices, and vendors miss the opportunity to support a great technology experience," the researchers said. "New releases alone are unlikely to solve customer experience problems."

Proactive vendors go beyond just selling a product or service by providing valuable insights and ensuring reports and analytics are available to keep customers abreast of their performance.

"A lack of helpful reporting can leave customers questioning their solution’s value," said researchers.

Other key factors influencing customer satisfaction with vendors include proactive ownership of client issues, the ability to achieve outcomes and the quality of upgrade experiences, among others, they said.

The report outlines how proactive service challenges impact retention as well as best proactive performance practices for vendors and provider organizations. 

THE LARGER TREND

Not surprisingly, organizations turned to a wide range of vendors to help provide care during the COVID-19 pandemic, KLAS found in 2020.

The new performance report found that customer training experiences were a factor impacting retention, which tracks with other research released earlier this year.

In March, KLAS reported that small hospitals began changing electronic health records faster than large hospitals.

From limited information in training materials to tools that lack guidance, small hospitals said they were struggling with EHR implementation, and needing more support, they shopped elsewhere.

ON THE RECORD

"Vendors who consistently receive high marks from their customers for proactive service tend to also score well in other areas, including areas related to functionality and development, earning them an overall score 30 points higher (on a 100-point scale) than those who receive low marks for proactive service," said KLAS researchers.

Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.