OREANDA-NEWS. November 09, 2015. “Health plans need to win and retain members one at a time, as opposed to winning and retaining employer groups as they did in the past,” says Larry Bridge. “To accomplish this, they need to create an entirely new experience to engage with individual consumers and they need to show value above and beyond simply paying a claim.”

Bridge maintains that health plans need to be accessible. “Make it easy for customers to find, understand, and buy your product—whether they are calling or interacting via the web,” he says. “Make it easy for them to connect with you, whether in person, on the phone, or via mobile device. Remove barriers and equip your team with the training, tools, information, and incentives to answer questions seamlessly and efficiently.”

Health plans should also strive to be a trusted adviser to consumers and give them information to help them make informed healthcare decisions. “Help them shop for the best deal, and give them the information to make the best decision about their healthcare treatments—information that includes treatment costs, physician quality, and patient satisfaction levels with providers,” Bridge adds.

Bridge has seen many clients hire experts with retail backgrounds to facilitate the transition to a retail model. “To succeed, health plans will have to retool their businesses to think like retailers and focus on consumer-centric strategies,” he says. “Plans need to differentiate in a competitive environment, market to and attract new customers, transform the consumer care experience, and provide excellent customer service. They also need to engage with their providers in a similar fashion and enable collaboration across the consumer, payer, and provider experience.”