In an era where Amazon can deliver packages in hours, and Target can have your drive-up order ready in minutes, healthcare's traditional approach to convenience needs a refresh. That was the compelling message from Brian Standage, CEO of Banner Health Ambulatory, and Dan Stanek, EVP of WD Partners, at HealthSpaces.
From Retail Revolution to Healthcare Evolution
The stakes are clear: outpatient volumes are projected to grow by 10% while inpatient care declines by 7%. Even more telling? Recent Accenture data shows 88% of patients switch providers due to difficulty doing business with providers, bad experiences at the front desk and inadequate digital solutions – not clinical care. "COVID really forced people to think differently about how they wanted to receive their healthcare," Standage explained.
"We're on the same precipice where malls were," noted Standage, drawing from his retail leadership at Franklin Covey and over a decade at Target Corp. Stanek, who has witnessed retail's evolution firsthand at WD Partners, agreed: "In America, there's an obsession with convenience. I want to be able to drive up to the store of my preference, get in there, and leave."
This mindset starts with knowing your customer. "We know who our customer is," Standage explained, noting he spends 10-15% of his time each month speaking directly with customers and analyzing their feedback. WD Partners helps translate these insights through consumer research, using customer diaries and experience mapping to inform design decisions.
Building Tomorrow's Healthcare Experience
The result is a new approach to healthcare delivery. Banner's Health Center Plus in Scottsdale combines urgent care, imaging, orthopedics, and specialty services under one roof. Their Sports Medicine Complex takes it further, creating what Standage calls a "complete concierge level of care" for everyone from professional athletes to local high school teams.
To ensure these spaces deliver on their promise, Banner introduced the "Text the CEO" program, where Standage's personal number is posted in every location. This real-time feedback system helps them continuously improve the customer experience.
In an increasingly competitive landscape with players like One Medical and CVS MinuteClinics, this customer-first approach is crucial. As Standage noted, "We don't want to be like them, but we certainly do want to learn from them and differentiate ourselves to be better."
Watch Brian Standage and Dan Stanek's full HealthSpaces discussion here:
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