The Evolving Landscape of patient Engagement: Epic Leads, Consolidation Accelerates
Patient engagement is no longer a “nice-to-have” in healthcare – it’s a strategic imperative. A recent report from KLAS Research highlights the shifting priorities and emerging trends shaping how healthcare organizations connect with patients in 2025 and beyond. The findings reveal a market still grappling with fragmentation, but increasingly focused on streamlining technology and, crucially, listening to the patient voice.
A Fragmented Market, Dominated by Epic
While a variety of vendors are vying for a piece of the patient engagement pie – including NRC Health, CipherHealth, and Get Well - the market remains remarkably fragmented, especially for organizations not utilizing epic. Epic consistently emerges as the dominant platform, enjoying widespread trust and adoption.
However, even Epic users often supplement their core EHR functionality with third-party tools. For those outside the Epic ecosystem, Press Ganey, Artera, and Notable are proving to be key partners in delivering effective patient engagement strategies.
The Push for Consolidation is On
A significant trend identified by KLAS is the growing momentum towards platform consolidation. 72% of non-epic users are actively planning to consolidate their engagement tools within the next two years, a considerable increase from 54% in 2023.
This isn’t limited to non-Epic shops. Even organizations deeply invested in epic are looking to leverage the EHR’s native capabilities to reduce costs and simplify vendor management. The primary targets for consolidation? Communication platforms, CRM systems, and virtual care technologies. The goal is clear: a more streamlined, cohesive digital experience for both patients and staff.
the Patient Voice: From Buzzword to Action
Perhaps the moast encouraging finding is the increasing emphasis on incorporating patient perspectives into technology planning. A remarkable 85% of organizations are now actively seeking patient input through methods like patient and family advisory councils, internal surveys, and focus groups.
Advisory councils are particularly valuable, serving as a crucial testing ground for vendor solutions and informing rollout strategies. However, the report cautions against a superficial approach. Simply asking patients what they want isn’t enough.
The Pitfalls of Asking Without Delivering
One CIO shared a cautionary tale: a previous attempt to solicit patient feedback backfired when budget and technological limitations prevented the organization from implementing desired changes. This led to patient dissatisfaction and a reluctance to repeat the process.
“We tried letting patients tell us what they want,but we didn’t have the money or technology to do all of those things,” the CIO explained. “Then patients were dissatisfied… So we haven’t gone too far with patient perspectives.”
This highlights a critical point: authentic engagement requires not just hearing the patient voice, but having the capacity to respond to it. Relying solely on internal staff perspectives – even though they are also patients – can lead to misalignment and missed opportunities.
Key Takeaways for 2025 and Beyond
Here’s what healthcare leaders should be focusing on:
Prioritize Access & Communication: Patient access and seamless communication remain the top investment areas for patient engagement in 2025. Epic’s Continued Influence: Epic is the clear leader, but a best-of-breed approach with strategic third-party integrations is still common.
Consolidation is key: Streamlining engagement tools, particularly around communication and CRM, will be a major focus.
Patient Input is Non-Negotiable: Actively seeking and acting on patient feedback is essential for successful technology implementation.
* Authenticity Matters: Diverse, unexpected feedback from real patients is crucial for shaping strategies that truly resonate.
Ultimately, the report underscores a basic truth: real patient engagement isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about building a patient-centered experience that fosters trust, improves outcomes, and drives lasting satisfaction.
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