Four steps for improving the consumer healthcare experience across the continuum of care

In response to 2 articles recently published in The American Journal of Managed Care, "Characterizing Health Plan Price Estimator Tools: Findings from a National Survey" (February 2016), and "National Estimates of Price Variation by Site of Care" (March 2016), by Higgins et al, this editorial details best practices that healthcare organizations should employ in an effort to improve pricing transparency, enhancing patient engagement, and ultimately change patient behaviors to improve patient outcomes. Specifically, this article details a fourfold framework to help healthcare organizations, including both payers and providers, to understand consumers across the spectrum of care. As a part of this, key ways of leveraging technology to observe, segment, and communicate with patients to elicit positive behavioral change and improved outcomes, are discussed.