Improve Employee Satisfaction With Employer-Sponsored Health Plans

When people go out to buy a new computer or pair of shoes, it’s because they want to do so. They willingly take the first step in the consumer journey. The same is not true for healthcare, as the patient journey is often unchosen. When illness or injury arises, it forces the individual to take that first step—which, given the complicated nature of employer-sponsored health plans and the US healthcare system at large, can be overwhelming, confusing, and downright scary.

I’ve heard the experience compared to Dorothy’s fantastical adventure in The Wizard of Oz. Patients follow the winding yellow brick road in hopes of reaching the emerald city on the hill, facing terrifying unknowns—from flying monkeys to poisonous poppy fields—at every step. 

In the patient journey, that shining metropolis in the distance represents good health. But reaching that destination can be daunting.

Patients benefit from having a reliable guide they can turn to in helping them get through the dense forests of Oz. That’s where Quantum Health comes in. If our members—what we call the employees our health plans serve—are Dorothy, consider us the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Cowardly Lion rolled into one. And that guidance makes a world of difference when it comes to how satisfied people are with their employer-sponsored health plans.

Frustration with Employer-Sponsored Health Plans

When I was doing the research that would inspire Quantum Health’s foundational approach to meeting employee healthcare needs, I spoke to many healthcare practitioners. 

A common refrain I heard was the story of the “bad patient”—the one who didn’t adhere to protocols, for example, or skipped follow-up appointments. However, I determined that these patients weren’t “bad”—they were lost. And many of them were frustrated.

That frustration is evident in the Net Promoter Scores (NPS) seen in the healthcare space. NPS is a standard measurement for customer experience management programs around the world. Ultimately, NPS comes down to one question: What is the likelihood an individual will recommend a service, product, or company to a friend or colleague? 

Respondents are asked to rate this likelihood on a ten-point scale; those who provide a rating of nine or ten are classified as “promoters,” while those who provide a rating of six or less are classified as “detractors” (those who provide a ranking of seven or eight are deemed passive). The NPS is calculated based on the absolute number of promoters over detractors.

Industry-specific NPS metrics are used as benchmarks for competitive comparison. In general, if a company gets an NPS of 50 or higher, it’s in the top tier. An average company will perform with a 20. In health insurance, the average NPS can range from a negative number to around 10 or 15. Quantum Health consistently sees an NPS from 65 to 75.

A Look at NPS in the Healthcare Sector

A lot of factors go into Quantum Health’s high NPS, from the empathetic curiosity we use to connect with members to our Real-Time Intercept™ engagement model. But ultimately what gets us there is our ability to serve as a reliable, knowledgeable guide through the scary forest of Oz. We see the difference not only in the numbers but also in the qualitative feedback we get.

I remember a new member who called Quantum Health because a claim hadn’t been paid properly. In the course of the conversation regarding this one claim, this gentleman mentioned that his medical bills were so high that he was delaying his retirement. 

Upon questioning, he revealed that he was sitting on some $50,000 worth of medical bills—all from claims made before his employer enlisted Quantum Health’s services.

Our team member asked the man to send those old bills along so we could take a closer look. It turned out that various administrative issues contributed to that 50K. For example, in the case of a precertified procedure, the precert authorization, which confirms that the insurer will cover the costs, hadn’t been submitted. 

After settling a bunch of administrative issues like that one, this gentleman’s medical bill balance came close to zero. Needless to say, he was very happy.

A Trusted Guide Along the Yellow Brick Road

Such success stories are evident in our NPS and in the cost savings we generate for our clients, the companies whose employer-sponsored benefits plans we serve. 

For instance, a 2023 actuarial study showed that, in the first year of implementation with Quantum Health, clients experienced an average cost reduction of 5.9 percent compared with the claims projected in the absence of Quantum Health. (1)

While we are proud of those numbers, we are especially proud of the NPS. This, more than anything else, shows that we are doing what we set out to do: safely guiding patients through the dark forests of Oz, so they can traverse the yellow brick road with confidence.

(1.) Edward M. Pudlowski, ASA, FCA, MAAA, “Quantum Health’s Cost-Savings Impact: An Independent Analysis of Healthcare Navigation’s ROI,” (2023).