How to maintain a 360-degree view of the patient journey 

Meet Maya. She visits her local GP because she has been feeling tired for several weeks. The GP sends her for bloodwork, refers her to a specialist, and tells her to come back for a review. Each part of her care happens in a different place. 

When Maya returns to her GP, the front-desk and care coordination team try to pull together everything that happened between visits. Her lab report is in one system. The referral note from the specialist is in another. Her recent phone call to check her appointment time is recorded somewhere else. The reminders she received by email and SMS were sent from different tools. As a result, the clinic does not have a single place that shows her full story or the steps she has completed in her care journey. 

Maya feels the impact. She has to repeat the same details everywhere and is left to wait as staff sort things out for her. 

Because everything is scattered, staff must call patients or providers to confirm details that should already be clear. 

This is where the necessity of having a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the patient’s care journey announces itself. 
 
What exactly does a 360-degree view of the patient journey mean? 
 
It’s the ability to give your healthcare practice a complete, connected picture of each patient – their medical history communication trail, upcoming tasks, and every update tied to your clinic’s workflow. 

How does it come together in practice? 

Let’s find out. 

What a 360-degree view of the patient includes

A 360-degree patient view is not necessarily a special piece of software. It is the idea of bringing together all the important information a clinic needs to understand a patient’s story in one place. Most clinics already collect this data, but it often sits scattered across separate tools or files, making it hard to use when it matters. 

 Here are the main information categories that contribute to a full, 360-degree view of the patient. 

1. Clinical records 

This includes the doctor’s notes from each visit, diagnoses, medication details, treatment plans, and so on. These usually live inside the clinic’s electronic health record (EHR). Without them, staff will struggle to understand the patient’s medical history or what the care plan should be. 

2. Lab and imaging results 

Blood tests, urine tests, X-rays, MRIs, and other scans often come from labs or imaging centers. When these results arrive late or are difficult to locate, clinics may end up delaying care or repeating tests unnecessarily. 

3. Billing and insurance information 

This includes insurance details, authorizations, copays, and past bills. It helps clinics explain costs clearly to eliminate any surprises for patients. When this information is stored in a separate billing system, staff must recheck everything manually. 

4. Patient-reported information 

This information comes directly from the patient. It can be through forms they complete , symptom questionnaires, intake details, or even data from wearables. 

5. Lifestyle and social factors 

These are practical details about the patient’s daily life, such as access to transportation, food choices, living conditions, family support, or work schedule. These factors often explain why someone might miss appointments or struggle with medications. They matter more than many people realize. 

6. Communication and engagement history 

This includes everything related to how the clinic and patient stay connected – calls, emails, text reminders, follow-up messages, missed-call logs, forms shared, and tasks assigned. Many clinics do not have this history stored in their EHR. Instead, it ends up split across separate tools or personal notes. A healthcare CRM like LeadSquared brings all communication and engagement details together in one organized, accessible place. 

How to maintain a 360-degree view of the patient journey 

1. Make sure all records belong to the right patient  

A 360-degree patient view only works when all information about a person is stored under one correct record. If your system has duplicates,or mixes two people together, the data becomes unreliable. That is why patient identity is the first and most important step. 

Duplicates happen more often than most clinics realize. A patient may give a nickname during one visit and their full name during another. Someone may update their phone number or email address. Staff may mistype a letter or choose the wrong profile during a busy shift. Over time, these small differences create multiple versions of the same patient. 

To prevent this, many clinics use a master patient index, or MPI. In simple terms, an MPI is a master list that links all records that belong to the same person. Even if their name is spelled differently or their contact information has changed, the MPI helps the system recognize that the records are still referring to the same patient. 

A CRM system helps here too. Since it stores updated phone numbers, emails, and communication preferences, it keeps demographic details clean by merging duplicate entries. And when contact information is accurate, other systems have an easier time matching patients correctly. 

2. Connect your systems so information flows smoothly 

As we saw, most clinics use several tools at the same time, such as an EHR for medical notes, a lab portal for test results, a billing system for insurance information, and a CRM for communication. If these tools do not talk to each other, you only get a disjointed, incomplete story of the patient journey. 

This ability to share information is called interoperability. In simple terms, it means helping different computer systems speak the same language so they can understand and exchange information correctly. 

Healthcare uses common “templates” that make this sharing easier. HL7 and FHIR are two of the most widely used ones. When systems follow these templates, it becomes easier to send things like lab results, medication updates, or appointment details from one system to another. 

3. Map the patient journey 

A 360-degree view should tell you the full story of a patient’s experience with your clinic. To understand that story, it helps to map the patient journey, which simply means tracking down the key stages a patient goes through during their care. 

A typical journey includes stages like discovering the clinic, booking an appointment, receiving reminders, checking in, meeting the doctor, getting tests or treatment, filling prescriptions, and attending follow-ups. Each stage creates information, such as forms, symptoms, lab results, notes, or referrals. 

A lot of communication also happens along the way. Patients may call with questions, receive text reminders, open WhatsApp messages, or reply to emails. A CRM captures these touchpoints automatically, which helps clinics keep track of what was sent, who responded, and what still needs attention. 

Mapping these stages helps teams see how all the pieces fit together.  

4. Choose the right tools to maintain your 360-degree view 

Once your systems are connected, the next step is understanding what each tool does and how it contributes to the full patient picture. Think of this section as the “roles and responsibilities” of your tech stack. 

EHR (electronic health record system) 

An EHR is the clinic’s clinical notebook. 
 
It stores medical information such as: 

• diagnoses 

• medications 

• allergies 

• lab orders and results 

• visit notes 

Clinicians use it during care. It is designed for documentation, charting, and handling clinical workflows. 
 
But EHRs are not built to track marketing, communication, or patient follow-up patterns, which is why clinics need additional tools. 

CRM (patient communication and relationship hub) 

A healthcare CRM is the communication and engagement system for the clinic. 
 
It handles tasks outside the exam room, such as: 

• phone calls and inquiries 

• appointment reminders 

• Sending and storing WhatsApp/text/email conversations 

• referral tracking 

• handling digital intake forms 

• patient preferences and consent 

• and much more 

 
LeadSquared’s healthcare CRM, for instance, helps practices bring all this outreach and communication history together in one 360-degree view so staff can immediately see what a patient was told, what they responded to, and what needs follow-up. This supports smoother coordination without forcing clinical staff to dig through multiple systems. 

MPI/MDM tools (patient identity accuracy tools) 

MPI (Master Patient Index) and MDM (Master Data Management) tools help clinics make sure every record belongs to the right patient. They act like a smart address book that checks details such as name, phone number, and date of birth every time a new record is created. If two entries belong to the same person, the tool links them. If two patients look similar, it keeps their records separate to prevent mix-ups. 

Most EHRs include a basic MPI for clinical identity, while CRMs help keep contact information clean. Larger or multi-location networks may use a separate MPI or MDM tool for stronger accuracy across all systems.

Data lakes or data warehouses (long-term storage and reporting) 

These are like very organized archive rooms where clinics store large amounts of historical data. 
 
They help answer questions such as: 

• Which follow-up reminders improve completion rates? 

• What trends affect patient satisfaction? 

• How have no-show rates changed over time? 

They support analytics and quality improvement rather than day-to-day operations. 

iPaaS platforms (the connectors that keep systems in sync) 

An iPaaS is the data courier that helps systems share information automatically. 
 
For example: 

• When an appointment is created in the EHR, the CRM can send a reminder 

• When a lab result is ready, the CRM can notify the patient 

• When contact details change, all systems update automatically 

These connectors reduce manual work and keep the 360-degree view always up to date. 

5. Use the 360-degree view to improve care and operations 

A 360-degree view is valuable because it directly improves daily operations and patient care.  

One major benefit is reducing no-shows. A full view makes it easy to see each patient’s preferred communication channel, such as text, WhatsApp, email, or phone calls. A CRM can then send timely appointment reminders and follow-ups through their preferred channel, to reduce patient no-shows. 

A 360 view also supports stronger care coordination as it allows every team member, from the front desk to the care providers, to see the same information. 

Clinics can also close important care gaps. If a patient has an overdue lab test, medication refill, or follow-up appointment, the system can flag it thanks to the 360-degree view. Staff can reach out proactively to guide the patient. 

Short example: If a patient with asthma has not booked a follow-up, the CRM alerts staff, triggers a reminder, and records the outreach, so nothing is missed. 

6. Train teams and support adoption so your 360-degree view stays accurate 

A 360-degree patient view should be maintained accurately with consistent workflows. 

Start with workflow-focused training

For example, every time a new patient calls or fills a form, staff should check the CRM first, confirm contact info, update records, and link to existing profiles. This ensures all interactions feed into the 360-degree view. 

Assign role-based responsibilities 

One staff member can handle duplicate checks weekly, another monitors open follow-ups, and a third reviews consent preferences. Having clear owners makes adoption tangible. 

Highlight anti-patterns to avoid 

Staff should not enter notes in the wrong system, skip updating preferences, or maintain separate spreadsheets. Explaining why these habits break the 360-degree view helps everyone understand the stakes. 

Finally, use mini-metrics as feedback loops

Track percentages of correctly matched new patients, reminders sent versus completed, and weekly duplicate records. 

With structured workflows, clear ownership, and measurable feedback, clinics can maintain a reliable 360-degree view that truly improves patient care and operations. 

7. Protect patient privacy and consent as you build your 360-degree view 

Building a complete view of a patient’s journey comes with responsibility. Clinics must handle data carefully to maintain patient trust and comply with laws. 

Privacy rules such as HIPAA in the U.S. and GDPR in Europe guide how patient information should be handled. The main ideas are simple: only authorized staff access data, patients know how their information is used, and sensitive details are protected. 

Role-based access makes this practical. For example, front-desk staff may see appointment details but not lab results, while nurses and doctors access the medical history they need for care. This ensures everyone sees only what is necessary for their job. 

Consent for communication is another key element. Patients may prefer reminders and updates via text, WhatsApp, email, or phone, and can choose which messages they want to receive. A CRM helps track these preferences automatically, so staff can follow them consistently. 

Conclusion

As we saw, many practices struggle to get a full picture of their patients because information is scattered across multiple systems; be it EHRs, labs, imaging centers, and communication tools. And so, staff lose their precious time going after missing details or dealing with the confusion of duplicate patient records. These challenges make it hard to coordinate care and provide a personalized patient experience. 

Maintaining a 360-degree view of the patient journey and history is the solution. As we’ve covered, it starts with maintaining accurate patient records, connecting systems for smooth data flow, to supporting staff adoption with clear workflows and training. 

A healthcare CRM can help make this process easier by organizing communications, tracking consent, and connecting information across systems. Tools like LeadSquared, which is HIPAA-compliant, provide these capabilities while helping healthcare practices maintain a complete, up-to-date view of each patient. 

If you want to see how it works in action, feel free to book a quick demo of LeadSquared today! 

FAQs