Demand for Patient Engagement

March 4, 2022

Increasing patient engagement is a key strategy that many healthcare organizations are actively implementing. Engaging a patient means interacting with them in the manner and at the time that they need it to create positive experiences and healthy outcomes for them.

BENEFITS

Benefits of improved patient engagement include increased communication, improvements in patient health, increased patient satisfaction and reduced costs. When patients are actively engaged, they become informed decision makers in their own care and help improve the overall health care system.

PARTNERSHIP

Patient engagement is a partnership between patients and the healthcare providers with whom they interact. Both parties, the patient, and the healthcare provider, must be willing to participate and embrace this shift in patient care. If patients don’t contribute to managing their health, bring questions to their doctors, and exhibit positive behaviors such as exercising or obtaining preventive care, they are not engaged. If clinicians don’t provide education, encourage healthy habits, and stimulate patient involvement, patient engagement is not being built.

REGULAR COMMUNICATION

Engagement implies active involvement. This means that both sides need to communicate on a regular basis for patient engagement to thrive.

KEY TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Technology provides healthcare providers with the capability of sending different communication types depending on the situation. Patients can be provided with generic communications such as health promotion messages, as well as patient-specific messages for targeted clinical activities:

Automated Health Promotion Messages - Information on diabetes, smoking cessation, flu shots, parenting and newborn care, immunizations, back to school tips, healthy nutrition, and habits for reducing the risk of chronic diseases and other customized health Information are sent to patients.

Patient Notifications – Hospitals privately deliver time-sensitive information such as pre-op instructions, post-op reminders, notification of overdue test or lab work and medication reminders via IVR phone calls and interactive SMS. Technology has more recently added the capability of integrating wearable technology for on-going monitoring into the management and delivery of care. The advantage of this scenario is that providers can send patient specific alerts advising a chronic patient to go to a doctor.

Appointment Reminders – IVR sends messages reminding patients of an upcoming appointment. These messages can be interactive, allowing patients to respond and reschedule appointments if necessary. Automated messaging reduces no-shows, which increases revenue and productivity.

Automated Test Results - Patient records can be accessed through IVR Software allowing callers to obtain data confidentially and easily 24/7. Healthcare providers can allow their callers to access their test results while preserving the privacy of the caller and avoiding any potential leakage of sensitive information.

The healthcare team can support their patient engagement activities through the use of digital technologies, and with the permission and engagement of the patient throughout the process. It should go without saying that all communications and patient education materials should be multi-lingual and culturally competent.

Key tools and technologies involved in patient engagement include:

• Email

• Texting

• Direct Mail

• Patient Portals

• Mobile Apps

• Wearable Technology

• Social Networks

• Online Patient Education Modules

• Online community and support forums

• Contact Center Telephony (Automated Voice Calls)

• Video Platforms

• Artificial Intelligence Chatbots

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

DIGITAL PATIENT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY

A digital patient engagement strategy should give patients the support they need to realize the best outcomes possible in the manner that works best for them. Patient portals, telehealth tools, IVR, and mobile apps allow patients to understand and coordinate their own care. By encouraging patients and providers to leverage the tools and technology at their disposal, health systems can promote greater levels of engagement. chatbots