Introduction
Patient engagement has been proven to improve the clinical outcomes for patients. It is not an innovative technology or a novel cure developed in a laboratory. It comprisesall the ways for boosting the involvement of patients in their own care journey. Such patients are called as “activated patients” and are empowered to make informed decisions for managing their own health better. Let’s examine the importance of patient engagement software in catalyzing positive patient behaviour towards better medical outcomes.
Why Patient Engagement Matters?
Real medical care begins after patients leave their doctor’s office. It starts when people take their first dose of medication and actually implement their doctor’s instructions. However, not all diseases can be cured with one course of medication. Many people often need extensive continuing care and observation for their problems. They need guidance on things like their diet and lifestyle, in addition to their dosages and follow-ups.
Empowering patients to manage their own health and wellness goes a long way in promoting positive medical outcomes. In the current digital age, patient engagement solutions have become powerful tools for providers to boost patient involvement. These solutions enable providers and patients to build and maintain a rapport, which in-turn helps them adhere to medication routines, follow prescribed treatments, make healthy lifestyle choices, and have a better healthcare experience.
Benefits of Patient Engagement Software
Patient engagement solutions consist of a broad array of platforms to facilitate communication between healthcare providers and patients. They enable patients to connect with providers outside of clinical settings for advice on various aspects of their treatment. Let’s talk more about the benefits of patient engagement systems in this regard:
Patient Education
Patients who are aware of their condition are in a better position to make decisions about their own care. Patient engagement software solutionsenable doctors to provide educational materials to patients about their conditions. These resources may include articles, videos, and instructions for managing the disease better. This information allows patients to know more about the cause of their disease, treatments options, preventive measures, and so on.
Adherence to Prescriptions
A lack of adherence to medications is one of the leading causes of worsening of diseases, especially among people with chronic conditions. An appropriate patient engagement platform will include medication reminders and features to track a user’s medication routine. Such a solution will help people adhere to their prescriptions better and not miss out on taking their meds. The reminders for medications can be in the form of mobile app alerts or notifications.
Remote Monitors
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is one of the most talked-about trends in the healthcare industry. They enable doctors to monitor patients’ health outside of traditional clinical settings. Patient engagement systems that can connect with RPM devices like medical wearables and sensors share health data like vital signs with providers in real-time. This allows continuous remote tracking of patient health, which allows providers to identify signs of worsening of diseases and intervene as needed. Such two-way exchange between doctors and patients pushes people to take their own care more seriously and be vigilant of any changes to their condition.
Access to Health Records
Applications for patient engagement provide people with round-the-clock secure access to their health records. Patients can view their medical history, latest test results, scans, prescriptions, and treatment plans. Knowing their own medical information and treatments make people more aware of their condition and encourages them to participate in their own care better. They can collaborate with their providers more for decision-making and have greater clarity.
Appointment Reminders
Missed appointments can contribute to deteriorating health for elders and people suffering from chronic diseases. Such people need extensive care with repeated examinations and follow-ups across a period of months. A patient engagement platform with appointment reminders enables people to show up for their consultations on time. Additionally, some of them also include features for cancellation and rescheduling to help people see their physicians without delays.
Patient Feedback
Collecting feedback on the quality of medical services is important for hospital management and even home care agencies to assess their clinical operations. Patient engagement solutions that allow people toprovidefeedback help healthcare organizations to gauge the experience of their patients andidentifyareas of improvement. The satisfaction of patients is extremely important for their overall experience.
Conclusion
Patient engagement solutions help people to have a greater involvement in their own care journey. By facilitating two-way communication between patients and providers, these platforms contribute to the overall clinical outcomes. The growing digital footprint in the healthcare industry coupled with the rise in popularity of telehealth systems will only increase the role of patient engagement in the foreseeable future.
