Topics:
- Future of patient engagement
- What is patient engagement?
- Why do we need to increase patient engagement?
- How to engage patients in their healthcare on a long-term basis?
- Future Trends for patient engagement
As times are racing, the future of patient engagement is already here. The last few years brought a lot of changes to healthcare providers. Accordingly, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid and many organizations have adapted and changed rules. Of course, priority goes to the COVID-19 pandemic, implying the need for many updates.
Among them are resources, processes, and tools that hospitals, clinics, and health systems need. Consequently, maintains appropriate operational systems and patient care by adopting telehealth. Undoubtedly, focusing on patient engagement is very important to maintain positive outcomes. Yet what rules apply to the latest?
What is patient engagement?
To understand the future of patient engagement, we need to define patient engagement. Patient engagement in healthcare is how patients, healthcare providers, and caregivers interact. The point is to make decisions based on the available information. By definition, a highly engaged patient actively participates in their healthcare. Thus, utilizing the services healthcare professionals and caregivers provide to the greatest level. So, you can consider patient engagement a strategy helping in better health outcomes. Also, a reducer of the administrative healthcare services costs.
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Why do we need to increase patient engagement?
The importance of patient engagement implies the future of patient engagement. Then, why is patient engagement important?
Firstly, a patient has options available to serve them. It is very easy for a patient to register in another practice. Easily, a patient can search for practices and doctors and have access to reviews online. Thankfully, we have the internet connecting the globe, and no area is strictly assigned to the patient. Then, if you don’t offer a positive experience by actively engaging patients, they’ll refer you to others.
Secondly, engagement tools help with cutting costs. Also, they reduce waste and diminish staff burden. With technology, patient engagement improved exponentially. Surprisingly, even social media and search engines offer patients an active role in their healthcare. Most importantly, the developing ability to have access to tools. Namely, wearable tech and patient portals allow access to patients to medical records. What you can do is make sure your patients have access to these. You can also provide active support for the updated technology related to patient engagement. In consequence, you will get a more engaged clientele.
Thirdly, with patient engagement, you’ll have better health outcomes. Engaged patient attends appointments more regularly and takes care of themselves better.
Fourthly, an engaged patient is a satisfied patient, and they are loyal patients.
How to engage patients in their healthcare on a long-term basis?
There is no future of patient engagement without actual long-term patient engagement. Truthfully, gaining patient engagement is not a cakewalk. Yet, taking proactive steps will lead you toward success:
1- Start treating patients like customers: Initially, patients and their families are consumers. Thus, they want to discuss their physical, emotional, and mental health. Not to mention talking about their experiences with the digital healthcare they use daily through apps and tech.
2- Admit the technology roles: patient engagement is not limited to technology. But it revolves around it.
3- Offer a tailored experience: patients come with different backgrounds, ages, experiences, and ethnicities. Customize their experience and deliver flexibility accordingly within your technology and human interaction.
Future Trends for patient engagement
Let’s project ourselves ten years from now. How do we imagine the future of patient engagement?
1- Increase in the number of patients: today, we’re all aging. Many years from now, we’ll all reach 65 and be many to live longer. For example, patients with heart disease available for treatment will double in the US.
2- Expansion of technology: better outcomes will arise from less invasive treatments. Technology will also improve efficiency due to EMRs and EHRs.
3- Multiplication of information: EMRs will no longer store information; they will tell on the best practices.
4- Patients will become more like consumers: they can choose their own health plan. This is why improving patient satisfaction and experience is key.
5- Several delivery models: a guaranteed optimization for efficiency will develop better delivery models.
6- More innovation
7- Fewer costs
8- Increase in the cost of healthcare and the number of uninsured
9- Payment healthcare receives will decrease: to avoid staff from exiting care due to smaller payments, we need a healthcare reform
Finally, we will be able to understand quality better in the future. So, better management will arise to improve patient care and service, treating the customers as consumers. Also, larger numbers of consumers are probable. But this will be a piece of cake thanks to EMRs and EHRs.
You can contact the Ambula Healthcare team for a better look into the future by dialing: (818) 308-4108! And now, what are ASC EMR requirements?
