Patient engagement has quickly become a buzzword among medical professionals as we face the potential of another pandemic. That’s because creating a culture of communication and collaboration between care teams and the people they serve ultimately leads to better health outcomes and improved healthcare workflow.
But what is patient engagement in the first place? Why is it important to have strategies for implementing it? In this article, we’ll explore those questions and provide some tips on how you can encourage patient engagement in your practice.
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What Is Patient Engagement?
Patient engagement is a process through which healthcare providers ensure that patients are actively involved in their care. There are many ways to achieve this, but the most common strategies for patient engagement include:
- promoting patient-provider communication
- providing patients with educational materials
- involving them in decision-making
This process has been shown to enhance patient experience, which is an important goal for many healthcare providers.
Here are some terms that are related to patient engagement:
Patient management
It is a process that begins when a patient arrives at a healthcare facility and ends when the patient leaves. Patient management includes everything from greeting the patient and collecting their medical information to providing treatment and discharge planning.
The goal is to ensure that the patient receives the best possible care and to minimize the risk of complications. In order to be effective, patient management must be tailored to individual needs.
Patient interaction
There are many different ways to interact with patients, but some of the most common methods include face-to-face interactions, telephone calls, and online communication.
No matter what method you use, it’s important to remember that the goal is to establish trust and collaboration. This allows everyone to work together to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient.
Patient experience
This can include everything from the first impression upon entering the facility to the interactions they have with staff and the level of care they receive. While patient experience is often thought of in terms of customer service, remember that patients are coming to receive medical care, not to shop.
As such, the focus should be on providing high-quality treatment efficiently and compassionately. By understanding patient experience, healthcare providers can identify areas where improvements need to be made to better serve their patients.
Why Is Patient Engagement Important During a Pandemic?
Patient engagement is essential when dealing with a large number of sick persons. When engaged, patients tend to follow medical advice and care plans. They’re also more likely to schedule appointments and attend them.
That’s especially important during a pandemic when the actions of a few can have far-reaching consequences. Even one person violating quarantine can result in hundreds of new cases in a matter of days.
Furthermore, engaged patients are more likely to be satisfied with their care. Happy patients will continue using the same provider even when more affordable options become available. In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, that’s a major advantage.
Finally, engaged patients take a more active role in their health management. This includes everything from tracking symptoms to monitoring medications. When patients do this, it removes some of the providers’ burdens. When patients have ownership of treatment, they are more likely to stay healthy.
Promoting patient engagement makes everyone’s job a little bit easier. That’s why it is so crucial not just in a pandemic context but at any time.
The Best Patient Engagement Solution
Speaking of integrated technology, what if there’s a way to use it to make filling out medical forms easier and faster? Most patients dislike having to write down their personal information over and over again on printed forms. So why not boost patient engagement by creating digital forms that are easier to fill out? They can even do this before their visit so that they don’t have to stay at the clinic for long.
That’s where Fill comes in. This online form builder lets you create custom forms and documents without any coding required. Best of all, it has a range of features that make filling out forms more convenient than ever before.
So if you’re looking for a HIPAA compliant patient management solution that will help you save time, be sure to check out Fill. It has everything you need so that you have satisfied patients
