It has become even more crucial that your existing and new patients are connected to your practice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patient engagement levels depend upon enhanced connectivity options. The Healthcare IT News revealed that the healthcare industry will adopt a holistic methodology to patient engagement and access. Unified solutions will be deployed by hospitals and providers to close any gaps in care and improve the patient’s experience for better patient satisfaction scores.
Patient engagement can be stimulated through various channels of communication such as email, phone, and secure two-way text messaging to keep the communication seamless during these trying times.
Benefits of Patient Engagement for your Practice
Higher patient engagement levels are important to improve patient outcome levels and reduce costs. When patients are engaged they;
- Help to reduce the issue of no-shows.
- They are loyal to your practice and stay with you.
- Saves time for your medical staff by booking online appointments and viewing lab results online.
- Will make your practice profitable and efficient.
5 Powerful Tools to Boost Patient Engagement in 2021
- Telemedicine – Telemedicine EMR Software solutions have been deployed by hospitals and clinics in the United States to offer remote care services to their patients and tap on the lost revenue stream due to a decrease in patient volumes at the doctor’s office due to the pandemic. According to RevCycleIntelligence weekly virtual sessions have increased to 1.7 million in April from the 13,000 level before the pandemic.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) – AI software systems can facilitate providers to provide customized care to each patient and communicate with their patients effectively over messaging platform or voice to make sure they are following all necessary SOPs to keep them safe during the third wave of the pandemic.
- Patient Portal – The Patient Portal EMR Software is a robust platform that helps to enhance patient and provider communication. Patients can easily log on to the portal from their homes and engage in their healthcare process; they can view COVID-related test results, pay online payments and connect with staff members more easily.
- Vaccinations – Your healthcare organization can depend on the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Software system to help staff members contact those patients that still have to receive a vaccination shot. This will ensure that your patients receive timely vaccinations despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Wellness Support Programs – On-call wellness support staff that are well trained can help to increase patient engagement. Professional coaches can help people stay fit and meet their healthcare goals through yoga, exercise, and different meditation techniques. Becker’s Health IT revealed that 48% of hospitals are arranging wellness support programs for their patients.
Moving ahead
Patient engagement should be your top priority this year as patients are getting stressed and worried about their health and the overall situation of the healthcare sector. By strengthening provider and patient relationships through the above-mentioned tools your patients will feel satisfied, involved in their healthcare journey, and ultimately provide value to your healthcare organization.
