Telehealth Solutions Can Boost Patient Engagement, Leading to Better Outcomes
Patient engagement is considered to be an integral part of the entire process of healthcare. In simple words, patient engagement involves regular interactions between doctors and patients to enable patients to manage their own care better. For patients to be able to manage their own care, they need to be educated about the nature of their disease and what are the reasons they contracted it. Empowering patients to have more involvement in their own care and wellness is known to have significantly better clinical outcomes, and also decrease the cost of care.
In light of the importance of patient engagement, telehealth solutions might have an important role to play in fostering doctor-patient rapport. Healthcare has always been about people visiting a doctor, listening to what he/she has to say, and then following the instructions regarding medication and diet. Telehealth can help change this unidirectional flow of instructions and bring about a more fruitful interaction.
Telehealth software systems after integration with other clinical systems would enable patients to schedule and reschedule appointments with a few clicks, speak to doctors through a telemedicine app, and have any queries clarified about their conditions. The ability to remain in touch with doctors goes a long in helping people with chronic diseases manage their health better.
Real care happens when the patients leave the clinics and begin taking their medications and following diets. In course of this, if people are able to connect with their doctors to know about the dosage, talk about symptoms, ask about what foods to avoid, or changes to make in their lifestyle without having to visit the doctor in person, the entire experience of the patient is bound to be conducive to the process of recovery. Moreover, the ability to connect with their physician using a few clicks acts as a catalyst that motivates people to take their own care seriously and adhere to prescribed medication and treatment regimens.
Telemedicine platforms also feature artificial intelligence chatbots that are highly effective for answering simpler questions that people may have about their situation. The best about these chatbots is that patients won’t have to wait long for small queries, nor would they need to visit their physician in person, or even try to call them. Such convenience movies the hassles of calling, booking additional appointments, or waiting. When patients can find out what’s best for them in minutes using telemedicine applications for healthcare, the medical outcomes are bound to be favorable.
Numerous surveys and extensive research have concluded that good doctor-patient engagement has a direct impact on the outcomes. This is especially true in cases of chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Such diseases need continued care and regular follow-up consultations with doctors, coupled with timely tests and scans. Moreover, when patients can manage their own care better, the overall costs of care are bound to reduce, making it a win-win for providers, patients, as well as payers.
The case for patient engagement is stronger than ever. Telehealth solutions are known to boost it and help all stakeholders in the process. As more investors pour money into telehealth, they would do well to keep engagement in mind.
