Technology and treatments are constantly evolving in the healthcare industry. While this is great for patients, it can also lead to confusion about what's best for their care. In particular, several myths about patient engagement solutions emerged with recent healthcare industry changes.
In the healthcare industry, myths can circulate for many reasons. Often, they are perpetuated by well-meaning but uninformed individuals. Other times, they arise from a genuine need for answers to complex problems.
Myths can have dangerous consequences. They can delay or prevent individuals from seeking necessary medical care, and lead to the spread of misinformation. They also create difficulty for researchers to identify trends and develop practical solutions.
It is essential to debunk myths when they occur to promote better understanding and improve the quality of care for all. Let’s dive in!
Related: Patient Engagement in Healthcare: How Can I Improve It?
Myth #1: Effective Patient Care Must Be in Person
The common belief that effective patient care must be in person is a myth. There are many ways to provide care remotely; in some cases, this can be more effective than traditional in-person care. One reason is that remote care can often be more convenient for patients.
Their busy schedules and/or logistical limitations don't interfere with their ability to receive care from home.
Remote care can often be more customized to each patient's needs. For example, if a patient has a specific condition or disbility that requires special attention, a remote care provider can give them the one-on-one attention and convenience they deserve and need.
Finally, remote care can be more cost-effective than in-person care since it doesn't require the overhead costs associated with maintaining a physical office for commuting expenses.
In terms of providing quality patient care, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. In some cases, remote care can be better than in-person care.
Myth #2: Quality Care Isn't Scalable
Quality care is essential for providing the best possible patient outcomes. However, many believe that delivering quality care to large populations is extremely challenging to scale.
This assumption is based on the false premise that quality care requires a high level of personal attention and cannot be delivered by automated systems or lower-cost providers.
Many large-scale quality improvement initiatives have been successfully implemented in healthcare organizations. These initiatives typically involve using data-driven approaches to identify and track quality.
Understanding quality of care has helped organizations reduce costs while maintaining the same standards. Quality care isn't scalable is a myth, there are many ways to deliver quality care effectively and efficiently to larger numbers of patients.
Myth #3: Patient Care is Strictly Medical
It is a common myth that patient care is strictly medical.
This is not the case.
While medical care is essential, it is only one aspect of patient care. Other important aspects of patient care include emotional support, practical assistance, and social support.
While undergoing treatment, patients can benefit from emotional support. Practical assistance can help patients cope with the physical and financial impact of their illness.
Social support can help patients to stay connected with their loved ones and maintain a positive outlook. All of these factors are essential for providing quality patient care.
Related: 7 Methods To Improve Patient Outcomes
Myth #4: Administrative Tasks are a Given
The belief that better patient engagement = increased administrative tasks is a myth. Specific administrative tasks are necessary and cannot be avoided.
However, the idea that all administrative tasks are essential is not true. In many cases, administrative tasks can be streamlined.
For example, consider the task of triaging patients and scheduling appointments. In the past, this would have required a patient physically going into an ER or provider’s office to get their symptoms evaluated, the care team needing to manually maintain the appointments calendar, as well as long wait and handling times for both sides..
Today, however, valuable digital tools are available to automate, simpilfy and enhance these tasks. As a result, the time spent triaging and scheduling patients for appointments can be dramatically reduced.
The bottom line is that not all administrative tasks require the high-value time of the care team . Some are essential, while others can be easily automated and free up care teams to spend their time on more value-driving tasks.
Myth #5: Provider Benefits from Patient Engagement Solutions are not Clear
Provider benefits from patient engagement solutions have been shown to reduce costs and improve the quality of care. Despite this, some providers still need more ROI clarity to invest in these solutions.
According to a recent study, providers using patient engagement solutions reduced hospital admissions, readmissions, and costs.
Based on these findings, it is clear that patient engagement solutions offer significant benefits to providers. Providers not investing in these solutions are missing a prime opportunity to improve their bottom line.
Myth #6: Solutions for Patient Interaction Don't Offer Real Advantages
The belief that solutions for patient interaction don't offer real advantages is a myth. The fact is providers can gain significant advantages by deploying these solutions.
By automating key patient interaction processes and workflows, providers can improve efficiency and quality of care while reducing costs. In addition, patient interaction solutions can help providers better engage with their patients, leading to improved outcomes.
Finally, patient interaction solutions have also proven to enhance provider satisfaction and retention. Ultimately, provider benefits from solutions for patient interaction are plentiful and significant, making this myth easy to bust.
Myth #7: Patient Engagement is Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks and is not HIPAA compliant
Despite popular belief, patient engagement can be resistant to cyber-attacks and is HIPAA compliant if leveraging the right solution. Understanding the software and systems available is essential to ensuring the privacy and security of patient data.
Modern software solutions can even help identify potential security risks and mitigate them before they become threats.
The advantage of using these technologies for healthcare organizations is the ability to collect more accurate and up-to-date data by engaging patients more regularly in their care journeys.
Related: Frequently Asked Questions
Clearstep is the Provider Solution to Enhance Patient Engagement
Clearstep is an AI chat assistant that helps to boost patient engagement. By providing a personalized interface, Clearstep allows patients to ask questions and get answers in real time.
Additionally, Clearstep helps to schedule appointments and keep track of medications. Lastly, Clearstep can understand patients' specific needs and provide personalized recommendations. As a result, Clearstep delivers a valuable service that can help patients to get the care they need.
