Patient engagement helps patients and their providers connect by promoting an active partnership and shared decision-making. The result is better health outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and easier healthcare consumerism navigation.
Engaged patients can:
- Self-manage illness or problems
- Engage in activities that reduce condition exacerbation or health decline
- Participate in treatment and diagnostic choices
- Collaborate with providers and caregivers
- Select providers and provider organizations based on performance, quality, or their unique set of needs
- Navigate the healthcare system with ease
Measuring patient engagement can be tricky, making it difficult to determine whether patients are truly involved. Although there are many ways you can measure patient engagement, one of the simplest methods is to monitor patients’ interactions with your practice. Patient interactions can occur both inside and outside of the office, so you’ll want to consider how to manage the relationship from both angles.
An understanding of the characteristics of an engaged patient can help providers gauge patients’ responses, manage the relationship, and determine how to achieve the best health outcomes for each patient.
Let’s explore two different scenarios and the characteristics a patient will demonstrate when they are engaged.
Scenario 1: Characteristics of an Engaged Patient with No Known Health Risks
Even patients without known health risks should establish regular healthcare routines. In this scenario, our fictional patient, Anna, will demonstrate why.
Characteristics of an engaged patient with no known health conditions before the visit
Anna is 35 years old, and even though she doesn’t have any medical concerns, she prioritizes routine health visits. She knows her annual wellness check is approaching but can’t quite remember when to schedule it. Thankfully, her doctor sends her a timely text message reminding her to book her next appointment.
Anna logs into the patient portal and schedules her visit. As she gets closer to her scheduled appointment date, she receives an automated text reminder about her upcoming appointment. She notices a scheduling conflict and immediately uses the online patient portal to reschedule the visit.
Characteristics of an engaged patient with no known health conditions during the visit
Anna’s rescheduled appointment date finally arrives. When she gets to the doctor’s office, she notifies the receptionist via the quick digital check-in. She waits in her car to avoid the potentially crowded waiting room and is notified by text message when she’s ready to be seen.
During her visit, Anna has bloodwork done. Her bloodwork results are available to be viewed in the patient portal within twenty-four hours of her appointment. Anna is disappointed to learn that she has high cholesterol. However, because she proactively monitors her health with annual wellness checks, managing the condition will be easier.
Within a few hours, Anna’s provider calls her to discuss the results of her blood work. Because Anna already saw the results in the patient portal, she eagerly answers the call so she can collaborate with her provider on the best treatment plan.
They discuss her options, including medication and lifestyle changes. Anna opts for medication, so her provider writes a prescription and then gives her a pamphlet with additional information about high cholesterol. After the appointment, Anna receives a text message detailing her prescription and how to take the medication to help her avoid mistakes. This same information is also available in her patient portal.
Characteristics of an engaged patient with no known health conditions after the visit
Once the appointment is complete, Anna receives follow-up notifications. These notifications include a survey to share her experience and a link to her bills. Because of these alerts, she pays her bill online and on time. She leaves a five-star review via the survey and then refers friends and family to the practice.
In this scenario, Anna is happy with the experience and wants to return to this provider for her next wellness check. The practice’s healthcare technology contributes to the patient’s happiness and overall engagement with her healthcare experience. She was able to autonomously schedule and manage her appointments in advance, freeing up time and helping her maintain a regular healthcare schedule. Plus, the doctor’s office got paid faster and on time because Anna was given a quick and easy way to pay her bill following her appointment.
Scenario 2: Characteristics of an Engaged At-Risk Patient
High-risk patients need to be engaged with their health for better preventative care and to monitor and manage health problems over time. Let’s explore a scenario where an engaged patient, Joe, is at risk for a chronic condition.
Characteristics of an engaged at-risk patient before the visit
Joe’s father was diagnosed with heart disease at the age of 54. He knows that heart disease can be hereditary, so he’s adamant about attending his annual wellness exams. He uses the patient portal to schedule his exam and receives text reminders leading up to the appointment. Because Joe knows he’s an at-risk patient, he’s always anxious the day of his exams. He opts to complete all forms online so that he has one less thing to worry about when he arrives for his appointment.
Characteristics of an engaged at-risk patient during the visit
During his exam, he expresses concerns about heart disease being common in his family. His provider addresses these concerns by detailing symptoms to watch and giving Joe a brochure about the condition. Joe is empowered and decides to further research the illness when he gets home.
Overall, Joe’s check-up goes well, and his provider recommends that he return for a recheck in six months.
Characteristics of an engaged at-risk patient after the visit
Five months later, Joe experiences chest pain and shortness of breath. He remembers that these symptoms can be early warning signs of heart disease. Instead of visiting the hospital for a diagnosis and treatment, he quickly contacts his doctor about his symptoms and schedules another appointment.
Joe learns that he has heart disease and he and the doctor discuss treatment plans. He receives customized care reminders, including information about picking up and taking his medication as prescribed. A couple weeks later, he returns for a follow-up visit. He and his doctor are pleased with his progress and agree that Joe will continue taking the medication.
In this scenario, Joe avoided a trip to the hospital by being aware of and catching warning signs early. As a result, he reduced healthcare costs for both himself and his insurance provider. Additionally, Joe’s proactive and engaged approach helps him become a healthier patient overall, despite having a chronic condition.
Conclusion
A patient engagement can significantly reduce the amount of time and effort required to create engaged patients. Technology enables patients to schedule appointments, check-in remotely, view health records, pay their bills, and more in one place. An easy-to-use solution leads to greater patient adoption by saving them time and giving them opportunities to track their health outcomes at their fingertips. Additionally, automation creates room for personalized care experiences with minimal lift from staff.
Enterprise solutions, like InteliChart, give patients a holistic view of their health and simplify the process of engaging with their providers. As a result, patients and providers can more easily work together to achieve optimal health outcomes.
Want to learn more about creating seamless patient experiences throughout the entire patient journey?
Read our free eBook, How to Promote Patient Engagement at Every Stage of the Patient Journey.
