Contents

1. What is patient engagement?

A brief introduction to the concept of patient engagement, its significance, and crucial role in improving patient satisfaction.

Patient engagement refers to the interaction of the patients with their healthcare providers. Patient engagement in healthcare can be applied to any healthcare setting, such as emergency room visits, inpatient care, outpatient care, and so on. A patient engagement system is an essential pillar for promoting good health. When patients feel involved in their treatment, they are more likely to become proactive in their health management and actively participate in managing their conditions. Patient engagement helps promote positive behavioural changes that can improve the quality of life among patients. Healthcare patient engagement measures an individual’s understanding, competence, and willingness to make care decisions. The main goal of implementing patient engagement is to achieve more patient activation and care plan compliance.   

Patient engagement represents how patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers interact with arriving at the best decision for the patients. However, patients seldom have any say in their treatment decisions. When patients actively participate in their care routine, it can improve their health condition. This also makes the work of healthcare providers easier, and they can help patients achieve their health goals.   

patient engagement

Patient engagement has immense potential to bridge the gap between patients and providers through portals and chatbots. A patient portal solution is a web-based or mobile application that offers patients 24/7 access to their medical records, medical history, billing, and personal profiles. In practice management, custom portals for a clinic provide patients timely access to them health informatics. A patient engagement app allows patients to retrieve lab results, solve queries, ask questions, update profiles, and insert insurance details. Some patient engagement app solutions enable appointment scheduling and medical billing through the portals. A patient portal software can build a secure connection to patient data that providers can easily exchange. An online patient portal in healthcare helps the hospitals, clinics, and other providers actively involve patients in their treatment.     

Patients can quickly lookup doctors and clinics and find specialists with these tools. These internet-based patient engagement applications promote access to quality care, irrespective of geographical restrictions. Patients can immediately seek treatment and make decisions for their health. Engaged patients are likely to attend health appointments and follow-ups, and they can be more responsible for their health and listen to the doctor’s advice when needed. Such patients are also more likely to search for information about topics related to healthcare. Patient engagement stimulates an interest in patients to look after themselves, educate themselves, and be actively involved in their health management.  

2. Challenges of patient engagement

Here, we have enlisted and explained the potential challenges of patient engagement systems, so you are aware and well-prepared.

Today, the patients and the entire healthcare system integrate new technologies to manage complex tasks and improve patient engagement. Many patients struggle with finding, communicating, and understanding basic health information. In the United States, some of the common barriers to patient engagement are:   

1. Communication and Language 

Clear communication is an important factor determining effective patient care and patient satisfaction. Whether at a clinic or through telehealth services, if a patient and provider cannot communicate effectively, there is a greater risk of poor health outcomes. Therefore, language barriers are considered a common roadblock to fostering good patient-provider communication. The patient must understand what the doctor is saying and vice-versa.     

 Communication and Language

2. Health Literacy

 Health Literacy

Health literacy refers to a patient’s ability to use, obtain, and process health information. As per recent data, nearly one-third of American adults lack efficient health literacy skills. In the absence of the tools and information to seek the care needed, these patients are more prone to poor health outcomes. Patients with low health literacy may understand the need to take control of their health but, at the same time, be unable to take the steps due to a lack of understanding and knowledge.   

On the other hand, an activated patient also has high health literacy. This person is self-motivated to participate in their health management and follow the doctor’s advice.    

3. Social Determinants of Health

 Social Determinants of Health

The social determinants imply conditions in the environments where various factors can affect individuals’ health, functioning, and quality of life. These factors can prevent patients from achieving good health outcomes. The social determinants of health obstruct efficient health management among patients. For instance, a patient who is not having an electricity supply will be unable to use a health monitoring device. Similarly, a patient residing in a food desert and food insecure location will not consume medications on a full stomach.    

4. Patient Trust

Patient Trust

Trust between patients and providers is crucial for motivating patients to be more active in their health management. If a patient is unable to trust the healthcare provider, then it is less likely for them to achieve the patient activation required to improve health outcomes. A lack of trust in providers among patients may be attributed to limited cultural competency and ethnic origin. Providers need to focus on building trust among patients to increase patient engagement to help individuals fulfill their health goals.  

3. Market overview of patient engagement software

This section presents the market scenario and trends of patient engagement systems, analyzing its growth and expansion.

 Market overview of patient engagement software

The patient engagement software will reach USD 19.3 billion by 2025 in the healthcare market. The implementation of government laws to promote patient-centric care facilitates the growth of this market.    

The COVID-19 pandemic drove the need for accurate diagnosis and treatment through remote patient monitoring and healthcare devices. The pandemic also witnessed increased patient engagement solutions, many of which are being made available to patients free of cost.    

 Market overview of patient engagement software

Since 2020, the world has struggled with COVID, and the healthcare industry has rapidly transformed. The medical industry began integrating virtual healthcare to achieve increased patient engagement. While everyone was experiencing stress with the pandemic, healthcare access was less stressful. Telehealth and mHealth apps are widely used, and more hospital apps are being developed.     

More than 300,000 health apps are available on smartphones, tablets, and other devices. According to a survey by Deloitte, 60% of people are willing to share their private health data from the wearables with doctors for improving their health. Accenture reported that 60% of respondents to their survey declared that they want to utilize digital patient engagement solutions for communicating with their healthcare providers.  

4. Benefits of patient portals

We have highlighted the key benefits offered by patient portals to help you understand why you must integrate them in your healthcare practice.

Patient engagement activities are crucial for detecting diseases early, improving patient health outcomes, and enhancing population health management. Other benefits of a patient engagement system include reduced tests and lowered readmission rates, reduced healthcare costs, increased speed of transactions, and better adherence of patients to care plans. Let’s dive into more details.    

A. Better patient care and satisfaction

Better patient care and satisfaction

Long waiting times or difficulty reaching the front desk of healthcare centers can be frustrating for patients. With patient portal app development, this concern is addressed. All the work can be done online instantly and effortlessly using HIPAA-compliant patient portal software. From managing appointment schedules to getting medical refills, arranging telehealth sessions, and looking for new healthcare specialists, patient portal development simplifies them all. Patient portals govern population health management with ease.     

B. Enhance patient-provider communication

Enhance patient-provider communication

Patient portal for healthcare can reduce unnecessary patient visits to the clinic and opt for virtual care instead. Patients can consult with healthcare providers directly through the medical patient portal app. For example, patients do not need to visit physicians to change medication doses personally, and they can consult the physician online through a patient portal mobile app by booking appointments. The interoperability offered by patient portals makes this simplified communication possible.     

C. Increase performance efficiency

Increase performance efficiency

Online patient portal development can increase the performance efficiency of your clinic, even for integrated care, because it simplifies communication between patients and providers. Signing up new patients and filling up their details becomes easier with a patient engagement portal. Patient portal app development can reduce errors and inconsistencies in inpatient data, and it saves time and improves the efficacy of your healthcare services.      

D. Reduce medical errors

Reduce medical errors

Patient portal app development automates patient data management and other administrative tasks. As a result, the manual work is minimized, and there is less error scope. This improves the efficiency of medical billing and healthcare payment processing.     

E. Patient-centric Care

Patient-centric Care

Patient portal companies emphasize patient-focused care. Healthcare organizations can manage patients and their data smoothly through healthcare portal development. Patient portals offer patients 24/7 support and communication with healthcare providers. Healthcare providers can easily exchange electronic records and offer quality collaborative care. They no longer have to wait for lab results and can easily access them via online patient portal app development.     

F. Enhanced patient-provider communication

Enhanced patient-provider communication

Patient engagement portals store patient data that patients and providers can easily access. They educate patients and prepare them for future care encounters. Patients can access their health data, stay informed about health conditions, and communicate with providers regarding wellness measures. Providers can keep track of patients’ health conditions through data visualization and healthcare analytics and by chatting with them directly through the patient portal in healthcare.      

Patient engagement enables providers to meet patients halfway and gives them adequate resources to support their health. Engaging patients and motivating them towards their care routine can improve their health outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. Patient engagement systems enhance patient engagement by enabling patients to access the electronic health records and supporting secure patient-provider communication.   

5. Risks of not having an efficient patient engagement system

This section briefly walks you through the consequence of having an inefficient patient engagement system, so you know what to watch out for.

Imagine that you decide to integrate an advanced patient engagement system in your healthcare practice, but you cannot embrace the technological innovation. The consequences may negatively impact your organization and patient experience.   

I. Restricted functionality

Restricted functionality

The patient portal in healthcare has several advantages, but not many patients know it. Patients may assume there is nothing in portals that can help them. You can address this issue by raising awareness and educating patients about the pros of using patient portal software.     

II. Poor usability

 Poor usability

The interface of a patient portal must offer usability. If patients cannot complete simple tasks using the portal, they may not be motivated to use it.     

III. Lack of navigation

Lack of navigation

To make sure that your patients can make most of the patient engagement portals in your healthcare software, you need to help them navigate it. People who are not familiar with technology may struggle or feel discouraged to use it.     

IV Reduced patient flows

Reduced patient flows

In the competitive healthcare environment, patient satisfaction can be increased with customized services and personalization. As per some recent surveys, three-quarters of patients in the United States of America seek a more personalized experience. If you are experiencing low patient flows, work on customizing your services.   

V. Worsened patient outcomes

 Worsened patient outcomes

Some patients may not refuse to adapt to patient engagement software, which increases their motivation to adhere to the prescribed treatment plans. Such patients tend to skip planned medication and may face severe consequences or even death for patients. Patient engagement technology can avoid these events by reminding patients to take their prescribed medication through notifications. Additionally, a patient engagement system also alerts doctors when a patient is not participating in their treatment.  

6. Key features of a patient engagement app

We have provided the features to look for when choosing a patient engagement software. This list will guide you to the perfect set of features.

1. Online patient registration

Online patient registration

Cloud-based patient onboarding is a crucial feature of custom patient portal development. Patient portals must support an easy sign-in registration process. Patient portal software companies must offer smooth online registration. Patient portal app development must consider convenience while designing the platform.     

2. Appointment scheduling

 Appointment scheduling

A patient portal development company can schedule appointments with their physicians online, and patients can view the availability of a specific physician and book an appointment instantly. Once a time slot is chosen through a patient portal app, patients receive a confirmation via email or SMS.    

3. Chats and Chatbots

Chats and Chatbots

Patients can receive personalized help or consultation using patient portal software via protected chat. This can be implemented by a live chat feature or chatbot empowered patient portal that can answer questions till a physician can personally attend. Chat and chatbots function as channels that allow patients to obtain a quick consultation with their physician or nurses through patient portal and nurses engagement.    

4. Personalized Patient Data management

Personalized Patient Data management

Online patient portal app development must provide access to well-protected personalized patient data. This feature makes it easier for providers to access specific patient information or documents, such as particular lab results or test reports. A particular configuration of data management will vary with the type and features of the patient portal app.    

5. Secure online payments

Secure online payments

One of the most important patient portal engagement strategies is making payments online and viewing payment history. Online payment processing is convenient for patients and providers, and it also serves useful while implementing telehealth and mHealth. Patient portal app development can be integrated with a third-party payment gateway provider.     

6. Personal Profiles

Personal Profiles

A patient portal solution needs a system to manage personal patient profiles that allow access rights and data protection. Every personal patient profile must be readily accessible to patients. Additionally, they should be available for data management, including editing and updating personal information.    

7. Patient Education

Patient Education

Patient portal app development can serve as a source of providing healthcare news, updates, and education to patients through healthcare automation. Patient portals can consist of health-related recommendations, videos, or articles to enhance the knowledge and awareness of patients. These can encourage patients to be more health-conscious and active in their well-being routine.    

7.Trends in patient engagement

Here, you will learn about the aspects of patient engagement software that are likely to trend and expand in 2023 and probably the years to come.

Trends in patient engagement

a. Patients want to receive more value from their interactions with their providers

The healthcare industry is becoming more and more patient-centric, and with that, patients are learning their roles in their health management. Patients are increasingly active in participating in their treatment and engaging with providers. Healthcare organizations are implementing strategies to achieve high patient engagement and better outcomes by providing consistent care.   

b. Rising technology is improving patient satisfaction

Healthcare technology has rapidly improved patient engagement, and patients can now communicate with healthcare providers quickly from anywhere. Patients expect quick access to the internet of things (IoT), and they adopt the latest innovations. Various health apps have simplified healthcare access and patient-provider communication.    

c. Patient education is gaining attention

Healthcare providers know the connection between patient education and patient engagement outcomes. Patients need to be curious about learning new information related to their health and their families. Since the COVID pandemic, people have become more interested in educating themselves promoting better patient engagement. It is not surprising that patient engagement leads to better outcomes. Patient education is essential for enhancing their knowledge and awareness of various diseases and conditions.   

d. Patient experience is the main agenda

Healthcare is increasingly becoming patient-centric, where organizations have realized the importance of patient-focused care. Patient-centric care services encourage patients to be more actively involved in their care regime, increasing patient satisfaction and improving health outcomes.  

e. Providing accurate information to patients

Patient engagement strategies in 2023 are expected to focus on self-management, self-monitoring, and self-care. New digital health solutions will be launched to empower patients to become more self-aware about their symptoms, conditions, treatment, and recovery. Electronic health records will continue to flourish, providing insights into early signs and symptoms.   

f. Patient involvement in care decision-making

Patient engagement solutions empower patients and educate them with information that encourages them to partake in their care process. Patients will be more actively involved in choosing treatment options, selecting the right career path, and planning the post-surgical operations.   

g. Personalized experiences stimulating better patient-provider communication

Digital health has simplified access to health data, and providers deliver personalized experiences to patients. Care providers and non-care allies enhance patient engagement and experience through patient-focused care. Personalized care using modern healthcare technologies helps improve patient engagement.    

h. Virtual Care will continue to increase patient satisfaction

In 2023, virtual care will be empowered with advanced technology and health informatics, providing all necessary details about patients to providers. Providers will be able to understand patients to deliver better care services. Patients can access care anywhere and during any phase, from diagnosis to treatment. Healthcare automation will drive virtual care practices, where patients can access healthcare services remotely and order/reorder prescription medications from pharmacies. Mobile health apps will ensure timely delivery of medications before they run out. In various ways, patient engagement programs will be observed making the most of virtual healthcare.  

8.Types of patient engagement systems

This section enlists the three types of patient engagement systems, followed by a short description for each type.

Here are the main types of patient engagement:   

1. Off-the-shelf patient engagement solution

Off-the-shelf patient engagement solution

Most likely, your case is not unique, and several available solutions can be implemented in your healthcare organization. Depending on the preferred features, patient reviews, and pricing model, you can select an option. Some of these patient engagement solutions may have predefined subscriptions, but some will allow you to select the specific features you seek. It must be noted that off-the-shelf patient engagement requires patient registration software, e-prescription system, and EHR integration, among many software criteria.   
 

2. CMS-based Patient Engagement Software

CMS-based Patient Engagement Software

If healthcare institutions feel that the existing patient engagement solutions are insufficient, it’s time to build software for engaging patients. You can hire a software development team to deliver a solution based on a chosen platform. CMS platforms provide basic functionality, including patient registration, scheduling, rescheduling of the appointments, EHR integration, etc. It is important for healthcare software developers to select the right platform to support the features and third-party integration.    
 

3. Custom Patient Engagement Software

Custom Patient Engagement Software

As the name suggests, this type of patient engagement software is custom-designed to suit your requirements. Unlike the other two types of patient engagement solutions, this one is specific to your needs. Software developers can build a solution as per what you are looking for. You can make decisions from data visualization format to front-end and back-end technologies. Since your development team will be in charge of the code, the integration with third parties will be simpler.  

9.Ways in which technology has transformed patient experience

Find out the different ways in which technology impacted patient experience and improved patient satisfaction.

Advancements in healthcare technology and the increasing competition have highlighted the importance of patient experience. This has encouraged healthcare providers to work on improving patient experience. During and post-COVID, hospitals and healthcare providers have made an effort to streamline their interactions to enhance the patient experience. The main goal of the healthcare industry is to improve population health management. The shift to technology has focused on patients’ concerns, expectations, perceptions, and safety. Let’s take a look at how digital technology has revolutionized patient engagement.   

I. Pre-care

 Pre-care

According to a recent survey, 65% of the patients confirmed that their experience on the hospital website for appointment scheduling, obtaining information, and others are similar to the actual treatment. 80% of the surveyed patients utilize online reviews as an important deciding factor. Nearly 50% of the patients in a study mentioned that they are ready to change their insurance provider for opting for a healthcare provider having better reviews.    

II. Speed

Speed

When patients receive treatment from healthcare providers, they seek better experience, convenience, and good communication. Most importantly, patients want fewer waiting times and quick care services. Patient engagement technology can enable providers to deliver high-quality services faster due to healthcare automation. Electronic health records used in patient engagement software establish transparency, speed, and simplicity. Additionally, they improve communication. These can result in more engaged patients, and it is a known fact that engaged patients have better outcomes.   

III. Transition to Virtual Care

Transition to Virtual Care

Digital technology gave wearables and devices biosensors that promote healthcare engagement. An engaged patient can now be proactive and monitor their vitals. Engagement in healthcare allows patients to share their health data with doctors. This transition is effective for engaging patients a home and home care centers. Healthcare providers can make the most of virtual care services to engage patients.   

IV.Personalized reports

Personalized reports

47% of the participants in a study by Accenture reported that they expect a personalized response from their providers, and nearly half of them preferred faster service. With the onset of the pandemic, people began preferring care services from home. The only way a healthcare provider can offer such services is by integrating patient engagement software. It promotes healthcare automation and enables patients to communicate with providers using video conferencing for consultations. Healthcare providers need to choose the right tools to enhance patient engagement and better outcomes.   

V.The growing importance of patient experience

The growing importance of patient experience

Traditionally, patient experience has not been given much attention in the healthcare sector. Most healthcare providers have focused on treating patients from a clinical perspective, with less emphasis on the individual and their opinions. Medical care plans also posed challenges for patients to change providers in low patient satisfaction.    

Technology in healthcare has completely transformed this picture. Processes such as medical billing, medical claims management, insurance claims analytics, appointment scheduling, and others have become automated in healthcare, saving a lot of time for the patients. Healthcare technology has succeeded in involving patients in their care and reducing the costs. Patients are becoming more digital-centric and self-reliant, and patient engagement techniques are becoming widely used to activate patients in their health management.   

VI. Empowering patients in their care

Empowering patients in their care

Patients are adopting technology to take control of their health and become more involved in their care. Providers encourage patients to use wearables and other devices to measure vitals and track health data. Patients are also looking for health apps to connect them to providers and increase patient engagement. Health care engagement enables patients to view their data, including lab results. Digital technology has given way to several health apps enabling patients to receive care remotely from anywhere. Patients can now search for doctors based on their symptoms and schedule appointments, all from eh comfort of their homes.   

VII. Enhancing Patient Experience with Technology

Enhancing Patient Experience with Technology

Technology in healthcare has emphasized the importance of healthcare patient engagement. This involves making sure patients do not wait long for visits, automating appointment management and billing, and creating communication strategies involving patients in their care. Technologies such as online medical billing and scheduling have streamlined complex processes and succeeded in achieving engagement in healthcare. Moreover, they offer faster access to healthcare services through portals and chatbots. These platforms can be used for many tasks in healthcare, such as answering simple questions on location or prescriptions.   

VIII. Simplified Care

Simplified Care

With healthcare automation and online portals, patients can access care conveniently. They can view prescriptions online order or reorder medications. Patient engagement is heightened with such facilities where patients can access care faster, monitor their health remotely, and communicate with providers with a simple click. Patients do not have to wait long periods to be seen by doctors. Health access has improved greatly without compromising the quality.    

10.How much will a patient engagement software cost?

While planning to develop a patient engagement software, it is important to figure out the estimated costs. This section provides you with the information you need to get an idea of the expenditure.

The cost of a patient engagement solution will vary with the type of software.   
 

a. Off-the-shelf patient engagement software

 Off-the-shelf patient engagement software

Sometimes, they may offer predetermined subscriptions, whereas some companies may allow patients to choose the features they want. Every off-the-shelf patient engagement has its focus, be it EHR integration, appointment scheduling, or e-prescription. The monthly cost for such software can range from $12/month for basic features to $350/month or more for comprehensive features.   

b. CMS-based patient engagement solutions

 CMS-based patient engagement solutions

The cost of building this type of patient engagement software may range between $30k to #35k for solutions offering basic features. If you want to expand your features beyond the basics, such as appointment scheduling, online payment, and secure patient-provider communication, you can integrate with third parties. These will cost around $2k-$5k for a simple extension, whereas a complex plugin having complex functionality will cost up to $20k, and a cumbersome plugin will add up to $45k or more.   

c. Customized patient engagement

Customized patient engagement

The cost of a custom-designed patient engagement solution would begin from approximately $50k and will include basic features, and it will take at least three months for this solution to be ready. If you add more complex features, the price will hike and can easily reach around $120k to $150k.  

11.How can healthcare institutions enhance patient communication?

Healthcare organizations struggle to improve patient-provider communication, which also affects their patient outcomes. Here, we have presented information guiding you to utilize technology to your advantage.

In 2023, technology is crucial for creating consistency and reliability in your healthcare organization. To prevent any work from slowing down, you need to avoid human errors in your processes. Healthcare technology can help patients to save costs and experience better health access. In reality, even the smallest medical practice can involve tonnes of paperwork that can be replaced by healthcare automation. This implements better consistency and helps patients to rely on staff availability, which can slow down daily operational processes. Healthcare automation saves patients time and makes it convenient to schedule appointments and communicate with providers.    

Digital technology gave rise to patient engagement platforms that offer more than basic functions and help healthcare providers survive in the competitive market. Multiple healthcare professionals may be involved in a patient’s care, and such cases can increase the scope for miscommunication or human error. Communication failures contribute to adverse events, one of them being a lack of patient satisfaction. EHRs can help minimize these errors by compiling and maintaining all patient health informatics and storing it as an easily accessible record. This can promote better patient engagement, leading to better outcomes and improved patient satisfaction.    

How can healthcare institutions enhance patient communication?

Another important tool for improving patient communication is the patient portal. Patient portals can enhance patient engagement by helping patients to access their health data as electronic medical records to facilitate secure patient-provider communication. Portals can be utilized for better communication without the need for in-person visits. Patient portals have the potential to offer improved communication between patients and providers. The care team can keep tabs on patients and directly communicate with them as the need arises. Portals enable healthcare providers to become transparent and interactive with patients and send patients real-time information. Clinics can promote portals to patients to deliver better care with a special focus on patient-provider communication. They can answer patient questions and requests within a short period, and patients can experience flexibility and convenience and answer their questions with patient portals.    

Patients can use patient portals to email questions, schedule appointments, and request prescription refills. Providers can send patients post-visit clinical summaries and lab results and respond to patient messages in-between, seeing patients’ complete tasks efficiently. Providers can make the most of portals to supply the requested information directly to patients and guide them on healthcare, such as at-home measures of vitals.   

12. Best strategies for high patient engagement in 2023

If you are seeking ways to enhance patient engagement in your healthcare institution, this section has the information you need.

These six strategies will help you get a fair advantage to achieve patient engagement:   

1. Provide the answers to the questions patients have

 Provide the answers to the questions patients have

It may seem straightforward, but it may be hard to miss addressing pressing questions that patients may have. Be it a current medication or a vaccination fear, healthcare providers need to understand what questions patients are concerned about and address them. It is important to address the questions to show that you understand them and help them. Patients would respond better to such an approach, which will enable increased patient engagement.    

2. Introduce the experts to the masses

Introduce the experts to the masses

It is not surprising that people using telehealth services peaked during the pandemic. It is a great way of introducing specialists to the patients with virtual health services. For instance, patients in remote areas may not have access to a dermatologist involved in clinical trials or a vitiligo expert. You can integrate telehealth services to offer video-conferencing with specialists and doctors. Patients can also ask questions and get advice on managing their health condition. This would help to increase patient engagement in no time.   

3. Empower patients using virtual rehab sessions

Empower patients using virtual rehab sessions

Sheltering in place for months together can take a toll on patients with chronic conditions, where at-home care opportunities come into the picture. They can educate patients and encourage them when they lose all hope. Virtual care sessions can work like miracles for chronic cases, and they can help serve patients seeking tips to incorporate simple condition-specific rehab exercises into daily practice.    

4. Go beyond prescribed medications

 Go beyond prescribed medications

Patients seek more than just prescribed pills for improved health outcomes, and they prefer providers to understand and address their needs. Physicians need to empathize with what patients are going through and provide the necessary support as and when required. Adding to the care continuum, such as providing tips on managing stress and preparing a diet chart, can go a long way. Providers must realize the importance of these extra measures and know that they can work wonders for patient engagement.  

5. Foster strong social connections

Foster strong social connections

There’s a growing body of evidence that strong social connections improve health outcomes. They are finding ways to foster communication among people who share the same chronic disease diagnosis helps them share their unfiltered truth – first-hand experiences with treatments and side effects, practical tips for navigating challenges at work or home, emotional support for getting through the tough days, guidance for questions to ask at the next doctor’s appointment. This can happen through traditional patient support groups, of course. But in today’s digitally-driven world, it increasingly happens online – especially in condition-specific patient social networks.   

6. Interact with diagnosed patients

Interact with diagnosed patients

For marketers tasked with reaching diagnosed patients, Contacting diagnosed patients and building a trustworthy relationship can be challenging, but it is important in making patients feel engaged. Third-party partnerships can also be a key to reaching and engaging patients. It is essential to know when to connect with patients to actively discuss and seek necessary information about their health for successful patient engagement.   

7. Educate patients about their healthcare

Educate patients about their healthcare

Healthcare providers need to realize that patients could benefit from a better understanding of their information. This is especially true when it comes to helping them improve their health condition. It is crucial to use simple language and documentations that are legible. Physicians need to understand where patients are coming from and what care services they need. Healthcare providers need to encourage patients to use portals to view lab results or send information about their medication to them in their secure inbox. This can help patients become more engaged when it comes to their healthcare.   

8. Employ images and charts in communication with patients

Employ images and charts in communication with patients

With every tactic for patient engagement, clinicians and healthcare professionals should leverage the final tool of using visual aids when possible. Whether diagrams, images, pictures, or even videos, these tools can help make complex concepts simple to understand. Once these visual aids are leveraged – specifically in the decision-making process – patients can more easily work with their family members and doctors to choose the best treatment options.   

13. How OSP can help you create the best patient engagement software

The US healthcare system involves many steps, and each process requires tonnes of documentation.

 From appointment scheduling to patient admission, there is a lot of paperwork that can lead to errors when manually handled. These errors can cause delays and discrepancies in medical processing, reducing patient satisfaction. Patient engagement software can automate daily operations and manage patient health informatics. OSP can develop efficient patient engagement solutions to help you achieve a better patient experience. Our patient engagement software can automate all processes, including appointment scheduling. Patients can experience shorter waiting times with our custom patient engagement software solutions. OSP’s patient engagement solution promotes efficient healthcare data management that can handle and securely store large volumes of patient data.    
 

How OSP can help you create the best patient engagement software

We can create patient portals to support easy communication between patients and providers. Our custom-designed portals can improve health access for patients and enable them to view their documents online. Patient portals also help patients order and reorder medications from pharmacies. OSP’s patient engagement solutions ensure that patients feel included in their treatment. Patients’ families also get to have a say in their care process using patient engagement in healthcare. Patient portals enhance patient engagement programs and enable patients to receive real-time provider communication. Patients can ask questions, and providers can answer through a chatbot. OSP’s custom patient portals focus on patient-centered communication, which is important for patient satisfaction. Increased patient satisfaction can lead to better ROI generation.    
 

How OSP can help you create the best patient engagement software

Team OSP has experienced software developers who can create patient engagement software with essential features, including chatbot and messaging. Our patient engagement platforms are interactive and user-friendly. We build interoperable patient engagement solutions and ensure patient involvement in care. OSP can integrate telehealth applications into patient engagement software for enhanced health access and remote patient monitoring. Patients can instantly receive provider responses and address their health concerns in real-time. Our custom patient engagement software can drastically improve patient-provider communication and help doctors deliver real-time care services to patients located anywhere.    
 

The US healthcare industry deals with large volumes of data daily, and manually handling them can be problematic. Files can go missing, and data privacy can be breached. Interoperability also remains a major concern, especially when multiple doctors provide care services. Our patient engagement software is carefully designed to address these healthcare challenges and allow easy electronic health data exchange. OSP can develop patient engagement software solutions to improve healthcare analytics in real-time. We can simplify data exchange and data viewing for virtual care services. Our customized patient engagement software is interoperable across different systems, and it enables patient data to be stored securely on cloud-based platforms.    

OSP’s patient engagement solutions also make it easier for patients to pay bills online through secure platforms. Healthcare providers can manage payment processing and medical billing through automated patient engagement. Patients can select the preferred mode of payment, and providers can achieve accuracy by avoiding medical coding errors. With our patient engagement solutions, you will no longer face delayed payments or claim denials.   

OSP has a team of expert software developers who can utilize advanced healthcare technology to manage health informatics. We can help providers achieve better population health management with our patient engagement solutions. EHR-integrated patient engagement offers insights to enable providers to access and share patient data easily. Healthcare providers can conduct predictive analysis using EHR in our patient engagement solutions. OSP can help you achieve your healthcare goals with our innovative patient engagement platforms.   

14. OSP Case studies

We have presented a couple of our success stories in developing patient engagement solutions, where we helped resolve the challenges our clients faced.

I. Telehealth with Chatbot Case study

Telehealth with Chatbot Case study

Mobile technologies can be utilized for improving healthcare services across the US. Certain factors can influence the use of mobile health apps. These include rapidly evolving mobile technologies and applications, increasing opportunities for incorporating mHealth into current healthcare systems, and the ongoing growth in mobile network coverage.  

A client approached us regarding developing a telemedicine application where the patient and the provider can have an online consultation to schedule appointments through text or video conferencing.  

Challenges  

  • Real-time health access  
  • Manual operational processes, including appointment management  
  • Lack of secure digital payments  

Solutions  

Automated Patient Registration  

OSP created a simplified patient registration module for developing electronic health records by securely storing patient health informatics.   

Video/Text-based Appointments  

Offer a simplified interface for user registration for appointments via text consultation or video-conferencing using mobile health apps. 

Chatting with Physicians  

A quick and effective way of connecting patients and providers through a secure mobile chat platform that provides better health insights.  

Teleconferencing  

Connects with expert health providers from the comforts of your home through mobile app streaming.  

Secure Online Payments  

Allows patients to make payments online with ease, eliminating the hassle of manual processes and invoices.   

Additional Features  

The app created by OSP enables users to view and export patient details like their registration, chat history, and appointment details. It fast-tracks billing and payments by automation and transforming everything into online platforms. Patients have the convenience of paying through text-based consultation or video-conferencing.  

Moreover, the app complies with HIPAA regulations and integrates an extremely secure authentication process for implementing roles and permission-based access. The PHI is stored online with the help of an AW S3 bucket and encrypted with AES256 encryption.  

Results  

  • Real-time access to quality healthcare  
  • User-friendly appointment scheduling   
  • HIPPA-compliant streaming  
  • Improved patient-provider communication   

II. Mental Health Practice Management

Mental Health Practice Management

A Texas-based client, a mental health center, was looking for ways to automate their practice management system. They used manual operational processes, which caused revenue loss and deteriorated the quality of care delivered. The main challenge for OSP was to introduce digital health technology into the clinic’s daily practice and revenue cycle management.  

Challenges  

  • Slow access to mental health services  
  • Long waiting hours   
  • Manual operations and appointment management  
  • Lack of online payments  

Solutions  

Access to Experts   

The app developed by OSP has a feature that allows patients to contact their providers from the comforts of their homes via teleconferencing.  

Automated Appointment Scheduling   

Simplified appointment scheduling for the patients and eliminated long waiting hours.  

SOAP Notes   

Allows users to store their notes on medical cases on a digital platform that they can easily retrieve.  

Secure Online Payments   

Enables patients to make online payments without sending invoices manually easily.   

Results  

  • Improved performance efficiency  
  • Enhanced patient engagement  
  • Quick and secure payments  
  • Enhanced health access in time  
  • HIPAA compliance  

3. Advanced Remote Patient Monitoring with Telehealth

Advanced Remote Patient Monitoring with Telehealth

Introduction  

Virtual health has been in increasing demand due to its simplified access to patients located everywhere, including remote areas. It saves patients the time otherwise spent traveling to the doctor’s clinics. Virtual health serves as beneficial for senior care and patients with chronic health conditions. These platforms and applications offer easy health access to patients from their homes.   

A US-based company approached OSP because they were looking to develop an advanced remote patient monitoring system. They wanted to launch apps to help patients with real-time health access and improve patient-provider communication. These apps would also simplify care management among chronic and elderly patients.  

Challenges  

Real-time access to healthcare services  

Monitoring patient health  

Inclusion of patient families  

Real-time patient-provider communication  

Solutions  

Monitoring of Vitals  

Measures patient vitals using medical devices integrated with digital health tech. This enables patients to track their daily health data, which will motivate them towards improved self-care.  

Nutrition Facts   

Provides information about nutritional intake in every diet and enables them to keep up with their fitness targets.  

Pill Reminder   

Benefits patients and providers can add new medications and track previous prescriptions. Patients can receive a timely reminder to consume medicines or supplements, saving them from missing a dose.  

Telehealth With Video Conferencing   

Provides health access through virtual consultations and video calls and saves time spent in in-person visits.  

Chatbot   

Fosters real-time patient-provider communication through a secure platform that allows patients to discuss health concerns and receive feedback.  
 

Emergency SOS Safety Alert   

This feature allows family members of patients who have had incidents of falling or health emergencies to receive SOS alerts in such emergencies via call, text, or email.  

Third-Party API Integration   

Supports third-party integrations using electronic health records and other open platforms and promotes the user-friendly implementation of these integrations.  

Health Management   

Allows viewing of patient data gathered from various sources using a smart device. It enables physicians to monitor patient health remotely and predict health risks early on.   

Notifications, Alerts, and Monitoring   

Beneficial for elderly and chronic care patients that provides clinicians alerts and notifications about any changes or shifts in health conditions. It prevents the management of health concerns early on before things get worse.  
 

My community   

Enables patients to connect with different communities, build communities, share activities, and communicate regularly.  
 

Access Control RFID Software   

Offers access controls for staff and prevents elderly and chronic patients from leaving the care center.  

Datafication   

Facilitates a better understanding of patient information, resulting in improved health outcomes. It also helps providers conduct predictive analysis to monitor patient health and foresee any risks beforehand.  

Results  

  • Better Patient-Provider Communication  
  • HIPAA-Compliance  
  • Remote monitoring of patient health  
  • Participation of patients’ families  
  • Real-time access to quality care  

Conclusion

Patient engagement contributes to active patients and improved patient experience, and it promotes patient participation in their care routine to maximize outcomes or improve experiences of care. Patient engagement services can be availed remotely with digital technology. It includes both process and behaviour and is governed by the relationship between patients and providers and the environment where healthcare delivery occurs.   

Patient engagement software can offer various services to help you gain a better patient experience. The patient engagement strategies mentioned here will improve patient satisfaction and practice management. When patients are engaged, their health outcomes will automatically improve. Patient engagement allows providers to focus on patient-centred care and consider their opinions in the care process. It is essential to build your patient engagement solution with features that actively involve patients and prioritize them. High patient engagement can improve their outcomes and help you generate more ROI each year.    

Patient engagement offers cost-effective treatment and aims at involving patients in their care process. Patients expect modernization and technologically advanced healthcare these days. The hospital sector realizes the importance of patient engagement practices and is striving to introduce dynamic changes in the system. Patient engagement software establishes the right balance between technology and human interaction with patients. Patients can seek answers to their questions and provide feedback using patient portals.    

OSP can create custom patient engagement solutions with features that will make your app stand out in the competitive market. We can help you offer personalization, scalability, and flexibility to patients along with real-time communication. Our team can help you focus on optimized diagnostics better patient-provider communication without compromising the care quality. We can develop automated patient engagement solutions to manage daily operations, such as appointment scheduling and patient registrations. Patients no longer need to waste time waiting for long durations to get appointments or health access.   

OSP is a trusted software development company that delivers bespoke solutions as per your business needs. Connect with us to hire the best talents in the industry to build enterprise-grade software.

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