NOVEMBER 2024LIFE SCIENCES REVIEW 19CXO INSIGHTSBy David Levine, Regional Medical Director, TeamHealthatient engagement has long been recognized to be an essential element of high-quality healthcare services. Over the years, studies have shown there to be a direct correlation between the level of a patient's engagement in their healthcare and their health outcome and costs incurred for care. Generally speaking, "patient engagement" is a broad concept that combines patient activation with provider-initiated interventions that are designed to increase that activation and promote an increase in positive patient behavior . The 2013 report from the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) found that patients who were engaged in their own care reported an overall higher quality of care with fewer errors . Further, it's been concluded that increased patient engagement has a positive impact on overall health outcomes, medication adherence, and lower hospital admission rates . Traditionally, clinicians have played a central role in helping patients understand and make informed decisions about their health. Unfortunately, the undeniable challenges clinicians face may inadvertently limit a patient's willingness or ableness to become active participants in their own healthcare. As a result of this fundamental aperture, public and private health care organizations have been trying to develop new strategies to better engage their patients while concurrently relieving the systematic burdens placed upon providers. As many healthcare professionals will attest, patient engagement is one cornerstone needed to achieve the "triple aim" of improved health outcomes, better patient care, and lower costs. Effectuating such change has always presented many hurdles for patients and providers alike. Patient-facing factors such as health literacy, access to and understanding of technology-driven applications, realizing the limitations of clinicians, and mitigating potential misinformation sought from outside sources (i.e., "Dr. Google") have been some of the first challenges to overcome. From the clinical side, it's equally essential for providers to recognize the advantages of understanding people's experience of their unique situation and illness and understand how equipped they feel to take responsibility for managing aspects of their own care. It has been my experience that both patients and providers are initially reluctant to adopt change. However, the global COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 forced us to tackle these hesitations in the most aggressive fashions. In many situations, out of sheer necessity and with little to no preconceived plan in place, we as a medical community banded together and adapted like we never have before. Tents became emergency departments, cars were waiting rooms, and video conferencing became the primary means of communicating with patients and families. We proved we can adapt and change quickly. The key now is to be thoughtful about coming out of the pandemic and using what we learned to advance the way we deliver care. AN ENHANCED APPROACH TO PATIENT ENGAGEMENTPDavid Levine
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