Patient engagement means patients take an active part in their own healthcare. This includes knowing about their health, following treatment plans, and talking with healthcare providers. Health literacy is the ability to understand health information so patients can make good decisions. When patients are more involved and understand their health better, they tend to have better health, visit hospitals less, and spend less money on healthcare.
In the past, hospitals and clinics mainly used face-to-face talks and phone calls to stay in touch with patients. But this way can be slow and hard because office hours are limited, and staff have a lot to do. To fix this, healthcare uses AI and automation more to make communication and information sharing easier.
One helpful tool for patient engagement is the patient portal. It is a safe online site where patients can see their medical records, lab results, manage prescriptions, check appointment dates, and message their doctors anytime.
This helps patients control their health information and be more involved in their care.
For example, the Geisinger Health System’s MyGeisinger portal is used by about 70% of patients. Patients who use it feel more connected to their doctors, which helps them follow treatments and lowers chances of going back to the hospital. The portal is easy to use and has educational content made for different reading levels.
Patient portals also help with understanding health information. They explain test results, how to take medicine, and preventive care tips. This info is often available in different languages, with videos and simple pictures, so more patients can understand it.
Even with patient portals, many patients, especially older adults or those without internet, still use phone calls to communicate. AI phone systems can help by automating many front-office tasks.
For example, companies like Simbo AI provide phone agents that handle simple requests like setting appointments, refilling prescriptions, giving access to medical records, and patient check-ins. These systems work 24/7, cut down wait times, and let staff focus on harder issues.
Automating phone tasks makes communication more steady and correct. It also lowers missed appointments and helps patients who have trouble reaching the office during work hours. For medical offices, this means less work for staff and smoother operations.
These examples show that hospitals using AI tools can get patients more involved, help them understand health better, and improve results while lowering costs.
Even though more patient portals and AI tools exist, many healthcare groups still find it hard to get patients to use them. In 2022, 73% of Americans could access their medical records online, but over half did not actively use portals.
Here are some reasons for this gap:
Medical office teams that teach patients about these tools and are clear about privacy can get more patients to use them. When healthcare staff talk about portals and AI during visits, more patients sign up. For example, a project showed that 78% of patients joined portals after staff helped directly.
AI and automation need to include diversity, equity, and inclusion so all patients can benefit. The MetroHealth System showed how they customize images, voices, and messages to connect with different groups. Inclusive design helps break down cultural, language, and social barriers.
Custom messages build trust and involvement, especially in communities with lower health literacy. AI systems that support many languages and provide culturally sensitive content help patients take part more fully in their care.
AI in healthcare is not just for portals and phones. Workflow automation helps with office and hospital work too.
AI chatbots and voice agents handle tasks like:
Automation cuts down mistakes in data entry and record keeping and lowers staff workload. When routine tasks are automated, staff can focus on urgent or complex patient needs, improving care and efficiency.
Also, AI helps make sure health information moves correctly between electronic health records (EHRs) and patient tools. This smooth data flow is important for coordinated care and current health management.
Predictive analytics, a part of AI, helps hospitals study patient data, find where engagement is low, and send reminders for things like screenings or medicine use. These reminders can reduce emergency visits and avoidable hospital stays.
IT managers and healthcare leaders must carefully choose AI solutions that follow HIPAA rules and train staff well. They should also watch patient portal sign-ups, usage, and feedback. These steps help improve patient engagement plans over time.
Using AI and automation in patient engagement shows clear benefits and helps care quality while cutting costs:
These benefits matter a lot in value-based care, where payments depend on outcomes instead of the number of services. Health systems using AI can work better and improve patient health results.
For clinics and hospitals in the U.S., AI and automation offer ways to get patients more involved and improve health literacy. Patient portals with AI give patients real-time access to health info and self-care tools. At the same time, AI phone systems reduce front-office work and make communication available all the time.
Administrators should help patients overcome barriers by teaching them, offering resources in many languages, and supporting tech use. Communication strategies should include diversity, equity, and inclusion to reach all patient groups.
From better workflows to clinical improvements like fewer repeat procedures and appointment cancellations, AI and automation give healthcare providers useful options. Careful use and ongoing checks help health organizations meet patient needs and rules while improving care.
By using AI tools and automated workflows that support patient involvement and health understanding, healthcare providers can build systems that respond well, work efficiently, and focus on patients, which helps improve outcomes today.
Patient engagement solutions are tools designed to help clinical teams engage and educate patients about their healthcare beyond the clinic. These solutions use human-centered design and behavioral science to support health outcomes by delivering multimedia content across various platforms.
AI answering improves patient engagement by automating communication, reminding patients about healthcare services, and providing tailored information, thus enhancing their understanding and participation in their own healthcare.
Effective patient engagement leads to measurable outcomes, including changes in patient behavior, increased satisfaction, and improved health results, especially important for value-based care.
UpToDate provides trusted health information through a range of formats, including health videos and printed materials, ensuring accessibility and understanding through multilingual resources.
Automation in patient engagement allows for scheduled communication with at-risk patients, significantly improving follow-up efforts and reducing missed appointments and service gaps.
Cleveland Clinic reduced avoidable repeat colonoscopies by nearly 50% through their patient engagement programs, showcasing the effectiveness of proactive patient education.
Healthcare leaders face barriers in implementing fruitful patient engagement programs, including varying patient needs, resource allocation, and effective communication strategies.
Focusing on DEI in patient outreach ensures that communication resonates with diverse populations, fostering trust and enhancing engagement, which is essential for effective care.
Improving patient engagement can lead to better care coordination and increased health literacy, resulting in fewer emergency visits, readmissions, and overall lower healthcare costs.
Best practices in conversational AI involve creating responsive, empathetic systems that enhance patient interactions, improve efficiencies, and ultimately lead to better healthcare outcomes.
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