Digital Patient Engagement and Mature Hospitals
摘要
Patient participation, often termed “patient engagement,” is recognized as crucial in achieving quality care and positive health outcomes. Patient engagement facilitates collaboration between healthcare professionals and patients, addressing individual needs and leading to effective and personalized healthcare interventions. Digital health solutions, such as access to personalized healthcare information, remote monitoring, and telemedicine, enhance patient engagement by promoting improved patient–provider communication and empowering individuals in managing their health. The rise of patient-centric care (PCC), where specific health needs and desired outcomes drive healthcare decisions, underscores the importance of digital health tools in facilitating patient empowerment. This shift necessitates evaluating healthcare systems based on their digital patient engagement offerings, as seen in various digital maturity assessments. Although traditionally overlooked, patient engagement is increasingly recognized as a key indicator of a digitally mature healthcare organization. This chapter also distinguishes “patient engagement” from “patient empowerment” and introduces the concept of the “digital front door,” encompassing various digital tools used to enhance patient experience. Finally, it presents a digital patient empowerment framework, emphasizing the need for a cohesive strategy in deploying digital health tools to meet patient engagement goals.