Engaging Patients Beyond the Patient Portal

Patient engagement is an important concept in healthcare. However, most efforts center around the patient portal, which many clients never or rarely use. So, if you want to get them engaged, you need to meet your patients outside the portal. Here are some ideas on how to do just that.

Why Patient Engagement Matters

There are many reasons why patient engagement matters, but here are a few key ones.

Healthcare is changing. The industry used to be about paternalistic care in which the doctor made all the decisions and the patient simply followed directions. However, patients are now more informed than ever before, and they want to be part of their own care. This has led to the rise of consumerism in healthcare, in which patients demand high-quality, cost-effective care that meets their individual needs.

Patient engagement is essential for delivering on this new model of care. When patients are engaged, they take an active role in their own health, leading to better outcomes overall.

Going Outside the Patient Portal

Engaging patients beyond the patient portal is important because patients who are engaged tend to have better health outcomes and incur lower costs overall. So, how can you go about engaging your patients? Here are some ideas:

• 1. Launch wellness campaigns that target specific conditions or groups of patients.
• 2. Utilize call centers and chatbots to provide support and engagement outside of the portal.
• 3. Be active on social media, using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to communicate with patients and promote engagement opportunities.
• 4. Provide comprehensive patient education materials that can be accessed online or offline.
• 5. Make it easy for patients to reach you by providing multiple contact options, including phone, email, and live chat.
• 6. Prioritize patient feedback to understand what is working well and where improvements can be made.
• 7. Set up your staff for success by training them on how to engage patients in a meaningful way.

When it comes to engaging patients, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every practice will have its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. However, these are some general strategies that can help get you started. By taking a holistic approach to engagement, you can create an environment in which patients are more likely to take an active role in their care – and reap the benefits that come with it.

For more direction on patient engagement and compiling patient engagement statistics, contact Sequence Health.

Learn more by reading Why Long-Term Patient Engagement Tools Are Worth It.