this part of his annual history
and physical examination).
own and bring questions to their next
visit. For example, for a patient newly
diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you could
direct them to the Mayo Clinic's online
summary of the condition to read about
complications, risk factors and treatments.
approval that you're okay with them getting
information from other places besides you.
And that leads to honest disclosures in
the future."
acknowledgement that you don't know
everything makes you less intimidating,
which makes patients more willing to accept
that they can have a partnership with you.
engaged in their healthcare if they don't
feel they can engage with your practice.
Tools such as patient portals allow patients
to schedule appointments and view test
results online and/or send direct, secure
messages to your practice. These features
make it easier for your patients to connect
with your practice, and by extension feel
more in control of addressing their
health needs.
to dedicate extra time to responding to those
messages? Will patients try to use a message
the answer is no.
100 patients using a portal, you can expect to
receive about 20 total messages per month,
and on average those messages take less time
to respond to (two minutes) than the average
phone call (five minutes). Additionally,
studies have indicated that patients who
utilise direct messaging tools don't visit the
office less frequently.
is and how it works is important, but the
more complicated part of the equation is
its impact. How specifically will engaging
patients affect your practice?
engagement is lowered costs. That usually
refers to lower costs in the US health system
as a whole, which manifest most obviously
in decreased hospital readmission rates and
emergency department utilisation.
is a clinical instructor at the University of
California, San Francisco, who also practices
geriatric medicine. As Dr Kernisan explains,
patients are more likely to follow through
on treatment plans when they're engaged,
making them more likely to achieve health
goals and less likely to need emergency
hospitalisation.
reimbursement, then you'll see a direct
financial gain as a result of a more engaged
patient base with improved outcomes.
engagement is," says Dr Hibbard.