Cloud technology is changing the state of the healthcare sector. A number of hospitals are using the cloud for a variety of purposes, including improving data scalability, offering employees the opportunity to work remotely and improving patient engagement.
Due to these many benefits, healthcare organizations are expected to spend over $128 billion on cloud services this year. Patient engagement is one of the biggest reasons healthcare companies are investing in cloud computing. Keep reading to learn why cloud technology is becoming vital for hospitals and clinics trying to maintain stronger relationships with customers.
Cloud Computing Pays Huge Dividends for Companies Trying to Boost Patient Engagement
The term “patient engagement” is used to describe a scenario in which patients are actively involved in making decisions about their health care and are aware of and actively participating in all aspects of their treatment, recovery, medication, and other related systems.
According to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), patient engagement occurs when “providers and patients work together to improve health.” Furthermore, it is claimed that people who actively participate as decision-makers in their medical care are healthier and experience better health outcomes.
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The use of information technology has the potential to play a more significant role in fostering such patient participation. Cloud technology, wearables, mobile applications, patient portals, and smart devices are just a few examples of the technology being used by healthcare facilities to educate and involve their patients.
The benefits of cloud computing for improving patient engagement cannot be overstated. A 2014 study published in The Journal of Medical Practice Management discussed some of the benefits of using cloud technology to make things easier for patients.
“A patient portal is a cloud-based application that allows secure, confidential, and efficient access to personal medical information and communication between patient and provider,” the authors write.
The Current State of Health IT and the Challenges in Patient Engagement that Cloud Computing Can Address
There are many benefits of using cloud technology to improve patient engagement. However, before we can delve into them, it is important to address some of the challenges with patient engagement.
Patients are becoming knowledgeable when it comes to technology and want constant instruction and help from their healthcare providers throughout the duration of their treatment. They can use cloud technology to facilitate this, since many healthcare portals are accessible via private cloud networks.
The healthcare sector recognizes this truth and has started to invest enormously in developing patient investment strategies and solutions. Many novel patient engagement tactics are employed to suit the demands of the patients, which can be optimized through cloud computing. However, there are a few operational and implementation problems that hold down the overall process.
- Cultural change — The difficulty in changing from the conventional behavioral patterns to the new system is sometimes an obstacle to successful patient involvement.
- Lack of preset parameters – There is a fair bit of ambiguity regarding patient participation and how to execute it in order to obtain the intended results.
- Privacy – this issue is especially concerning when using cloud technology. Healthcare companies have to make sure their cloud servers are HIPPA compliant.
- Lack of evidence — It makes more sense if healthcare professionals have an evidence-based measurement of patient engagement. As of today, there is no evidence-based procedure which is often a burden for the administration.
- Ignorance – The patient’s demographics and health literacy are important factors in successful patient engagement, but few people realize this. Their technological literacy is also an important consideration.
- Patient’s view — Many times, the patient will have predefined conceptions that their position and status are subordinate to the medical experts.
- Workers’ resistance – The success of patient engagement initiatives is heavily dependent on the education and outlook of the healthcare staff.
Fortunately, cloud technology can address many of these problems by making essential information more accessible to both patients and staff.
The Importance of Patient Participation in Healthcare
In this scenario, a patient has been diagnosed with a long-term illness such as COPD (COPD). The patient may know nothing about the illness at all, may know a little bit about it from various media sources, or may know a lot about it through close relatives or friends who are also afflicted.
As part of the standard practice, doctors have always explained the patient’s problem and prescribed treatment. Hypothetically, the healthcare service provider may provide a pulse oximeter for use by the patient or carer to track blood oxygen levels independently at home. As a result, they will be able to keep better tabs on their health and better control their COPD. Also, both the doctor and the patient will save time by not having to schedule as many checkups. In addition, the patient can participate in community activities using modern media to increase their understanding of how to manage COPD effectively.
A straightforward and practical illustration of the value of patient participation in healthcare. At this pivotal moment in healthcare history, patients are gaining the ability to play an increasingly important role in both the decision-making process and the delivery of their care.
All healthcare workers have a responsibility to do their best for each patient they treat. Increased participation from patients is essential to enhancing health outcomes. Patients who are actively involved in their care are more likely to take an active interest in their health, adhere to treatment regimens, and experience positive outcomes. For this reason, 70% of doctors say that encouraging patient participation is a major priority in their practice. Engaging patients is helpful for both the healthcare providers and the patients themselves.
The idea of patient engagement might be compared to that of consumer engagement or customer satisfaction in commercial settings. More broadly, it encompasses a range of resources, activities, and procedures designed to aid both healthcare professionals and patients in making well-informed decisions. Find out why and how patient participation helps everyone involved in this article.
Future of Patient Engagement in Healthcare Relies on the Cloud
The focus in healthcare has typically been on doctors and hospitals. It ignored the importance of people as active participants in their own health care. Patient participation is essential in the modern healthcare system, which has shifted its focus to a value-based system. According to Deloitte’s recent Global healthcare outlook report, medical professionals all over the world are exploring new, more efficient ways to provide high-quality, patient-centered care that makes use of cutting-edge technological advancements, both inside and outside of traditional healthcare facilities.
Experts agree that improved patient outcomes can be achieved by putting responsibility for one’s health in the hands of the patient. In addition, it has been demonstrated that patient involvement is critical to the sustainability of healthcare systems.
One needs a well-defined plan that revolves around the organization’s vision if patient involvement is to be successful. Improved and individualized patient communication is key to achieving these goals, so it’s important to use the appropriate technology and tools. As a result, it’s important to work with a healthcare provider that has experience developing patient management solutions.
Therefore, companies are going to need to find creative ways to incorporate cloud technology into their patient engagement models.