Reduce Healthcare Inequities with Patient Engagement Technology

Leveraging Remote Patient Monitoring Technologies to Reach More Patients

Addressing healthcare inequities is no simple task. The causes are complex, from environmental to socioeconomic factors, and aren’t easy to address. There are opportunities, though, to bridge gaps in healthcare by leveraging patient engagement technology.

Remote patient monitoring – staying connected with patients outside of the medical setting – has the potential to deliver several important benefits for disadvantaged communities.

Connect Patients with Resources and Information

许多贫穷和处境不利的人并不总是知道何时或如何寻求治疗，这可能导致无法控制的慢性疾病、不必要地去急诊、结果不佳，甚至更糟。几乎所有社区都可以广泛使用基于短信的通信，这是一种非常有效的接触人们并与医疗保健提供者建立信任的方式。

By automating a series of messages that combine different content including videos and easy to understand handouts, healthcare can become more holistic and less episodic, which can foster trust and ensure patients feel supported. Consistent communication ensures that patients have accurate, useful information, and helps them stay engaged in their healthcare.

Gain Better Insight into Barriers That Negatively Impact Health

远程患者监测也是一种有效的方法，可以收集有价值的信息，更好地了解患者可能需要什么。通过促使患者定期报告他们的情况，可以在潜在问题导致严重恶化之前向医疗服务提供者发出警报。

If patients don’t understand how to correctly take medication or manage a chronic condition like diabetes, the likelihood of the condition worsening goes up. If a patient is facing a more practical problem like food insecurity or transportation issues, healthcare providers can proactively intervene to provide support and connect the patient with helpful resources.

Empower Patients with Improved Health Literacy

Automated digital patient communication between medical visits is also a great way to keep patients engaged with their health and provide step-by-step guidance to help them adhere to their medical plan of care. If a patient is living with a chronic condition, for instance, they can be prompted to report their blood pressure or glucose level, and then receive automated guidance relative to those inputs.

当病情得到良好管理时，这些系统可以提供鼓励，或者在病情有改善空间时提供指导和支持。患者越了解为什么血压对他们的长期健康目标很重要，他们就越有动力做出健康的选择。

Simple, But Effective Remote Patient Monitoring Program

Technology alone can’t eliminate healthcare disparities, but it can be used to create better connections between disadvantaged communities and healthcare providers. Meeting patients where they are can lower barriers like childcare, transportation, inflexible work hours, and more.

A great example is a program implemented atChristianaCarethat is improving early detection of postpartum hypertension by overcoming low attendance for follow-up office visits. They deployed a remote patient monitoring platform to engage new mothers after discharge. They are prompted to report their blood pressure and answer a few questions – entries outside the normal range trigger care team intervention.

This simple approach has built trust and helped the care team better understand their patients’ potential barriers – all without the new mother needing to leave her home. The program has successfully reduced postpartum hypertension-related readmissions and eliminated long-standing racial disparity.

While only 30% of patients attended in-person postpartum office visits, the remote monitoring program drove 91% of new mothers to submit at least one blood pressure reading (a 203% increase in hypertension screening) and decreased 30-day readmissions by 55%.

有兴趣了解更多?

To learn more, watch an on-demand webinar, “How Remote Monitoring Improves Access to Care, Reduces Health Inequities.”

Additional Reading

你想了解更多关于这个话题吗?Here are some articles we suggest:

• Advancing Health Equity: A Data-Driven Approach Closes the Gap Between Intent and Action
• Innovative Care Management Program Avoids Nearly $16M in Costs and Transforms Lives of Super-Utilizers
• How Managing Chronic Conditions Is Streamlined with Digital Technology