The more engaged a patient is with the process for monitoring health-related issues, the better their clinical outcomes.
Seems like a no-brainer idea. After all, if you truly want the best health possible, you’ll do whatever it takes to monitor, control and improve it.
But it’s not as simple as giving the patient more control. Provider engagement matters too.
Imagine a scenario like this.
A patient brings technology home. They download apps, connect wires, set up monitors, and push buttons, transmitting data back to the medical office on a regular basis. They get data every time they use it, seeing daily progression right before their eyes. And equally important, they learn as they go. They get real world feedback to help them stay on track. They ask questions. They receive answers. And gradually their health improves.
People want ease of use. They want “wear and forget” sensors that upload automatically. They want technology to do the work for them, not the other way around.
People also want to know that the medical community is using the data in a way that makes it worth the trouble for using it. If they have to repeat tests and measurements when they visit in person, if a doctor has to review data before questions can be asked, an individual will quickly determine that the added burden of technology isn’t worth it. And most often will quit using it altogether.
The Sentinel Effect is the tendency for human performance to improve when participants are aware that their behavior is being monitored and evaluated. And that is the key to improving both better health and better care.
We’ve done a great job with increasing wearable technology. Mobile makes everything easier. But where we lag is engagement. How many “great job” push notifications can you get on your mobile device before you turn the notification feature off?
Early adapters love technology; they’ll use it no matter what. That’s not the problem. It’s creating enough engagement to motivate the holdbacks, the people that don’t necessarily want to hear the reminders they are overweight, have high blood pressure, or need to check their blood sugar level. And to do so in a way that motivates them to action.
The engagement challenge is where future development lies.
The most widely used apps today are socially engaging. It’s hard to ignore Instagram or Twitter. They harness a person’s need to share, feel like they are a part of a community. And that’s what gives them their power. That’s also why engagement is more difficult in things that are more personal in nature.
When apps can reach the personal side of human nature, provide enough technology and combine it with motivating feedback directly from the places that can help them the most – medical facilities, doctors offices, etc – that’s when technology will truly be able to improve our lives tenfold.
Are you up for the challenge? How are you integrating technology into your practice?
