The age of information is upon us, and we are more than aware of the intrinsic working of healthcare services. Patients know what they want, and they expect high-quality treatment. But are healthcare services still playing catch up with the changing times?
This article delves into the idea of patient-centric care, a revolutionary new way of healthcare that is advantageous for all parties involved. Let us look at how this approach brings innovation into the health sector and healthcare app development.
Let’s Explore the Definition of Patient-Centric Care
While this is a relatively new concept, there have been debates about what it means to have patient-centric care and its degree of effectiveness. Let us now take a look at what is the general idea behind patient-centric care.
Patient-centric care is rooted in the idea that all healthcare decisions and quality measurements are driven by the individual’s specific health needs and desired health outcomes. The patient and the healthcare provider partner in the treatment process. The perspective taken is not simply a clinical one but rather an emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and financial perspective.
Elements of Patient-Centric Care
While the above-mentioned ideas are at the core of a patient-centric care system, let us look at key elements that solidify it. The definition may vary from one institution to another, but the ideas mentioned below will always be at their core.
– The healthcare system’s mission, vision, values, leadership, and quality-improvement drivers are congruent with patient-centric objectives.
– Care is collaborative, coordinated, and readily available. The appropriate care is delivered at the appropriate time and location.
– Physical comfort, as well as emotional well-being, are prioritized in care.
– Patient and family preferences, values, cultural traditions, and socioeconomic circumstances are all considered.
– Patients and their families are expected to care for team members and have a say in patient and system decisions.
– Family members’ presence in the care setting is encouraged and facilitated.
– Patients and their families receive complete and timely information, allowing them to make informed decisions.
Why is it Important to be Patient-Centric in Healthcare?
Patient-centric care has gained center stage due to various reasons. Here are some of the reasons why patient-centric care is essential. Here you can check more about the importance of Healthcare IT in patient care.
Better Engagement With the Patient:
In a patient-centric approach, the patient has a better engagement and positive viability and continues to participate holistically in the healthcare system. This results in patients engaging better with the treatment care, thus reducing the symptoms, effective treatment, and lower readmittance in the hospital. <
Managing expectations due to greater awareness among patients:
It is the internet age, and patients are more than aware of the various medical conditions and how they affect them. They are more vocal about the healthcare they expect. When the patient is at the center, they are taken along through the decision-making process, giving them complete insight into their treatment plans.
The importance of gathering information about the patient’s needs:
Having a clear understanding of how important it is for every employee to gather information about the needs of patients quickly is one of the reasons. A patient-centric approach without any kind of vision leads nowhere and, in particular, does not reach the point where objectives can be met.
Benefits of Patient-Centric Care
The main objective and advantage of patient-centric care are enhancing personal health outcomes. Here are some of the benefits of implementing patient-centric care:
– an increase in patient and family satisfaction ratings.
– A better reputation for healthcare providers among patients
– improved productivity and morale among support staff and clinicians
– improved distribution of resources
– increased financial margins and decreased costs across the entire spectrum of care.
Patient-Centric Care Examples
Patient-focused care is implemented in various ways in a range of healthcare settings. Here are a few examples:
Patient-centric care in the doctor’s office:
In a doctor’s office, the patient’s problem is given more attention than the patient’s diagnosis. Patients and doctors have a close, trusting relationship in patient-focused care models. patient-centric care is primarily based on human interaction, but doctor’s offices may also use various tech-based tools.
Patient-centric care in the hospital:
The patients and their families are encouraged to be part of the care team. Hence, they can visit outside of strict visiting hours, decide who gets to visit them, participate in care discussions, etc. The design of the patient-focused care hospital fosters family cooperation by providing a comfortable setting that caters to the needs of the patient and the family.
Personalized medicine:
The patient-centric approach is also extended to treatment and therapies. Medications are customized to the patient’s needs. The patient’s genetics, metabolism, immune system, biomarkers, etc., are considered to create personalized medications and therapies.
Patient-Centricity and Technology: Is Any Technology Desirable For a Patient-Centric Approach?
In an era of information overload, patients are more informed of their conditions and treatments than ever before. There is also technology to track every data point of a person. Patients also expect high-quality medical attention. A patient-centric culture fosters all of this.
Let us look at some of how technology and patient-centricity overlap.
Telehealth and Telemedicine Software:
One of the most significant applications of patient-centric care ad technology is through telemedicine and telehealth. Patients can use their mobile phones or computer to access healthcare facilities that would otherwise be inconvenient in many ways. Bringing such healthcare IT services to their home, even remotely, enabled a healthcare practice that is patient-centric and highly convenient as well. Here you can check what you can expect from Telehealth and Telemedicine in 2023 and beyond.
Artificial Intelligence (AI):
AI has successfully been implemented in areas like robot-assisted surgery, virtual nursing assistant, and administrative workflow assistant. Significant progress has been made in how AI is used to help the healthcare sector. AI has been paired up with image-based algorithms to make a diagnosis in the fields of ophthalmology, dermatology, etc. It has also been used for predictive data analysis to identify high-risk patients.
Digital Therapeutics:
In digital therapeutics, programs and treatments that complement or replace clinical drugs are developed using digital tools. Smartphones and wearable technology can continuously and non-intrusively gather user health data. Digital therapeutics programs can produce predictive analytics tools in behavioral change programs for mental illness, chronic illnesses, and lifestyle habits when combined with AI and machine learning.
Creating a Patient-Centric Telehealth Software
One of the advantages of the patient-centric system is how it allows the healthcare system to build a closer, more holistic relationship with the patient. The telehealth system brings one such important bridge into view. With its various facilities that enhance convenience, healthcare centers are actively investing in telehealth software. You, too, can join those who are choosing success.
If you are looking for a healthcare software development partner, EMed HealthTech is the ideal choice for you. You will find that we have the best technology, which can be customized to your needs to develop the best healthcare software for your facility. Reach out to us today to get started.
