tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-209261059979891719.post2147646627844785317..comments2024-03-22T15:03:57.585-05:00Comments on Healthcare Business & Marketing Insight: Are You Ready for Patient Engagement in 2012?Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02517755077104837270noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-209261059979891719.post-59335701037264750812011-12-07T07:01:02.031-06:002011-12-07T07:01:02.031-06:00Great post, Michael. I agree that patient engagem...Great post, Michael. I agree that patient engagement is essential. At TeleVox, we’re making caring for patients between doctor visits as easy as writing a prescription. In fact, we’ve just released a study (http://bit.ly/tvoxreport)that revealed eight out of ten (83%) people across the nation admit they don’t follow treatment plans they have been given by their doctor exactly as prescribed. Healthcare professionals are not quite as forgiving. They only give 1 in 20 patients (5%) an “A” grade for following treatment plans to the letter.<br /><br />Healthcare providers must engage patients between visits with information that will help them understand the state of their health and their personal role in becoming healthier. Regular communications offering information, encouragement and ‘just-in-time’ reminders will help patients stick with treatment plans between appointments. It’s no longer enough to prescribe a treatment plan and tell patients to change their lifestyle during their regular appointments. If physicians want their patients to make positive behavior changes for a healthier life, they need to become an active part of their patients’ daily lives.<br /><br />Our study revealed that healthcare professionals believe with the proper motivation and coaching the majority of their patients (80%) will take the necessary steps to do what's required to become healthy. Patients agree. Of the people who feel they could better follow their prescribed treatment plans, nearly half (42%) said they would be more successful if they received information and encouragement from their doctors between visits to stay on course. And, more than one-third (35%) said they could improve their routine of following doctors’ instructions if they received reminders from their doctors via email, voicemail or text telling them to do something specific, like exercise or take medication. <br /><br />Additionally, I agree – a one-size fits all approach doesn’t work. I encourage healthcare providers to use this study to better understand how to interact with a variety of different types of patients. <br /><br />For example, we’ve learned that men require a different type of interaction with their physicians than do women. Women have a tendency to focus on taking care of others before they take care of themselves. They need a doctor who constantly reminds them to take time for themselves and make their own health a priority so they can be the best mothers, friends and partners possible. Men, on the other hand, tend to be “pleasers.” When they are able to please, they feel like winners. However, if men continually come up against a physician who tells them they aren’t doing enough, they will eventually quit trying to satisfy and will rebel. Men thrive on appreciation for their accomplishments—big and small. They don’t want doctors who try to fix their health problems, rather they prefer physicians who support them along the way and boost their confidence.<br /><br />This is just one example; the study dives into a variety of patient demographics and offers suggestions for the best way to interact with a variety of different types of patients.<br /><br />As healthcare providers plan for 2012, I hope you find this information useful. <br /><br />All the best,<br />Scott Zimmerman, president, www.televox.comScott Zimmermenhttp://www.televox.comnoreply@blogger.com