How Does Healthcare Engage Patients Amid So Many Distractions?

How many distractions will you be faced with today?

Our lives are filled with interruptions, which make getting and keeping someone’s attention harder than ever. It’s commonly said that U.S. adults are barraged with an average of 5,000+ advertisements and brand exposures every day. Only 12 of these actually make an impression.

So how do we slow the rapid-fire beat of distraction in patients’ everyday lives to truly engage them in their health?

We live with mobile devices in our hands. Access to information is a moment away. And as technology evolves at an ever-faster pace, we are enamored with the next shiny new thing.

Yes, technology sometimes enables distraction. But used effectively, it also presents a unique opportunity to help patients focus on their health.

This means using technology to:

• Create a conversation, set expectations and prepare patients at every step along the care continuum.
  
• Help doctors meet the growing demand for healthcare while making it easier and cheaper for patients to access care.
  
• Open up communication with patients online instead of gating general healthcare knowledge behind barriers such as passwords.
  
• Engage with patients on a personal level—a critical part of patient-centered care.
  
• Integrate your connection with patients seamlessly into their lives.

When it comes to healthcare, technology presents an untapped capacity to connect and engage with patients. And patients are the secret weapon for transforming care quality.