Healthcare, as with many other industries, is in a state of both transformation and growth. As aging populations, such as those within the “Baby Boom” Generation, near retirement age there is an increasing need for optimized processes to meet their needs. We encourage our clients to consider the benefits of engaging patients through mobile apps. Not only do these options provide better and more responsive doctor-patient relations, but they also provide caregivers as well as healthcare professionals real-time access to important patient vitals.
Here are five ways of engaging patients through mobile apps to increase the healthcare effectiveness.
Ease of access
The benefits for patients and their care team are numerous. The most obvious is the ease of access for all parties involved. Engaging patients through mobile apps starts with providing quick and easy access to data points.
For example, if you have a patient with long Covid, your concerns over his/her blood oxygen levels can easily be mitigated through the data available with a connected pulse oximeter. Likewise, if a patient needs to contact his/her medical professional, but is otherwise unable to make it to the provider’s office, a telemedicine visit gives quick and easy access to the doctor.
Variety of options
The technology options we have today have far surpassed even the most optimistic, future-thinking firm from a few decades ago. From weight management to remote blood pressure monitoring to transitional care management, there is no shortage of options to stay connected with patients via remote monitoring devices.
Monitoring of vitals
Today, doctors and caregivers can get an immediate glimpse into just about any healthcare vital stat they need through remote monitoring. These include real-time access to important health measures that can have an immediate effect on the patient’s well-being.
For example, assume your patient is suffering from a condition that causes him/her to retain water around his/her heart or lungs such as COPD. A massive weight gain overnight may indicate that there is a serious change in the condition necessitating a trip to urgent care as soon as possible. All of this is possible through remote monitoring via a Bluetooth (or) internet-connected smart scale.
Chronic care management
Web apps easily integrate with chronic care management services. These include a comprehensive (and personalized) medical plan, questionnaires that can provide updates on a patient’s condition, and CCD upload via your dashboard, all of these pieces of vital data (and more) are at your fingertips for immediate emulation.
As technology grows, so will the ability to engage patients through mobile apps. Many of the above methods of engaging patients through mobile apps are technologies that were not available just a decade ago. As medical advancement improves and IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity continues to expand, the options will only grow. Engaging patients through mobile apps may eventually become the primary method of patient-doctor relations.
Sleep Management
Disrupted sleep causes health complications and leads to increased vulnerability to chronic diseases. An 8-hour deep sleep covering the REM and NREM cycles is important for the normal functioning of the human body. Advancement of wellness and MedTech has enabled tracking, and monitoring of sleep cycles to improve the same. Sleep apnea, snoring and other related issues cause reduced sleep in many. Digital tools including self-assessment questionnaires and lifestyle interventions to ease the issues, and to enable good sleep health are beneficial for daily health and wellness review.
Stress Management
In the urbanization and digital era, stress has become an integral part of human life. Personal stress attributes to 19%, while work-life stress attributes to 39%, as stated in a report by The American Institute of Stress. Thus, managing stress levels in day-to-day life is important as it plays a crucial role in behavioral and other related health aspects. Stress management has four major pillars such as screening, grading, lifestyle intervention, and follow-ups. Digital therapeutic modules of stress management are actively used as tools to relieve stress and to adhere to a healthy lifestyle.
Smoking Cessation
Smoking attributes to 20% of all cancers and 80% of lung cancers (American Cancer Society). Despite the known health disorders smoking causes, quitting or cessation of smoking rate is quite less as nicotine and tobacco products are highly addictive and only about 4% of users who attempt to quit would succeed. Healthcare and wellness modules aid in smoking cessation by recommending interventions and regular follow-ups to increase patient adherence.
Alcohol Cessation
Alcohol consumption and addiction have been increasingly common. Over 107 million people globally have alcohol use disorder. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 3 million deaths occur every year worldwide due to the harmful use of alcohol. Thus, mindful consumption or cessation of alcohol would have a positive impact on the health of people. Many chronic illnesses have been diagnosed as comorbidities due to alcohol abuse. Alcohol cessation through telehealth would be beneficial to track habits every day and to recommend healthy alternatives to combat stress or anxiety-driven alcohol consumption and aid individuals in a healthier lifestyle.
Water intake Monitoring
Regular intake of optimal levels of water is essential for the proper functioning of the human system. Water aids in regular bowel function, healthy skin, and muscle performance. Lack of water causes dehydration, fatigue, headaches, dry skin, and dry mouth. While excessive water consumption causes bloating and can also occur due to conditions like hyperglycemia, psychogenic polydipsia, and other personality disorders. Thus, the required amount of water intake can be monitored through apps, and telehealth platforms, and these apps recommend water intake at regular intervals and monitor the same. The water intake monitor warns in case of lower water consumption. Also, the monitor integrates weather data (in the location) and optimally recommends revised water quantity.
It helps to have a forward-thinking device provider on your side. That’s where we come in. With each of our smart devices, you and the patient’s caregivers can easily engage with the patient, keeping everyone informed at all stages of the patient’s progress. Our pricing is scalable, working in conjunction with the size of your operation as well as patient needs.
Would you like to see a free demo of our products in action? Then contact us today and we will schedule a time to chat.
References
https://www.humhealth.com/remote-patient-monitoring/
https://www.humhealth.com/chronic-care-management/
https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress
