Ways Digital Technology can Enhance Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare

How Digital Technology Can Boost Patient Satisfaction in Healthcare:

Defining Digital Technology

Digital technology encompasses a variety of tools, such as laptops, tablets, software applications, augmented and virtual reality, and even more abstract forms like the Internet. It also includes devices like cameras, calculators, and digital toys.

The methodologies, protocols, and standards that are characteristic of the technology sector apply to digital technologies as well.

At its core, digital technology represents the use of advanced information and communication technology to collect, store, analyze, and distribute data across every phase of the product value chain. This is essential for driving innovation in numerous industries.

Why is Patient Satisfaction Important in Healthcare?

Patient satisfaction is fundamentally about how individuals evaluate the quality of their healthcare experiences. It’s often used as a key performance metric for healthcare facilities, alongside factors like accessibility, relevance, effectiveness, and cost efficiency.

Measuring patient satisfaction presents several challenges. Many satisfaction surveys yield skewed results, suggesting unreasonably high levels of approval, especially among elderly patients. This may stem from patients’ hesitance to voice dissatisfaction with healthcare services, along with the design of surveys aimed at capturing patient sentiment (Ware and Hays 1988). Alternatively, employing more nuanced techniques that encourage patients to share their honest views often leads to a more accurate representation of their concerns.

What Does Digital Technology Mean in Healthcare?

• Digital health technologies encompass computing platforms, networking, software, and sensors for healthcare and related services.
• These technologies serve a broad range of purposes, including applications for medical devices and general wellness.
• They comprise innovations intended as medical products, within medical products, as supplementary diagnostics, or as companions to other medical items (devices, medications, and biologics).
• Digital technologies can also aid in researching or developing medicinal products.
• Digital health includes aspects such as telehealth and telemedicine, wearable devices, electronic health records (EHRs), electronic medical records (EMRs), mobile health (mHealth) applications, and targeted therapies.
• Ultimately, the goal of digital health technology is to enhance healthcare systems and improve human well-being.
• This technology includes smartphone applications, wearable devices (like fitness trackers), and virtual care platforms (telehealth).
• Digital health solutions also involve software designed to monitor diseases, online applications for diagnosis, and tools that analyze data from medical devices such as blood pressure monitors.

How Digital Technology Enhances Patient Satisfaction

Overall patient satisfaction reflects the extent to which individuals are pleased with their entire treatment experience, and “patient experience” is becoming a crucial metric for healthcare institutions. As patient-centric care gains traction, technology that enhances the patient experience is increasingly considered a core component of healthcare organizations’ strategic goals. While patient satisfaction is influenced by how patients are treated, it also hinges on their expectations of care.

Today’s healthcare facilities are employing various technologies to enhance patient outcomes. Here are some ways technology can elevate the quality of care:

• Improving Treatment Adherence:

One of the toughest challenges in healthcare is ensuring quality of care. Without patient compliance, there’s a real risk that care methods will not be effectively utilized. Technology can help motivate patients to follow their healthcare providers’ recommendations. For example, automated reminders via text or email can inform patients about upcoming appointments and health advice.

• Reducing Medication Errors:

Doctors prescribe medications at specific doses for a reason, yet many patients either forget to take their medication or the proper dosage. This can lead to issues like drug resistance and longer recovery times. Utilizing reminders through emails and alerts can help mitigate these issues and reduce pharmaceutical mistakes.

• Enhancing Data Access:

An effective patient care plan must incorporate the patient’s medical history. Insufficient information can lead to misdiagnoses or incorrect treatments. An IT-managed service can assist healthcare providers in understanding patients better, potentially minimizing mistakes and better anticipating complications.

• Improving Progress Tracking:

Regular monitoring of patient progress is essential. It enables healthcare professionals to assess whether a patient is recovering, or if new treatments are necessary. Utilizing digital tracking, as opposed to traditional paper methods, facilitates easier detection of changes and adjustments, resulting in more tailored and effective patient care.

• Enhancing Connections Among Healthcare Providers:

New technologies can foster better professionalism in healthcare settings, offering a refined strategy for managing patient interactions. This is especially beneficial for patients with complex health issues who require care from multiple healthcare professionals and nurses.