5 Ways Digital Healthcare is Transforming the Patient Experience

Patient experience has been a trending topic in healthcare for years, as providers and patients alike have recognized the holistic impact that an elevated experience can have on a person’s health. But just how important is patient experience? One Stanford University study found that the reassuring words of a physician are enough to reduce patient symptoms in many American adults. Though delivering care with compassion is one way to improve the patient experience, providers who harness technology can have an even greater impact. 

Here are five ways digital healthcare is transforming the patient experience.

Access to medical care is easier than ever

While telehealth was an option for some patients prior to the arrival of COVID-19, it was the pandemic that truly accelerated the growth of such services. To put some context to that claim, McKinsey & Company reported that utilization of telemedicine platforms for office visits and outpatient care was 78 times higher in April 2020 than it was that February. While those numbers did stabilize in time, telemedicine usage in February 2021 was still 38 times that of what was occurring pre-COVID-19.

But telehealth goes far beyond videoconferencing technology. Platforms like PainScript enable patients to update their providers daily through their smartphone, reducing the time spent following up with doctors via email or phone calls. Patients can also lessen their number of doctors’ visits, saving time and money. And telehealth can connect underserved communities, such as people in rural areas, with quality healthcare providers. 

Patients and providers can collaborate more

In addition to increased access to care, digital technologies also empower patients to collaborate more with their providers on care plans. For example, remote patient monitoring systems that track everything from activity and diet to medication adherence provide a plethora of data points with which both parties can engage. In many cases, patients can monitor results in real time to identify areas of concern, adjusting accordingly. 

The entire process is more efficient

For a lot of patients, gone are the days of having to call a practitioner’s scheduler to make an appointment. Digital technologies have put the power to access providers into the patients’ hands of the patient. On the provider side, machine learning algorithms are working wonders to help providers triage, sort, and prioritize patient data. This “two-way street” approach allows patients more access to providers, while providers can interpret patient responses more easily.

Patients receive more personalized care
Remember that data received from remote patient monitoring systems? On the other end of that data is the provider. By reviewing the data in aggregate, providers can use those findings to deliver more insightful recommendations. Other interactive, tech-focused tools like individualized medication alerts, condition-specific digital libraries, and secure patient portals facilitate more personalized experiences that patients can feel good about.

Better outcomes are possible

It’s not hard to see how digital technologies can improve patient outcomes. Digital healthcare is transforming the patient experience, from rural patients who can now reach providers virtually to patients who can access remote patient monitoring and wearable technology. 

Looking for more examples of how digital healthcare is transforming the patient experience? PainScript is a digital evaluation and management platform that helps providers manage their chronic pain and substance use disorder patients from anywhere. Request a demo today to learn more.

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