Dr. A and Dr. B have been partners in a medical practice for a long time and see a similar patient population. However, they manage patient engagement quite differently. Several years ago, Dr. A made a conscious effort to involve each patient in the decision-making process and take ownership in their care. Patients were required to sign up for a portal account with the practice, and Dr. A had a discussion educating patients on how to interact with the office in appropriate ways. Dr. A also set health care goals for each patient and asked them to keep a health journal with their medications, appointments, and medical concerns. Dr. B did not embrace the patient portal and did not encourage its use. Over time the nurses noticed that Dr. A’s patients tended to ask more clinic-specific questions and directed other health care questions to other providers. Also Dr. A’s patients used the patient portal much more, allowing for more efficient communication. This improved line of communication enabled faster response times, better care, and increased patient satisfaction.
Diagnosis: Leveraging patient engagement to increase medical practice efficiency
Recommendations:
- Help patients learn to be active participants in their health care
- Set parameters for which disease states you will manage
- Encourage patients to engage with the practice by using the practice portal in appropriate ways (See also: Mr. TR’s Patient Portal Use Becomes Inappropriate)
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