How Technology Is Improving Patient Experience

Consumer experience is a priority across all industries and healthcare is no exception; we’re seeing healthcare recognize the need and opportunity to enhance patient experience through healthcare innovations that improve user experience and health engagement. Here’s some tech that helps boost patient experience.

Virtual care

The pandemic hastened this change, but virtual care is being bolstered across the healthcare industry. After health systems rushed out their virtual care programmes over the last 18 months, now is the time to strategize for long term improvements. Patients will be hoping to be able to check into their clinic wherever they may be. And these check-in systems need to be rigorous enough to deal with plenty of traffic. What’s more, any care that takes place virtually needs to be just as effective as personal care.

Bedside entertainment 

Being in hospital or the clinic can be a worrying, but also dull, experience; but by improving bedside entertainment, patients should gradually feel more comfortable. Bedside tablets and video technologies have made it easier for organizations to give patients access to the tools that will keep them entertained during their care experience. But these tools can go even further. Slide and spring latches can allow for the connection and signalling of nurses, bed exit as well as lights and entertainment systems.

Health wearables and apps

More consumers than ever before are turning to health wearables and apps as they look to make lifestyle choices that prevent chronic diseases from occurring. These tiny but clever bits of kit can monitor glucose, heart rate, physical activity, and sleep to gain a greater understanding of an individual’s health conditions. Health wearable companies such as Fitbit are more popular than ever before.

Apps offer new possibilities too. Mobile technology advancements mean that health metrics can be monitored via apps. This can lead to tracking chronic illnesses, as well as software such as GP at hand offering consultations and clinical triage services as part of their members’ coverage.

Go digital

Customer experience will improve the more that healthcare embraces digital practices too. Going in person to a clinic can feel bewildering at times, especially when a diagnosis is difficult to pin down. But digital offers something different: the right technology can allow patients to select their healthcare plan based on what suits them, and mould healthcare around their life. A joint clinic, for instance, could benefit by offering digital physical therapy sessions while using sensors to provide real-time feedback.

Technology can make every aspect of our lives simpler and more efficient. Healthcare is just one industry beginning to understand the possibilities of tech – with the right guidance the consumer experience could improve greatly.