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Improving Home Care Client Engagement with Technology
The importance of communication for client-provider relationships in home health care can’t be emphasized enough. The more engaged and connected clients and their loved ones are, the more likely they will be to follow care worker advice, and to take an active role in their health during, and after home care visits.
With the wide acceptance and adoption of software applications to monitor nutrition and exercise, there is no question that now is the time for home healthcare providers to embrace technology and use it as a tool to engage their clients. Here are some of the ways technology can help engage your clients in their care:
Mobile Health
There’s a good chance that your clients have a smartphone. If your organization offers a mobile care app, it would be beneficial to walk patients through its functionality during or at the end of a visit.
Show them their vitals or other reports that can increase the depth of conversation during the visit—this will make them feel more connected and engaged in the process.
According to HIMSS Analytics, 69 percent of clinicians are already using mobile devices to access client information—you should encourage clients to do the same.
Client & Family Portal
Giving clients access to a client or family portal on a mobile device opens up a two-way dialogue outside of home care visits and can greatly strengthen communication.
Key stakeholders will have full visibility and the ability to actively participate in the care of their loves ones, developing relationships and encouraging interactions.
In order to ensure clients are experiencing the true benefits of a client or family portal, it’s important that care workers take the time to highlight and explain the portal functionality during client visits.
Remote Patient Monitoring
With easy access to monitoring applications and devices, encouraging the use of remote patient monitoring technology can really enable client self-management.
Set goals for clients and walk them through a daily routine that gets them in the habit of using monitoring devices. Some systems even have the capability to configure these applications right to an electronic health record (EHR) so that providers can monitor client health in real time.
Virtual Care & Telehealth
Telehealth allows providers to proactively care for clients, and identify client needs while they’re in the comfort of their home. With tools such as video conferencing and client monitoring devices, care workers can remotely communicate with clients to show them what’s happened, what’s happening, and what needs to be done, actively engaging clients and increasing compliance.