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Healthcare e-commerce: connecting with patients.
1Memorial Health Services, Long Beach, California, USA.
Summary
Electronically connecting with patients presents challenges beyond technology, including political and legal barriers. Emerging connectivity models offer strategic advantages for healthcare providers navigating patient engagement.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Digital Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Patient engagement through electronic connectivity faces significant technical, political, and legal hurdles.
- Growing consumerism in healthcare necessitates strategic approaches beyond cost savings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore various models of electronic patient-provider connectivity.
- To identify strategies for overcoming barriers to digital patient engagement.
- To discuss how technology combinations can offer competitive advantages.
Main Methods:
- Discussion of emerging models of patient-provider connectivity.
- Analysis of "free-floating" personal medical records.
- Examination of integrated physician-consumer systems via application service providers.
- Review of communication platforms including email, triage, refills, and scheduling.
Main Results:
- Several connectivity models exist, including independent personal medical records and integrated practice systems.
- Communication tools like email, scheduling, and prescription refills facilitate patient-provider connection.
- Combinations of these technologies can overcome existing barriers.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers must choose connectivity models that align with strategic goals.
- Technological solutions can be tailored to specific competitive environments.
- Overcoming non-technical barriers is crucial for successful electronic patient engagement.