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As wearable technology and health-based mobile applications become more prevalent among patients, there is a growing demand for healthcare professionals to be able to recommend these to patients. Many people simply see this as an extension of medical advice, after all you are already recommending medications, treatments, and care options. Realistically, the decision to recommend […]

15 Jan, 2016 / by Complete Technology Resources / in General Healthcare IT category

HealthcareIT_2016Jan14_AAs wearable technology and health-based mobile applications become more prevalent among patients, there is a growing demand for healthcare professionals to be able to recommend these to patients. Many people simply see this as an extension of medical advice, after all you are already recommending medications, treatments, and care options. Realistically, the decision to recommend these is left to each healthcare professional, but here are a few things to consider if you think you’re ready to do it.

A growing number of doctors are being quizzed by patients about which healthcare apps and wearable technology they should be using. Last year, healthcare market research company MedPanel conducted a poll that found only 15 percent of doctors are speaking with patients about the benefits of these.

With the popularity and prevalence of both technologies set to increase over the coming years, doctors are going to have to decide if these will be something they recommend or even advise patients on. It can be a tough decision but here are a few of the issues you’ll need to take into consideration before making your choice.

What devices/operating systems do you feel comfortable with?

The problem for many healthcare professionals is that the sudden expansion of the mobile apps and wearable technology market left them out of the loop when it comes to these. A lot of doctors are apprehensive about making recommendations without knowing the ins and outs of how something works and this is why many of them are avoiding this subject when dealing with patients.

Realistically you will want to figure out what operating system you prefer to use. Chances are if you use an iPhone, it will be easier for you to download and test apps for iOS than Android. It should be the same with wearable technology devices. Take a few out for a test drive and learn more about them. This way, you have a general idea of what they can do should a patient ask about them. It’s also possible to have your technology provider arrange a demonstration of any of these devices and a better explanation of just how they work.

Figure out the scope of your recommendations

One thing doctors tend to notice when exploring the world of health apps and wearable technology is just how massive and varied it can be. If you’re a specialist, it will be much easier to figure out what you want to recommend to patients, but for general health practitioners and others who cover a broader range of medicine, you might find yourself lost in a neverending world of technology.

When it comes to wearable technology, it is a little easier to figure out the items patients will be interested in and what they probably won’t ask you about. However, when it comes to health apps, you need to be on your toes. Because the scope of these can vary wildly from nutrition and medicine reminders to heart health and stroke prevention, you are going to want to focus your recommendations on a few areas you feel comfortable with.

Talk to your patients

A lot of doctors don’t take the time to speak with their patients about what mobile health apps or wearable technology they use or are thinking about using. By talking to them, it will help you get a better idea of what your patients want from this technology and make it easier for you to figure what you should be focusing on.

Ask a tech expert

Just because a piece of wearable technology or a mobile app works great for you, doesn’t mean your patients will have the same experience. There are a lot of technological factors when it comes to wearable technology and mobile apps and learning more about these will be important to you and your patients. Tech experts, like those found on our staff, are able to let you know if mobile health apps or wearable technology is secure and able to adequately protect your personal information among numerous other issues. There would be nothing worse than you recommending a technology that contains viruses or other harmful problems to your patients.

If you want to be able to recommend wearable technology and mobile apps to your patients, get in touch with us first. We’ll make sure your picks have a clean bill of health.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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More and more people are clamouring for the ability to communicate with their doctor through email and social media. In fact, a recent study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine reports that 37 percent of patients have emailed their doctor while 18 percent used Facebook to get in touch with their physician. It behooves […]

04 Jan, 2016 / by Complete Technology Resources / in Facebook, General Healthcare IT, Social Media category

More and more people are clamouring for the ability to communicate with their doctor through email and social media. In fact, a recent study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine reports that 37 percent of patients have emailed their doctor while 18 percent used Facebook to get in touch with their physician. It behooves medical professionals to embrace electronic communication with patients but it’s important to be smart about it.

While patients would like to be able to communicate with their doctors via electronic channels, physicians have been slow to adapt to this. Some healthcare professionals have embraced this by using email, Facebook or specialized healthcare communication apps to better engage with their patients.

The results have been positive as patients have easier access to their physicians using technology they are comfortable with. Of course, if your practice or healthcare organization is thinking about embracing doctor-patient electronic communication, it is important to set up guidelines to make sure both sides fully understand the process. Here are a few things you should consider before using electronic communication to chat to patients.

Open the right line of communication

Chances are you don’t want patients bombarding your email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other social media profiles you might have with queries about their health. Before engaging patients using electronic communication, establish what media you wish to have patients contact you through. Email is the most reliable method while setting up a professional Facebook page is also a viable option. Whatever you do, make sure you keep your personal and professional social media and email accounts separate. If a patient ever tries to contact you through a personal account, direct them to your professional one.

Setup response time frames

A lot of people believe using social media, email or other channels of electronic communication should lead to fast, if not immediate, response times. As a healthcare professional, you probably won’t be able to answer most questions as soon as they land in your inbox. Establish an acceptable response time within your electronic communication guidelines that lets patients know when they can expect to hear back from you. Something between 24 to 48 hours is ideal in most cases.

Keep things secure

Security is always important especially when it comes to the exchange of health information. You will always want to check that you are sending the right information to the correct individual. It is also a good idea to have one email address or account from which patients can ask you questions from. This will help eliminate possible fraudulent activity. If you do think one of your patients has had their account hacked, or the information you need to share is sensitive, it is best to have them call or come into the office.

Don’t get overwhelmed

One of the main issues from a doctor’s perspective when it comes to electronic communications is what you will and will not answer. For starters, you don’t want to be fielding questions about appointments, payments or the weather. You also don’t want to be giving away medical advice and opinions on a free basis as people will stop coming to your practice altogether and just solicit you for free information online. One policy to consider is to only answer questions from patients based on upcoming or completed visits. This will help eliminate frivolous queries from your patients.

Alternatives

If you don’t feel comfortable using email or social media to talk to patients or you want a system that is a little more comprehensive, there are several applications on the market designed specifically for healthcare providers. Not only do these enhance doctor-patient communication using mobile devices, but can also allow for video chat, scheduling and a host of other features along with direct messaging. These often tend to be more secure than email and social media as well.

Communication between physicians and patients will continue to move from traditional channels to electronic ones. Failing to adapt will only frustrate your current patients and make new patients less likely to consider you. Contact us today if you’re interested in learning more about how electronic communication in regards to healthcare works and what you can do to embrace it successfully.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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