Patient Engagement, Patient Experience, and Hospital Readmission Avoidance

July 15, 2019 Jeanette Stern

When we talk about the behaviors of patients and the interactions that he/she has with a healthcare provider, we are referring to patient engagement. On the other hand, patient experience involves the concept of various interactions that patients will have throughout the various stages of the healthcare system.

Some of the interactions that will take place through the different stages of the healthcare system will involve the doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and more. Some people may think the two terms are able to be interchanged because they are often linked together, and they are often used in discussions when talking about hospital readmissions and reducing the rates of readmission. 

Patient Engagement

Patient engagement involves empowering a patient so the patient feels like he or she can use the information they have been given about their healthcare to improve his/her overall health outcome. This can also be placed in the hands of the healthcare system because the healthcare system encourages patient engagement. There is also a substructure for patient engagement, and it includes the following:

Decision Making

During the decision-making stage, a patient is given information about his or her condition. During this stage, the patient will be an active participant in the decision-making process. There are many patients who have various preferences when it comes to their health, conditions, and treatments. Patients who are involved in the decision-making process usually have preferences and predispositions that are very sensitive. 

Patient Understanding

When you reach this stage, patients should be more aware of their condition and the situation they are in. Patients who do not have a high level of understanding when it comes to their condition will incur greater healthcare costs. This is why it is so important for patients to become active participants. The healthcare system also has to be involved in this step because they are the ones who have information about the patients. 

Greater Awareness

When it comes to patient engagement, there are various interpretations of the term. However, steps can be made to increase awareness of patient engagement and address the various social interpretations of the term. Conversations about patient engagement and patient participation should be used to inform and educate a large body of people. Patients need to be educated about their health and their conditions so they will be better prepared and so they can make informed decisions about their own healthcare.

Patient Experience

The number of contacts and interactions a patient has with the healthcare system is known as patient experience. As mentioned above, the interactions will include all sides of the healthcare system, such as health plan providers, doctors, nurses, etc. It is a key aspect of healthcare quality and it continues to be used to measure a healthcare system's ranking. 

Patient experience also consists of various pieces that are highly valued by patients, including the type of care they receive and the healthcare facility itself. Healthcare providers are able to use a variety of tools to improve a patient's experience. Many healthcare systems are implementing various technological tools and resources to gain advantages over their competitors in the healthcare industry.

Impact On Hospital Readmission Rates

Improved patient experience and patient engagement strategies can have an impact on hospital readmission rates in various ways, including the following:

  • Improved engagement and experiences will result in better treatment
  • More patients will be satisfied with the treatment and care they have received
  • Patients will be familiar with their procedures and treatment plans
  • The healthcare facility will have a better overall reputation because it is centered around the patients and their care
  • Patients will feel at ease and have better peace of mind when they know everyone will be involved in improving their health

Are you successfully providing the patient engagement and the patient experience strategies your patients deserve? There are so many tools and resources that can be used to enhance the patient experience and improve patient engagement. Are you taking the right steps to provide better patient outcomes? If you want to provide better patient outcomes and avoid high hospital readmission rates, please do not hesitate to contact us today to find out how you can create a winning situation for your entire healthcare system.

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