Apparently, patients seek information and to be educated regarding their health status. Moreover, it is imperative to note that educated patients are more likely to be cooperative, understand disease processes, and have augmented outcomes. Therefore, it is vital to improve techniques and methods of patient education (Werder, 2015; Pirhonen, Silvennoinen, & Sillence, 2014).
Technology plays crucial roles in patient education and engagement. As such, healthcare systems and organizations put considerable focus on technology. As a result, the topic/concept of patient education technology is important (Cassano, 2017).
Patient education technology, therefore, is a concept where technology is used in structured, personalized, and procedural processes in the evaluation and conveyance of information to patients and their relatives with the aim of augmenting patient experience, satisfaction, and outcomes (Patmon, Gee, Rylee, & Readdy, 2016; Cassano, 2017).
Many healthcare systems and organizations are adopting patient education technology in healthcare delivery and patient engagement. As such, the topic would highly influence healthcare and nursing in major ways, including the need to emphasize appropriateness of technology, and engagement techniques in patient education with the views to augment outcomes.
This paper discusses the concept of patient education technology paying key attention to the concept’s relevance, giving pertinent examples, and a personal experience.
Relevance of Patient Education Technology
It is argued that the future of healthcare delivery may greatly be influenced by patient experience and engagement. As such, it is vital that healthcare organization adopt technology in education and engagement because of its level of efficacy in augmenting outcomes (Gephart & Effken, 2013; Werder, 2015; Cassano, 2017).
An Example of Patient Education Technology and Key Features
Gephart and Effken (2013) give several examples, which include the use of mobile health applications in patient education and engagement. It is apparent that a substantially huge proportion of the population has access to smartphones, which can download apps with patient education techniques and material. Moreover, (Gephart & Effken, 2013) asserts that the mobile healthcare applications are available either from app stores or from healthcare organizations.
Healthcare apps could be generalized or personalized. For the generalized apps, patients can obtain general information regarding various diseases and other healthcare issues such as diet and exercise. Information on the apps may range from how to identify a condition to how to perform self-management. On the other hand, customized apps are customized by specific healthcare systems. As such, a patient may get an app with information pertaining to a specific condition (Gephart & Effken, 2013).
A Personal Involvement with Patient Education Technology
With the paradigm shift in patient education techniques in patient education where now technology is greatly embraced, it is very likely for a practitioner to experience the concept while on duty or as a patient (Cassano, 2017; Gephart & Effken, 2013).
One of the many experiences that did affect me was one time I was providing care to a diabetes patient. The patient was a female aged forty and was under treatment for type 1 diabetes. Although the patient had regular medical checkups from a physician, most elements of the treatment process were personalized. As such, the patient needed critical information on what to do.
As the team of healthcare providers, we had developed a text message-based personalized technique of patient engagement and treatment. Through text messages, the patient was provided with critical information, especially on glucose monitoring, insulin administration, balanced diet, and regular exercise. Moreover, the technology had a critical aspect of giving feedback through a bidirectional information exchange. Thus, our team would constantly receive the patient’s experience and state of health.
An outstanding positive aspect of the experience with the patient was the tailored nature of engagement and education. Scholars assert that patients under individually tailored engagement have almost 20% probability of positively influencing their actions and, therefore, improve outcomes more relative to those whose get general forms of patient education (Gephart & Effken, 2013). As such, the patient in the case had a positive attitude towards the engagement techniques as manifested by her commitment to the treatment.
Conclusion
It is apparent that information and education play critical roles in improving patient experience and healthcare outcomes. Adopting technology in enhancing patient education is important due to its effectiveness. Therefore, patient education technology is an important aspect that has considerable effects on healthcare delivery.
The purpose of patient education technology is to enhance the level of patient engagement in healthcare delivery. It is apparent that adopting technology would make the process of patient education more efficient and more effective. This paper provides a perfect example through which patient education could be enhanced through education. Relevant resource material has been used to obtain some examples of patient education technology. For instance, mobile phone applications could be adopted in delivering pertinent information to patients. In addition, personal experience is given where I experience the use of technology in patient education and engagement. From the personal experience, it is obvious that patient education technology is a vital aspect of the healthcare system.
The insight from this paper will greatly influence my nursing care in major ways. For instance, I will put critical consideration in patient engagement and education using appropriate technology.
References
Cassano, C. (2017). Interactive technology is shaping patient education and experience. Journal of Nursing.
Gephart, S. M., & Effken, J. A. (2013). Using health information technology to engage patients in their care. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics (OJNI), 17(3). Web.
Patmon, F. L., Gee, P. M., Rylee, T. L., & Readdy, N. L. (2016). Using interactive patient engagement technology in clinical practice: A qualitative assessment of nurses’ perceptions. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(11), 298. Web.
Pirhonen, A., Silvennoinen, M., & Sillence, E. (2014). Patient education as an information system, healthcare tool, and interaction. Journal of Information Systems Education, 25(4), 327-331.
Werder, M. (2015). Health information technology: A key ingredient of the patient experience. Patient Experience Journal, 2(1), 142-147.