How patient engagement can support population health

As a healthcare provider, supporting population health is sometimes a difficult task. It often calls for the engagement of patients so that the road to recovery can be smooth. Patient engagement supports population health since they are in a better position to understand what they can do better or not. There are different ways in which patients can be engaged to support their population health.

Since the world has made significant advancements in technology, I would utilize information technology to engage different patients. Majority of the patients that I have come across have smart or android enabled phones. I can therefore engage the patients through different social media groups such as WhatsApp. I can form a WhatsApp group of patients with similar health problems then the patients could provide their opinions on how well they should be cared for. This forum can also enable the patients to share their experience and encourage each other.

Another important strategy is the “Teach back method”. The teach back method involves teaching a patient on different nursing interventions then request the patient to teach back the same procedure (Dinh, Bonner, Clark, Ramsbotham, & Hines, 2016). This method of engaging the patient makes it possible for the patient to master everything. This method of engagement has shown improvements in population health as per several studies.

Response tostudentone

Student one has really done a commendable job especially at the introduction .The author has illustrated some of the chronic conditions which patient engagement can play a huge role in reducing the morbidity and mortality rates. Some of the chronic conditions mentioned include diabetes and obesity.

Regarding the different methods used in patient engagement, the author has also illustrated them clearly. As per the instructions, we were supposed to mention one method that uses Information technology such as phones and computers. The author has clearly illustrated this concept by telling us how he uses emails to communicate with the different patients. The author talks of how he sends journals that educates the patients on pressure self-checks through the email. This is a very good initiative or strategy. Another method mentioned by the author include the use of anticipatory guidance by introducing what would be learnt the next time and encourages the patients to find out more on the same. This is a very good method that can be used to engage the patients to improve population health.

Response to student two

Student two has done a commendable job. The assignment is precise but to the point. The author has told us how he integrates the information technology in engaging the patients by the use of the online system that can access different charts of the patients. The results of the different diagnostic tests done to the patient are also sent through email and then the patient can provide feedback through the same channel. This form of engagement really encourages the patients so as to improve population health. The other strategy as illustrated by the second author is health coaching. This according to the author, empowers the patients so that they can be at their center of their health care needs. This is in line with different studies that have shown success with this method.

References

1. Dinh, H. T., Bonner, A., Clark, R., Ramsbotham, J., & Hines, S. (2016). The effectiveness of the teach-back method on adherence and self-management in health education for people with chronic disease: a systematic review.
2. The JBI Database of Systematic Reviews andImplementation PlanReports, 14(1), 210. doi:10.11124/jbisrir-2016-229