The Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) is excited to share insights on the progress and strategies of our Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in advancing patient engagement through digital health tools.
One of the objectives outlined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for the HCCN is to support increasing patient participation in their health care through the expanded use of integrated digital health tools. This includes, though is not limited to, sending electronic messages to providers and care teams through the patient portal, leveraging telehealth visits, or using remote monitoring devices that digitally report results back to the clinic.
Many health centers are making significant strides by optimizing patient portals, expanding bidirectional text messaging with patients, and implementing remote patient monitoring programs.
Two standout health centers, North Side Christian Health Center and The Primary Health Network, have made remarkable progress. Both report that over 90% of their patients actively engage with digital health tools between medical visits since the start of this project period in August 2022.
Read on to discover the innovative strategies that helped them achieve these results!
Highlights for North Side Christian Health Center:
North Side Christian Health Center reports 91% of their patients are engaging digitally between visits!
The “Why”:
Carilynn Coulter, Chief Operations Officer, “When patients are engaged in their own healthcare, they get the care they need to be their healthiest, reduce the possibility of medical errors, and improve the relationship between the healthcare provider and the patient.”
Key Strategies for Staff and Patient Participation:
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Tackle challenges one piece at a time with a dedicated champion.
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Trial run your technology with staff before deploying to identify potential challenges.
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Create materials that are easy to read and in a patient’s native language, and make accessing and understanding your tools as easy as possible.
What Worked Well:
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Empowering staff through training, education, and real-time problem-solving.
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Using patient feedback to guide communication, including QR code-enabled fliers and multilingual resources.
Lessons Learned:
It takes a village!
We would like to thank Carilynn Coulter and Dr. Dallas Malzi from North Side Christian Health Center for their valuable contributions and collaboration on this Objective Spotlight.
For more information about North Side Christian Health Center and the services they offer, visit their website or LinkedIn.
Highlights for Primary Health Network:
Since 2021, Primary Health Network has reported a 65% increase in digital patient engagement!
The “Why”:
Jennie Slabe, Chief Information Officer, “Our commitment to integrating these advancements ensures that we provide our patients with more efficient, accessible, and personalized healthcare experiences.”
Key Strategies for Staff and Patient Participation:
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Demonstrate the value-add for your staff and your patients.
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Involve frontline staff in your rollout to empower them to provide input and make decisions that best support the office.
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Designate staff members to support and provide technical assistance to patients.
What Worked Well:
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Piloting digital tools at select locations before implementing network-wide to ensure a smooth transition and success.
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Using dedicated trainers and learning modules to onboard staff and ensure continued education.
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Designating staff to assist patients with enrollment and check-in and providing hands-on guidance for telehealth appointments.
Lessons Learned:
It takes a village and some practice!
We would like to thank Jennie Slabe and Molly Kapusta from the Primary Health Network for their valuable contributions and collaboration on this Objective Spotlight.
For more information about Primary Health Network and the services they offer, visit their website or call 1-866-276-7018.