Terri Embry
Jul 12 2024
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Home-based care has experienced many shifts. Hospitals and facility-based care has been shifting to the home, patient expectations have shifted to those of consumers, and fee-for-service continues to shift to value-based care. As organizations evolve to adapt to the shift, they must navigate challenges by finding creative ways to do more with less. Those who don’t tend to experience poor satisfaction among their patients and family caregivers—often because of ineffective communication.
The right digital communication tools can elevate the quality of care, enhance patient and caregiver engagement and satisfaction, improve health outcomes and quality of life, and support lower healthcare costs. To learn more about how cutting-edge technology can help foster effective engagement and what it means for the future of home-based care, we’ll take a look at:
- Improving the quality of care
- Increasing caregiver and patient satisfaction
- Elevating health outcomes and quality of life
- Reducing healthcare costs
- Prioritizing technology
- Experiencing the benefits of digital solutions
Improving the quality of care
Personalized care plans
Active engagement between patients, family caregivers, and care providers is crucial for developing personalized care plans. Such plans are meticulously tailored to each patient’s specific needs, preferences, and medical histories, ensuring that the care delivered is relevant and effective. Engaged caregivers, who often offer unique insights into the patient’s condition and lifestyle, are pivotal in refining these strategies to optimize care.
Enhanced communication
Open communication between healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers improves understanding and management of a patient’s condition. Caregivers who are well-informed and involved in decision-making can provide critical information and feedback that enhances the overall quality of care.
According to a Porter Research study of 300 patients and family caregivers who experienced home healthcare in the last year, 57% of respondents suggested providers could improve on the five communication-related HHCAHPS survey questions regarding the following:
- Keeping patients and family caregivers informed and up to date on care and treatment
- Training and education
- Arrival times and scheduling
- Timely response to urgent issues
- Medication changes or equipment needs
Additionally, 60% of participants indicated that the method of communication had a significant impact on their satisfaction, as reported in the HHCAHPS survey responses, underscoring the critical role that effective communication plays in patient and caregiver satisfaction.
Increasing patient and caregiver satisfaction
Emotional support and comfort
Engaged caregivers are vital in providing emotional support and comfort to patients, which is crucial in home health and hospice settings. This support can help alleviate anxiety and stress, making the patient’s experience more positive. Satisfied patients are more likely to adhere to care plans and treatment protocols, which can lead to better health outcomes and quality of life.
Telehealth is a digital tool that makes it possible to offer this support in multiple ways, such as:
- Live video chat: Enables real-time, two-way interactions between patients, family caregivers, and providers, facilitating a more personal connection.
- Mobile messaging and video chat: Supports easy access to real-time communication, including daily symptom check-ins, scheduling, delivery updates, and more.
- Digital forms: Allows for consistent monitoring of side effects, medication adherence, and other assessments through forms sent electronically via email or text message.
Participation in decision-making
Involving patients and their families in care decisions instills a sense of control and empowerment. This approach builds trust and increases satisfaction, helping assure patients and caregivers that their voices are impactful and valued. Empowered patients are more engaged in their care, which promotes better overall health management.
On-demand resources
Access to materials on-demand allows patients and family caregivers to obtain necessary information and resources at their convenience, using almost any device. This accessibility encourages caregiver and patient empowerment and is essential for continuous learning and adapting to new health routines or changes in treatment.
Elevating health outcomes and quality of life
Adherence to treatment plans
Engaged caregivers help ensure patients adhere to their treatment plans, including medication schedules, dietary restrictions, and exercise routines. This consistent adherence is vital for effectively managing chronic conditions and preventing the onset of complications. As a result, patients experience better health outcomes and an improved quality of life.
Early interventions
Family caregivers, actively involved in the day-to-day care of patients, are often the first to notice early signs of health deterioration or complications. Their prompt reporting and the healthcare team’s improved response times enable timely interventions. This quick action is crucial in preventing further complications and enhancing the patient’s prognosis.
Offering communication solutions that efficiently route and escalate inbound communications from patients and family caregivers to the appropriate care team member is essential to solving problems or issues quickly. Timely and effective communication during these interventions can also reduce anxiety for both patients and caregivers, fostering a more supportive environment.
Reducing healthcare costs
Preventing hospital readmissions
Effective engagement of both patients and caregivers plays a crucial role in preventing unnecessary hospital readmissions. By ensuring that appropriate care is provided at home and that health conditions are managed proactively, the frequency of emergency interventions and hospital stays can be significantly reduced. This enhances patient well-being and contributes to lower overall home care costs.
Efficient use of resources
When caregivers are well-informed and can access necessary resources on demand, they’re empowered to perform many tasks traditionally handled by professional healthcare providers. This capability enables caregivers to effectively manage the day-to-day challenges of caring for a loved one at home. Such support improves the overall quality of care and eases the emotional and physical stress on caregivers, enhancing their well-being and resilience.
This efficient use of resources can reduce costs and allow healthcare providers to focus more on complex cases that demand specialized expertise.
Prioritizing technology
The engagement of patients and family caregivers is a cornerstone of effective home health and hospice care. In recognizing the transformative impact of technology on this engagement, the Porter Research study pinpoints seven consumer priorities healthcare providers should consider when prioritizing their technology investments:
- Initiating a group chat with members of my care team to answer my questions
- Participating in a telehealth video session with my nurse, therapist, or physician
- Knowing about schedule changes for nurse, therapist, or aide visits
- Coordinating the delivery of medication and equipment
- Quickly receiving a response to an emergency or urgent question
- Receiving educational information or training
- Receiving and signing paperwork
Leveraging these technological solutions can streamline communication and improve overall care coordination.
Experiencing the benefits of digital solutions
Digital solutions are effective in enhancing how care is delivered and experienced. These technologies offer many features that can streamline communication, simplify processes, and improve the overall quality of care.
From simple and intuitive digital interfaces that enable patients and caregivers to complete forms, sign documents, and share updates to on-demand availability of patient and caregiver resources, incorporating these digital health tools can foster a more connected, responsive, and efficient healthcare environment. Doing so allows providers to meet the diverse needs of their patients and caregivers while streamlining their operational processes.
CitusHealth offers tools to break down communication barriers, enabling clearer and more effective interactions between patients and providers to enhance care quality and satisfaction. Explore the benefits of CitusHealth’s technology. Request a demo today to discover how CitusHealth can improve your agency’s communication, engagement, and satisfaction scores.
