Increase ways of patient engagement

Dr. P. Daniel Ward implements patient engagement tools to increase ways of connecting with patients

Here is a full transcription of the video:

It's about time for us to focus on our patients. The part of this taking care of patients rather than taking care of the system, but also in terms of how we treat people in terms of the experience? Not just the documentation of the burnout for physicians, but what sort of practices do we want to have? Most of us went into medicine because we really like the people that we're seeing. We like to talk to them and chat with them and enjoy the experience. And if by the time they get to you, they've had to fill out 20 minutes of paperwork and 10 minutes checking in, they're not going to be very talkative and enjoy the experience.

We started using EMA just about three years ago, and we've been very happy with the change. There are some, since we've started using it, more tools for engagement. So, for example, there's the Patient Portal that can be done in any one of three ways. We primarily use the online system where we send a link out to the patient ahead of time. They can then fill out their medical history, their medications. It's really handy to help us make sure that we are running things as smoothly as possible during the visit.

The second way is with a Kiosk. We just have an iPad that if they haven't filled that online portal out beforehand, they can just fill it out. One of our receptionist staff gives them the iPad and they can use it to help fill that out. And then the third way that's kind of a cool thing that, when they download an app on their phone, they can enter all of their information and of course, ahead of the visit. But they can also message us through there and we can message them.

This is a really good way for us to communicate with the patients. And I think they feel like they have better access to us versus like, ‘gosh, I wonder if they got this phone call or this text’. They can look back and see, no I messaged Dr. Ward on Wednesday. He got it, and he responded back. So I think it just makes it really smooth for them, and it helps really enhance that patient experience. So I think it's about time that we get back to basics and refocus on our patients.