Patients Enabled, Engaged, and Empowered: Implementation of a Mobile Patient Engagement Technology

Patient engagement technologies present an opportunity to enhance the patient experience by providing patient access to information throughout the entire, often complex, continuum of care. Growing evidence indicates that a lack of patient engagement is a significant contributor to preventable deaths. In contrast, engaging patients in their healthcare can positively affect patient outcomes and the overall patient experience. Unfortunately, traditional patient care models involve face to face patient-provider interactions, thereby limiting reach and impact. Exploring new roles for information technology (IT) within healthcare can contribute to addressing barriers encountered in more traditional healthcare models. Innovative IT solutions can assist patients in becoming more engaged in their healthcare, broaden healthcare behaviors, and improve health outcomes. A challenge to this new paradigm of patient engagement is determining if an increase in patient participation with these new technologies can improve both the patient experience and patient outcomes. The purpose of this project is to implement an intuitive mobile electronic tool used by the patient, or designated family members at the bedside, that provides essential patient information and educational content to inform the patient within the hospital setting and at home. Outcome metrics include pre and post metrics related to patient experience surveys, device and application usage, and a survey of nursing staff who are introducing the technology into the patient care processes at the bedside