Many providers are incorporating new technologies into their practice to improve efficiency and keep up with competitors. However, when the technology requires patient adoption, many see it as a gamble. Patient engagement platforms are a perfect example of this: they’re nothing without patient engagement! Just because practices invest in digital tools doesn’t mean that patients will use them. Thankfully, there are many ways to ensure patients will be onboard with the tech changes you make. Here are three easy ways to increase patient technology adoption at your practice!
Choose Tech that Doesn’t Require Patient Logins or Downloads
Many practices opt for patient portals in order to help check patients in and maintain their health records. However, according to a recent study conducted by the American Medical Association, even though 95% of patients recall being offered access to these portals, nearly half of those people don’t use them! One of the reasons for this is simple: patients don’t want to keep track of passwords and usernames. The more these are required, the less patient compliance a practice will have. The same goes for app downloads: patients don’t want the hassle of downloading an app on their phone in order to have a telemedicine visit or to schedule an appointment. Keeping the workflow simple while minimizing the number of clicks is the key to patient technology adoption!
Ensure Your Software is HIPAA-compliant – and Let Patients Know That
Another reason for patients being hesitant to use new digital health tools at a practice is that they’re concerned about their privacy. Considering current statistics, this is understandable: according to one report, healthcare data breaches have reached all-time highs in recent years, with over 45 million people being affected by them in 2021. Patients expect their protected health information (PHI) to be secure, and when their data becomes compromised, they lose trust in their provider. As such, make sure that the patient engagement platforms and telemedicine solutions your practice uses are HIPAA-compliant. More importantly than that, make sure your patients know it so they’ll have less reservations about entering sensitive information during their digital check-ins or while they’re filling out electronic forms.
Proactively Educate Patients About Your New Technologies
In addition to letting patients know your new technologies are HIPAA-compliant, educating the patient about what to expect when they first use your new digital tools is also important. More than that, let them know why you’ve chosen these tools! If using your new patient engagement platform will save patients time during their visit, proactively tell them that through an email or in an educational pamphlet introducing them to the software. If your new tool will improve their health in some way, explain to them why and how it will accomplish this. Knowledge is power, and the more knowledge your patients have, the more power your practice will have to use your software to its maximum efficiency! Moreover, screen for digital literacy at your practice. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 16% of adults in the United States aren’t digitally literate. If your patient is one of them, have resources available to help them become more comfortable with technology. Better yet, keep tablets handy at your practice to help walk them through any digital information they need to fill out for their visit.
Increase Patient Technology Adoption Through DocResponse
When it comes to encouraging technology adoption among patients, DocResponse’s all-in-one patient engagement platform is the way to go. This comprehensive digital check-in and documentation tool is easy for patients to understand and requires no portal login, making them more likely to use it. Their app and download-free telemedicine software is also a clear winner among patients, requiring only a single click to connect to the provider. Best of all, every feature is HIPAA-compliant, so patients will have the peace of mind that their healthcare data is in good hands.
Providers who choose DocResponse see an average patient adoption rate of 80%. Is your practice next? Schedule a demo to learn more about why both patients and providers prefer DocResponse!