Articles

Posted in E-Patient, Patient Empowerment

Study highlights important role that patients play in determining outcomes

Posted on by Editor

When it comes to health care, patients with the motivation, knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their own health have better health outcomes and incur fewer health care costs.

Those are the findings of a study led by Judith Hibbard, a professor emerita in the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon. Hibbard and co-authors found that patients with the lowest level of “activation”— that is, those most lacking in the skills and confidence to be actively engaged in their health care—had average costs that were from 8 percent to 21 percent higher compared to patients with the highest level of activation. The study was the basis for two papers appearing in the February issue of Health Affairs.

“The study highlights the important role that patients play in determining outcomes,” said Hibbard, who recently appeared as a featured expert on health care reform at a White House health care summit at Stanford University. “We found that patients who were more knowledgeable, skilled and confident about managing their day-to-day health and health care—also called patient activation—had health care costs that were substantially lower than patients who lacked this type of confidence and skill.” Hibbard and her team adjusted for patient differences, such as demographic factors and severity of illnesses. Even among patients with the same chronic illness, they found those who were more “activated” had lower overall health care costs than patients who were less so. An earlier study by the same authors had already established that more activated patients also had better health outcomes.

Using a Patient Activation Measure that assesses beliefs, knowledge and confidence in managing health-related tasks, the researchers found that patient scores on a questionnaire that ranks patient activation showed that patients’ responses in effect predicted their overall care costs—even when adjusted by the severity of patients’ health conditions, age, sex and income. The researchers recommend that health delivery systems consider assessing these patient activation scores and supporting patients to become more engaged in their health and health care, as a way to both improve patient outcomes and lower costs.

See on medicalxpress.com

Posted in #HIT, Ehealth, HCSM, mHealth

Resource guide points cancer patients to digital coping tools

Posted on by Editor

The eHealth Initiative (eHI), a non-profit organization whose mission is to drive improvement in the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare through information and technology,  has unveiled its first-ever Health IT Cancer Resources Guide, a comprehensive overview of the digital tools and technologies available today that help patients and their families, caregivers and support networks understand, treat and cope with cancer.

The guide lists 76 tools ranging from mobile applications to web sites to social networks that aim to improve cancer care. It was developed by eHI’s National Council on Cancer and Technology, which included representatives from American Cancer Society and American Society of Clinical Oncologists, and is organized in five sections: decision making, education, treatment management, social support and lifestyle management.

eHI developed the guide based on the findings of the Issue Brief on eHealth Tools and Cancer Care, a review of 124 articles, which examined how telemedicine, mobile health, internet-based technologies and social media are being used in cancer care today. The issue brief highlighted the meaningful impact eHealth tools have on care including the removal of geographic barriers, enhanced decision-making capabilities and improved patient-provider communication.

To view the full Health IT Cancer Resource Guide click here.

Posted in HCSM

the afternoon nap society: Paying Lipservice to Patient Engagement

Posted on by Editor

See on Scoop.it – Health Care Social Media Monitor

If we are to foster patient engagement, we must break down the silos of care and bring representatives from all the concerned parties into the discussion in order to attain true communication. Because patients do not know what it means to be an emergency room doctor. Patients do not know what it means to be a primary care physician, or a hospital administrator, or a medical device maker. Key players such as these play siloed roles that require narrow focus in order to be successful at the task at hand. In order for the emergency room doctor to be the best emergency room doctor he or she can be need not calculate the cost of waiting room furniture and time spent on bill collection while treating the patient. The device maker, in order to attain highest and best use, need not contemplate the best way to educate parents about vaccinations and childhood behaviors. These silos will remain—and the healthcare system remain unchanged—as long as we continue to talk at one another instead of with one another.  

Marie Ennis-O’Connor‘s insight:

From The Afternoon Nap Society" The healthcare systems that will change the way healthcare is delivered will not be those relying on models and methods and manipulation to coerce patient engagement—the systems that incorporate patients into the infrastructure of their design and management of each department will see the greatest measure of success. In order to engage patients, we must include patients. An included patient is a compliant patient. And including patients—the constituency providers serve—thereby engages providers to put caring back into healthcare and work in collaboration to achieve better outcomes."

See on afternoonnapsociety.blogspot.ie

Posted in HCSM

American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR): Copy of Health Apps

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See on Scoop.it – Health Care Social Media Monitor

 

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the cancer charity that fosters research on diet and cancer prevention and educates the public about the results.

Marie Ennis-O’Connor‘s insight:

 The American Institute for Cancer Research’s 7 Favorite Apps for Good Health (and Cancer Prevention)

See on www.aicr.org

Posted in HCSM

An Open Letter to Mobile Health App Developers and Their Funders | Center for Advancing Health

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See on Scoop.it – Health Care Social Media Monitor

Jessie C. Gruman, PhD is president and founder of the Center for Advancing Health. Her experiences as a patient — having been diagnosed with five life threatening illnesses — informs her perspective as an author, advocate, and lead contributor to the Prepared Patient Forum blog. Her most recent book, AfterShock, helps patients navigate their way through the health care system following a serious or life-threatening diagnosis.

Marie Ennis-O’Connor‘s insight:

Dear Mobile Health App Developers,

 

We—patients and caregivers—need your help to reduce the demands of self care. Mobile health (mHealth) apps have enormous potential to lessen our burdens. But our needs are often only loosely related to what clinicians and/or the evidence expect us to do. Most mobile apps have ignored this fact by designing tools that primarily reflect the imperatives of clinicians and evidence and were developed with little or no consultation with us patients about our experiences, our wishes or our requirements.

 

While I can’t promise you that consultation with us is the magic key to successful, well-used apps, I can tell you that without it, your app doesn’t stand a chance.

See on www.cfah.org

Posted in HCSM

Study: Facebook fatigue — it’s real

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See on Scoop.it – Health Care Social Media Monitor

Bored or annoyed by Facebook? You’re not alone. A majority of people surveyed by the Pew Internet and American Life Project said they had taken sabbaticals from the social network at some point, to escape the drama, or the tedium.

Marie Ennis-O’Connor‘s insight:

Forty-two percent of Facebook users ages 18 to 29, and 34 percent of those ages 30 to 49 say that the time they spend on Facebook on a typical day has decreased over the last year. A majority of Facebook users, or 69 percent, say they plan to spend the same amount of time on the site this year, but more than a quarter, or 27 percent, say they will spend less time on Facebook this year.

See on news.cnet.com