Advocate Health has taken a significant step towards improving patient engagement by launching a personalized digital health experience. The initiative not only aims to simplify technology and reduce costs but also to ensure that patient experience programs deliver significant value and reinforce patient trust. This strategic move by Advocate Health, the third-largest non-profit health system in the United States, underscores the importance of technology in enhancing patient care while simultaneously reducing administrative burdens on clinicians.
Strategic Implementation and Technology Simplification
Advocate Health has emphasized the significance of simplifying technology to enhance patient engagement. The health system’s integration of Xealth’s intelligent automation with Epic’s electronic health records (EHR) has played a pivotal role in streamlining patient education. Ed Mitchell, director of strategic partnerships at Advocate Health, presented a pediatric case at HIMSS25, demonstrating the efficient delivery of patient-specific information without additional burdens on doctors. By leveraging Xealth’s automation capabilities, Advocate Health can provide patient education tailored to an individual’s health history, ensuring that the right information reaches patients timely and without imposing extra responsibilities on clinicians.
In particular, the strategic use of EHR data in rule section configurations on the patient experience platform ensures that patients receive the most relevant educational content for their specific conditions. This not only simplifies clinical administrative tasks but also significantly improves the overall patient experience. The goal is to make the process as seamless as possible for both patients and healthcare providers, thereby fostering a more efficient and effective healthcare delivery system.
Importance of Measurable Metrics
Tracking the effectiveness of patient experience programs through measurable metrics is a central element of Advocate Health’s initiative. Understanding whether the program’s objectives are met helps in delivering timely and relevant information to patients. Metrics such as patient engagement rates and the frequency of accessed educational materials provide valuable insights into the program’s success. These data points enable healthcare providers to make informed decisions about how to adjust and improve the patient experience continually.
Mitchell emphasized that working closely with clinical service line leads is crucial in establishing effective workflows. This cooperation ensures that clinicians can monitor pediatric patients’ progress while providing pertinent educational content, such as healthy living exercise videos. By doing so, Advocate Health ensures that patients adhere to prescribed health regimens, ultimately leading to better health outcomes. The use of measurable metrics not only helps to track the program’s success but also provides a framework for ongoing improvements and refinements.
Overcoming IT Challenges
The deployment of patient experience requests often encounters challenges, as IT departments must balance multiple priorities. Aaron Sheedy, COO and co-founder of Xealth, highlighted how system upgrades or migrations can delay the implementation of innovative ideas from clinicians. These delays can be a significant hurdle in the rapid deployment of patient-centered solutions, which is why Advocate Health’s approach to using Xealth’s tools is particularly noteworthy. By leveraging Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) and HL7 standards, Xealth’s tools integrate directly with Advocate’s LiveWell patient portal, facilitating seamless information delivery without causing additional IT workload.
This integration not only addresses the challenge of balancing priorities but also ensures that patients receive timely and accurate information. This is particularly important in a healthcare setting where delays or inaccuracies can have serious consequences. By minimizing the IT workload and streamlining the information delivery process, Advocate Health can focus more on patient care and less on administrative bottlenecks.
Enhanced Patient Engagement Metrics
The integration has led to a notable improvement in patient engagement metrics, with a 30% rise in both video views and patient handout accesses. This ensures that patients obtain accurate information from their health system portal instead of potentially misleading sources like social media. Having access to credible and reliable information is crucial for patients as it significantly impacts their health outcomes and overall satisfaction with the healthcare system.
Moreover, the automation provided by Xealth’s tools is tailored to each patient’s health journey, alleviating the burden on clinicians regarding patient education and engagement post-visit. By providing contextually relevant information, patients are more likely to adhere to their treatment plans and engage actively in their healthcare journey. This not only improves patient satisfaction but also leads to better health outcomes in the long term.
Streamlined Access and Expansion
Recognizing initial workflows as a point of friction, Advocate Health streamlined the process for accessing critical care information. Instead of requiring patients to navigate through multiple steps, they now receive direct links via email and text messages, reducing the steps needed to reach the required information on the self-portal. This streamlined approach has made it significantly easier for patients to access the information they need, thereby improving their overall experience with the healthcare system.
Advocate Health continues to expand this program to cater to various patient personas, including pre-diabetic, bariatric, and physical therapy patients. The integration of SMS communication further boosts engagement, particularly among underserved populations who prefer text messaging. By continually refining and expanding the program, Advocate Health ensures that it remains responsive to the diverse needs of its patient population, thereby enhancing overall patient engagement and satisfaction.
Reducing Clinician Burnout and Enhancing Satisfaction
Advocate Health has made a significant advancement toward boosting patient engagement by introducing a customized digital health experience. This initiative is designed to simplify the use of technology, reduce healthcare costs, and ensure that patient experience programs provide substantial value and strengthen patient trust. By taking this strategic step, Advocate Health, recognized as the third-largest non-profit health system in the United States, highlights the crucial role of technology in enhancing patient care. Such an approach not only improves the overall patient experience but also alleviates administrative burdens on healthcare providers. Advocate Health’s focus on personalized digital solutions demonstrates a commitment to integrating innovative tech to foster better patient outcomes, streamline processes, and promote a more efficient healthcare system. This inclusive approach underscores the significance of leveraging digital tools to meet the modern demands of healthcare while maintaining high levels of patient trust and satisfaction.
