Personalization in Healthcare: Increasing Patient Engagement 

Have you ever frequented a local business or restaurant? Do they call you by your first name? This personal touch often evokes an emotional response. It is something that makes us feel special and appreciated. We are more likely to keep going back to businesses that engage us in a personal way. 

Personalizing the patient’s healthcare experiences is just as important and effective as it is in other industries. If you are interested in ensuring patients have great experiences and are engaged in their care, personalization may be the key.

Recent studies have shown that increased patient engagement improves healthcare outcomes. A situation where this is particularly true is post-operative care for surgical patients who need to adhere to specific post-surgical treatment plans.

Consider a two patient scenario, patient A and patient B. 

Patient A has a gastric sleeve surgery. After a couple of days, he rests in a hotel, then returns home with care instructions. A week later the provider contacts him to inquire about how he is doing, and then shortly after he is sent weekly content about their condition and the latest news. 

Patient B undergoes the same procedure, but the communication with the provider is very different. After 3 days  she gets a call from her provider. After one week  she gets a link to a series of videos explaining exercises to improve recovery. After two weeks she gets an email with top challenges for bariatric patients and how to overcome them. A month later she gets a call from the provider with an email list of post-bariatric diet recipes. And every month after she gets a newsletter with tips, motivational stories, and other interests that align with their goals. 

So which patient has a better overall experience? Which patient can you expect to have a better recovery? It is pretty clear that likely patient B will have a better experience, be more adherent to their treatment plan, and have better recovery results. Additionally, becuaes the the clinician and/or physician has provided meaningful information to accompany the patient on his/ her health journey they will have established  a much stronger relationship which will encourage the patient’s loyalty

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