Doing The Right Thing With IT For The Connected Patient

Engaging patients through information technology continues as a priority for many in the healthcare continuum. Patients, providers, payers and other engaged players want to be part of this connected conversation. But, “patients will be engaged when engagement is personally meaningful, trusted, easy and convenient,” as noted in a new HIMSS white paper, The State of Patient Engagement in 2014, edited by Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, MA, (Econ.), MHSA, with contributions from the HIMSS volunteer s and HIMSS Center for Patient and Family-Centered Care and HIMSS Connected Patient Committee.

The white paper looks at patient engagement in six different areas, including a review of definitions for patient engagement. Topics covered are:

1. Emerging learnings in patient engagement
2. Most patients say they are ready to health-engage
3. Changing health financing changes consumers’ and providers’ behavior
4. Coming together, patients and providers – enablers for patient engagement
5. Data, data everywhere: where’s the integration for patient engagement?
6. Make it easier for patients to engage

"Forces in the market, the workplace, demographics, and public policy are fast-converging to compel people to take on the role of health 'consumer,'” says Sarasohn-Kahn, editor of the white paper and health economist, advisor, trend weaver THINK-Health, who writes at the Health Populi blog, Huffington Post, HealthCareDIY. “Information and communications technologies support people in taking on the broad range of health consumer responsibilities: as savvy shopper for insurance, services and products; as an information-gatherer for health issues; as a self-tracker for fitness and managing medical conditions; and in self-care to take on more DIY care at home, both for prevention and for care management."

HIMSS is launching the creation of The HIMSS Patient and Family Caregiver Advisory Council. The council will give an ongoing voice to HIMSS patient engagement initiatives. The council represents patients, caregivers and families and advises the Connected Patient Committee, The Center for Patient and Family-Centered Care, and Connected Patient Community on the development of HIMSS thought leadership and tools and resources.

“These valuable HIMSS resources are the result of the expertise and time of our many HIMSS volunteers whose guidance advances our thought leadership and work on patient engagement,” says Mary Griskewicz, MS, FHIMSS, senior director, health information systems, HIMSS. Griskewicz cited the ONC Consumer Health IT Summit, an event held on Sept. 15 during NHIT Week 2014 and focused on consumer health and the connected patient, as another example of focus on the connecting patients and providers through IT. “All of our collaborative efforts continue throughout the healthcare community not only at HIMSS, but also, with the many partners involved this week during National Health IT Week.”

About HIMSS
HIMSS is a global, cause-based, not-for-profit organization focused on better health through information technology(IT). HIMSS leads efforts to optimize health engagements and care outcomes using information technology.

HIMSS is a cause-based, global enterprise producing health IT thought leadership, education, events, market research and media services around the world. Founded in 1961, HIMSS encompasses more than 52,000 individuals, of which more than two-thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations across the globe, plus over 600 corporations and 250 not-for-profit partner organizations, that share this cause.  HIMSS, headquartered in Chicago, serves the global health IT community with additional offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.himss.org.

About National Health Information Technology Week
Now in its ninth year, National Health IT Week is a collaborative forum assembling key healthcare constituents—vendors, provider organizations, payers, pharmaceutical/biotech companies, government agencies, industry/professional associations, research foundations, and consumer protection groups — working together to elevate national attention to the necessity of advancing health IT. For more information, visit www.healthitweek.org .