Leveraging patient engagement technologies to tackle health inequity

Healthcare disparities can seriously impact a patient’s health, however, proactive communication with patients can bridge care gaps and ensure patients have the information they need to stay engaged in their care. It's not easy to address healthcare disparities. The causes are intricate and difficult to resolve, ranging from socioeconomic to environmental aspects. However, there are chances to use patient engagement technologies to close gaps in healthcare. Staying in touch with patients outside of the hospital setting through remote patient monitoring has the potential to aid underserved communities in a number of significant ways. Many people who are poor and disadvantaged may not always know how to access care, which can result in uncontrolled chronic diseases, unneeded trips to the ER, subpar results, or even worse. Almost all communities have easy access to SMS text-based communication, which is a very efficient approach to connect with people and develop rapport with a healthcare professional. To reduce health inequities in the workforce, the following best practices can be implemented:

• Diversify the workforce: Foster a diverse and inclusive workplace culture that represents the communities you serve.
• Address structural barriers: Recognize and address systemic barriers to health equity, such as discrimination, poverty, and lack of access to health care.
• Promote health equity in policies and programs: Develop policies and programs that promote health equity and address health disparities.
• Invest in employee well-being: Implement workplace wellness programs and offer resources to support employee health and well-being.
• Foster a supportive work environment: Create a supportive work environment that promotes work-life balance and reduces stress.
• Address social determinants of health: Recognize the role of social determinants of health, such as housing, education, and transportation, in promoting health equity.
• Partner with community organizations: Partner with community-based organizations to address health disparities and promote health equity.
• Provide cultural competency training: Provide cultural competency training to all employees to ensure that they are equipped to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate care.
• Continuously evaluate and improve: Continuously evaluate and improve your policies and programs to ensure that they are effectively promoting health equity.