A thousand channels, and nothing’s on. “Patient engagement” has become an increasingly used buzzword in which healthcare finds itself awash. Yet little around patient engagement has been operationalized into any sort of enduring clinical reality. In part, this is due to the lack of convergence, until recently, of three major and arguably requisite ingredients: 1. A practical, operational definition of patient engagement that allows us to measure it continuously and treat it just as we do a vital sign, 2. A manner by which to connect the two most important parties in the patient engagement equation -‐ the patient and physician – between visits in a way that is clinically compatible and meaningful, and 3. An incentive that helps honor and reward a key missing ingredient – the physician -‐ for the time needed to promote engagement directly with his or her patients. We will discuss these three elements and highlight two current pilot studies that are beginning to break through these barriers.Continue reading…
