In our previous posts we discussed “gamification” and how it can be used to create patient experiences that increase adherance to medical protocol. We also discussed the use of Web 2.0 technologies that bring patients and physicians together to make improvements to that medical protocol. Fortunately, more and more healthcare organizations are investing in healthcare technology. It is important to note that those organizations that have been most successful in adopting Health IT initiatives have been those that integrated patients into the development and implementation of the technology used. They have done this by providing platforms and applications that allow their patients to engage directly with their care.
Unfortunately, many organizations are still utilizing the “one size fits all” approach to healthcare technology. This quickly translates into “one size fits none” since these initiatives almost never meet the individual needs of individual users. Luckily, social and mobile technologies are experiencing rapid innovation in the healthcare space. Add data interoperability, data analytics, and shared workspaces to these more obvious forms of technology innovation and you get next generation healthcare technology that allows healthcare organizations to engage with patients in a direct, customized fashion. These platforms allow users to interact, self-organize, and collaborate seamlessly with their data.
The best thing about the “mass customization” of healthcare technology is that patients can access up-to-date and easy to use information using devices they choose at a location of their choice. Since this technology can adapt according to the needs of each patient, and engages the patient at the point of care, engagement in care translates into adherence to protocol. Healthcare, by its very nature, is collaborative. It changes and adapts according to the needs and circumstances of each patient. It’s about time that the healthcare technology used to implement this care reacts in the same way.
