The New Imperative Of Patient Engagement For Hospitals And Health Systems
Currently, most hospitals and health systems focus on patient engagement because of their mission to deliver patient-centric care. These efforts are pursued despite the neutral or even negative economic consequences to these organizations, which operate within the fragmented, fee-for-service payment system. For example, care coordination attendant to patient engagement efforts will, at times, reduce demand for services and, thereby, reduce fee-for-service payments to providers.
As public and private sector health care purchasers shift payment models towards value and as demographic changes result in more chronically ill patients entering the health care system, patient engagement efforts will become increasingly important to the financial sustainability and clinical success of these hospitals and health systems.
New patient engagement efforts shift focus from the inpatient core of hospitals to ambulatory care settings and to the integration of care into the homes and communities of patients. To succeed at these efforts, organizations must build longitudinal partnerships with patients to drive ongoing management of chronic conditions and utilization of preventive care services to drive long-term quality and cost outcomes.
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