The Challenge of Patient Retention in Healthcare
Challenges in Patient Retention
Health systems are facing increasing pressure to retain patients, who have a variety of care options to choose from, both in-person and virtual. At the same time, inpatient capacity is limited, and hospital care teams face a lot of strain.
The Role of Cardiac Data in Ambulatory Care
By using cardiac data gathered through remote devices, ambulatory care is helping these facilities preserve and care for patients within the health system, but not always in the hospital.
Philips’ Insights on Leveraging Cardiac Data
Philips is one company that plays in this arena, and has insights on what facilities should know about leveraging this data to better work within their existing capacity and retain patients.
Interview with Julia Strandberg, Chief Business Leader for Connected Care at Philips
Healthcare IT News spoke recently with Julia Strandberg to talk about some of the challenges hospitals and health systems face with patient retention. She also discussed capacity issues, how leveraging cardiac data via remote patient monitoring technologies can help overcome them – and what it will take for more healthcare organizations to adopt remote patient monitoring technologies.
Challenges in Patient Retention
- Impactful patient care in and out of the hospital is a non-negotiable – it’s what patients require and desire. However, ongoing clinical staffing shortages and the complexities brought on by siloed hospital data often lead to longer wait times and delays in care.
- As patient volumes grow and cases become more complex, fragmented data poses a significant challenge for hospitals and health systems. When clinicians lack a comprehensive, holistic view of a patient’s health, it can add unnecessary roadblocks to determining a diagnosis and necessary treatment.
Challenges in Capacity
- Health systems nationwide continue to struggle with overwhelming patient volumes and staffing shortages. These issues will only worsen as the population ages, and simultaneously, patients have become more complex, their conditions more acute.
- One of the growing challenges healthcare professionals are facing, however, is they are overwhelmed by the volume of data generated. Almost 4 in 10 healthcare leaders (38%) say staff lose precious time pulling patient data together, leaving less time to care for patients.
Leveraging Cardiac Data via Remote Patient Monitoring Technologies
- Remote patient monitoring technologies, paired with advanced data analytics, are game changers when it comes to alleviating capacity bottlenecks.
- Consider this scenario: a patient arrives at the ED following syncope, a fainting episode. While historically, this patient may have been admitted for observation, remote monitoring technology – in this case, a mobile cardiac telemetry device – can allow them to safely return home while their cardiac rhythms are monitored in real-time.
Conclusion
Patient retention is a significant challenge in healthcare, with limited inpatient capacity and staff strain exacerbating the issue. Leveraging cardiac data via remote patient monitoring technologies can help overcome these challenges by reducing overcrowding, freeing up staff to focus on more complex cases, and improving patient outcomes. To achieve this, healthcare organizations must prioritize interoperability, partner with technology vendors that prioritize interoperability, and adopt a mindset shift that recognizes the evolving care delivery model.
FAQs
Q: What are the challenges hospitals and health systems face with patient retention?
A: Impactful patient care in and out of the hospital is a non-negotiable, but ongoing clinical staffing shortages and siloed hospital data lead to longer wait times and delays in care.
Q: What are the challenges hospitals face regarding capacity?
A: Health systems nationwide struggle with overwhelming patient volumes and staffing shortages, which will only worsen as the population ages and patients become more complex.
Q: How can leveraging cardiac data via remote patient monitoring technologies help overcome these challenges?
A: Remote patient monitoring technologies, paired with advanced data analytics, can alleviate capacity bottlenecks by reducing overcrowding and freeing up staff to focus on more complex cases.
Q: What will it take for more hospitals and health systems to adopt remote patient monitoring technologies?
A: We need to recognize the evolving care delivery model, prioritize interoperability, and partner with technology vendors that prioritize interoperability. A mindset shift is necessary to recognize the potential of remote patient monitoring technologies in improving patient outcomes and reducing the strain on healthcare facilities.
