For Healthcare Majority, Digital Health Elevates Patient Experience, Curbs Readmissions

Sea Girt, NJ, April 07, 2016 --(PR.com)-- Eighty-three percent of adopters report that digital or 'connected' health enhances patients' experience and satisfaction, while 58 percent credit this connectivity with reducing rehospitalizations, according to 2016 Digital Health metrics from the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN).

By definition, digital health leverages technology to help identify, track and manage health problems and challenges faced by patients.

The healthcare publisher's February 2016 survey identified a number of digital health trends, including a 70 percent adoption rate among the 106 responding organizations. Mobile and tablet apps top the list of digital health platforms, say 78 percent, while online health education is the principal digital health activity for 58 percent.

Elevation of patient satisfaction is the primary digital health goal of one-quarter of survey respondents. Responding organizations were asked to describe program goals, platforms, development strategies, target populations and health conditions, patient engagement metrics, implementation challenges and results.

Download more metrics from the complimentary HINtelligence report, Digital Health in 2016: Connectivity Elevates Patient Experience, Satisfaction at http://www.hin.com/library/registerDigitalHealth2016.html

While one-third favor an autonomous approach to digital health development, 57 percent prefer a hybrid model, supplementing in-house work with outsourced expertise.

When considering candidates to engage in digital health, individuals with multiple comorbid conditions are the leading targets, say 58 percent of respondents. Diabetes is the health condition most often monitored or managed by digital health, agree 58 percent.

Weight and vital signs are the health metrics most often monitored digitally, say nearly two-thirds of this year's respondents.

News Facts: HIN's white paper, Digital Health in 2016: Connectivity Elevates Patient Experience, Satisfaction, summarizes February 2016 feedback from 106 hospitals and health systems, health plans, physician organizations and others on their digital health practices.

This 2016 snapshot of digital health metrics also identified the following trends:

- Chief responsibility for digital health is split between primary care physicians and nurse case managers, say 29 percent of respondents;

- Patient engagement is the principal hurdle of digital health, according to 23 percent;

- Beyond medically complex patients, frequent hospital and ED utilizers and individuals recently discharged from the hospital also merit close digital health attention;

- All but 2 percent of responding organizations expect digital health will play a wider role in healthcare management and outcomes, the survey concludes.

Download more metrics from the complimentary HINtelligence report, Digital Health in 2016: Connectivity Elevates Patient Experience, Satisfaction at http://www.hin.com/library/registerDigitalHealth2016.html

Quote Attributable to Melanie Matthews, HIN Executive VP and COO:

For Melanie Matthews's profile, please visit http://www.hin.com/bios.html#mm

"In our device-driven era, many individuals already use at least one electronic tool for health-related reasons—a smart phone app to track steps and/or caloric intake, for example. Coaching patients and health plan members in the use of digital health to monitor clinical parameters like weight and blood pressure will foster self-management and, as our new survey data bears out, help to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions."

Please contact Patricia Donovan to arrange an interview or to obtain additional quotes.

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network — HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 449-4463, e-mail info@hin.com, or visit http://www.hin.com.