HIMSS survey: Lack of strategy can sink patient engagement

A new HIMSS Analytics survey of healthcare executives shows that there is still much work to be done before patient engagement reaches its full potential.

The survey, sponsored by InterSystems, got feedback from executives of 114 healthcare organizations, with nine of those executives also taking part in a qualitative focus group. It looked at what is presently driving of patient engagement, and the top three responses were: “to enhance and improve the health of the community”  (77%), “the quest to build brand loyalty for patients” (77%), and “meeting meaningful use requirements” (60%)

It’s those meaningful use requirements that seem to be getting the most attention nationally, and for good reason. MU stage 3 requires that 25% of a provider's patients must use a patient portal, and a focus on this requirement may have some organizations pushing forward without a true, thought-out plan.

According to a press release, one executive in the focus group said, “We don’t really have a true patient engagement strategy, just a portal project.”

This appears to be a common belief, according to InterSystems Vice President of HealthShare Platforms Joe DeSantis.

“Even if organizations have a vision for real patient engagement, many are consumed with checking the boxes for meaningful use,” DeSantis said in a press release. “Unfortunately, a patient portal based on a single EHR is not enough to move patient engagement forward ... The short-term focus on meaningful use has often been at the expense of long-term strategic goals.”

The survey also found that some organizations have no clear-cut leader who properly owns patient engagement, and that executives aren’t happy with the current patient portals being provided by EHR vendors.

Tools such as e-visits and e-consultations, for instance, would make executives much more confident in the promise of patient engagement.

“Game-changing patient engagement will give patients timely, comprehensive information enabling them to partner with their care providers – and to truly manage their health,” DeSantis said in a press release.