According to Insider Intelligence, Alexa is the most popular voice assistant among seniors. Forty-one percent of respondents, over the age of 65, are Alexa users; 28% are Siri users and 23% turn to Google Assistant. Seniors are increasingly incorporating technology into their lives. The easier and more intuitive technology becomes, the bigger the impact will be for seniors. It’s no surprise that Alexa is popular with seniors. There aren’t any little buttons to press or tiny words to read. The platform’s design makes it intuitive and easy to use. This simplicity will continue to spur innovation.
Too often, when you introduce something new to your practice, long-term patients will complain. They prefer the previous method, the older decor, the former process. But new methods and technologies must be adopted by your practice to remain relevant and current. Introducing new technology should not be taken lightly and should alleviate a procedural or organizational deficit. For instance, technology that will help your office collect medical and health data will provide you with a better sense of your patient’s health but you need to find a partner that won’t inconvenience your patients.
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) strikes the right balance – it delivers additional health information via a new procedure that is simple and will delight patients. If you anticipate getting push back from any of your patients when introducing RPM, here are a few talking points you can have at the ready to ease them into acceptance. Best of all, these are not random accolades, these talking points were shared by patients enrolled in RPM Healthcare’s RPM365, a remote patient monitoring program, as reasons they grew to appreciate RPM.
Taking the Mystique Out of Your Patient’s Health Outcomes
According to many of the surveyed patients, RPM is “extremely rewarding as it ‘forces’ them to really think about taking daily readings from their devices and truly considering what they can do to personally get the best readings possible.” Many share that knowing their RPM365 Care Coach and their doctors are watching their readings on a daily basis gives them a sense of security and takes away some of the stress they feel associated with their health condition.
Additional Support and Surveillance
When your patient enrolls in a RPM365 program they are assigned a RPM365 Care Coach and team or a nurse who will check up on them often. According to one patient via the RPM Healthcare survey, “My nurse is excellent and checks up on me often, especially when the readings are not within normal range.” Patients may feel safer knowing their devices are connected to others in the healthcare industry who can be within reach if any questions or concerns arise. Also, since patients are taking daily readings they have a better sense of what those readings are sharing and can easily access that information. Patients with access to a RPM365 Care Coach or team begin to develop a relationship with them and can speak freely with them.
More Realistic Snapshot of Patient Health
Patients have shared that using an RPM device provides their healthcare team with a more realistic snapshot of their health. For instance, one patient shared in their survey responses that a physician started them on an RPM program because of a high blood pressure reading. After starting the program the doctor realized that it was the patient’s anxiety in the office that was causing the patient’s blood pressure to increase. So, this led to an adjustment in medication.
Easy Implementation + Convenience = High Adoption
Tutorials are provided on how to use the RPM devices but often, it’s highly intuitive. Simplicity of design and function was at the core of developing remote patient monitoring devices. The immediate results offered via RPM, alerts patients when they need to quickly make a correction in their lifestyle or eating habits. The convenience of taking readings from a device on a patient’s personal timetable saves them time from visiting a doctor’s office but they are still able to record and keep track of their readings. And their physicians, healthcare partners and care teams get the information automatically. This ease of use and detailed record-keeping prompts patients to quickly adopt a lifestyle that keeps them compliant. According to a patient who completed the survey, “it’s much easier than having to manually log and report results.”
Patients Become Advocates
Patients who have used RPM devices just love it! It has helped them to think more about their health as well as adjusting lifestyle goals to improve health. One patient writes, “It’s made a positive difference in my outlook on life. My RPM365 Care Coach is very professional but at the same time feels more like a caring friend.” The ease of use and optimal health results have persuaded patients to recommend programs to family members. Patients have shared that “the program should be offered to everyone with health issues. It provides a degree of knowledge and comfort that is emotionally and physically beneficial.”
Introducing an RPM program to your patients may cause a bit of discomfort at first. All new things take some time to adjust to. However, the simplicity in design makes it easy to use immediately and the robust health outcomes lead patients to praise the new technology.
