Despite having some of the most advanced healthcare tools and highly-trained practitioners, the United States has one of the least efficient healthcare systems of all developed countries.Over the years, I have come to realize that it’s not the development of devices or the medical prowess that makes the difference: it is the delivery of these services and the impact it creates on the population. Moreover, it is our delivery of care to patients which is often inefficient and ineffective, leaving
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State of Georgia Expands Partnership with Sharecare to Improve Health of State Employees
Walmart to contribute annual incentive dollars earned through Sharecare to help eligible State Health Benefit Plan members purchase prescription medications and vision products at its retail stores; Emory Healthcare and Rollins School of Public Health to measure the impact of the new incentive program.Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) is launching a new incentive program to reward State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) members who engage in healthy behaviors through Sharecare’s
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BREAKING: GetWellNetwork Acquires Patient Engagement Startup HealthLoop
GetWellNetwork, a precision engagement healthcare company has acquired automated patient engagement startup HealthLoop. The acquisition will help expand GetWellNetwork’s reach into nearly 700 health care providers, placing it at the forefront of the changing healthcare landscape and at the heart of the patient journey. From inpatient to outpatient, to physician practices and urgent care clinics, to patients on the go, GetWellNetwork offers the only cross-continuum platform that performs across
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The Rise of Real-Time Location Tracking (RTLS) Adoption in Healthcare
The healthcare industry is one where inefficiency leads to significant productivity losses and could contribute to loss of life.That's why a system that keeps track of people, medicines and other essentials is exceptionally advantageous in that sector. Besides boosting productivity, real-time location systems (RTLS) could increase patient satisfaction and more.RTLS Adoption in Healthcare Is On the RiseA forecast showing the state of the RTLS healthcare industry predicts the total worth will
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4 Reasons Why Secure Messaging Apps Are The Best Option for Boosting Patient Engagement & Health Outcomes
Patient engagement is now a critical component of healthcare, as organizations utilize both traditional and modern communications methods to differentiate their businesses, deliver superior patient care and reduce costs.Today, 74 percent of healthcare executives would like to automate patient engagement, according to a recent study by Conversa Health and World Business Research. Unfortunately, many of these same executives don’t know how or where to begin to do so. From automating
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Virtual Reality: 4 Ways Mixed Reality Helps Pediatric Patients
Hospitals can be depressing, scary or boring, making people feel isolated and out of the loop. But this experience is several times more challenging for children, especially those in need of prolonged treatment. There can be unpleasant tests and procedures, strict visiting rules, and not so many available activities to entertain or distract young patients.Thankfully, technology is ready to alleviate hospital stay for the youngest patients, as mixed reality gradually integrates with pediatric
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Can Bots Take the Patient Experience to the Next Level?
In today’s mobile-first environment, it’s somewhat surprising that nearly 30 percent of healthcare providers still use phone calls — and only phone calls — to ensure patients make it into their scheduled appointments. While fewer Americans tend to answer their phone calls, they do use their phones for text messaging. In healthcare, the benefits of text message appointment reminders are increasingly recognized and on the rise, but this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to providing a
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Patient Engagement: 9 Ways to Engage Patients on Their Own Terms
Prioritizing measurable clinical outcomes, defining an evidence-based, codified patient journey, and incenting strict adherence to treatment plans have been the base for many patient engagement initiatives. These seem to be logical ways to improve outcomes, reduce costs and encourage patients to follow post-care plans mapped to a journey designed to yield specific clinical measures. Yet despite the industry’s focus on patient centricity, the healthcare industry is still struggling to realize the
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UCSF and Dignity Health to Develop Digital Patient Experience Platform
Dignity Health and UCSF, announced a collaboration partnership to develop a digital patient experience platform that will provide information and access to patients when and where they need it as they navigate primary and preventive care, as well as more acute or specialty care. The new platform will utilize Dignity Health’s cloud-based infrastructure for its 40 hospitals, while UCSF will contribute its extensive knowledge of the patient experience in specialty care.Collaboration DetailsDuring
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Partners Healthcare Taps Circulation to Bring On-Demand Medical Transportation to Patients
Circulation Health, a on-demand medical transportation exchange that coordinates transportation logistics for health organizations, today announced an agreement with Partners Healthcare, an integrated, not-for-profit health system with facilities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.As part of the collaboration, Partners will utilize Circulation's on-demand ride technology, which interfaces with Lyft, to move patients to and from their appointments. The relationship also allows for expansion to
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