Types of Patient Engagement You’re Probably Overlooking
Healthcare organizations today recognize that patient engagement is essential for both enhancing patient experiences and easing pressures on providers. However, many are still focusing primarily on familiar strategies, such as automated surveys or appointment reminders, which only scratch the surface of what’s possible.
With advancements in patient engagement technology, new types of patient engagement allow for dynamic, real-time connections with patients, caregivers, and even employees, expanding engagement’s impact across all facets of healthcare.
In this blog, we’ll explore four types of patient engagement that Feedtrail clients successfully leverage to, not only engage patients, but also to drive business, enhance communication, improve care quality, and support employees. These innovative approaches go beyond traditional surveys, showcasing the full potential of patient engagement strategies that improve both patient and employee experiences.
1. Engagement to Drive Business: Get patients in the door
Messaging is about more than communication; it’s a valuable tool for driving business in healthcare. The goal is to get patients in the door while publicizing and raising awareness about the provider.
One example is appointment reminders so patients don’t forget about their upcoming visits. These days, people are busier than ever and missed appointments, and missed revenue, can be all too common. A quick text message with the option to re-schedule if needed is a simple way to make sure clinics don’t lose business due to no-shows.
Wellness reminders are another useful strategy for getting patients to schedule appointments. National campaigns like Breast Cancer Awareness month present a great opportunity to suggest scheduling an annual check-up or mammogram. With the Feedtrail platform, it’s easy to include direct links so patients can engage with a single click.
National campaigns or events aren’t the only touchpoints for driving new appointments. New awards and/or recognition also offer an opportunity for outreach. Has your clinic recently received an award or been recognized for its outstanding service? Have you been rated number one in the state or opened a new location? Marketing campaigns can send messages directly through the platform to let the public and the community know, with a link to learn more.
⭐ Mini Case Study: Millennium Physician Group
Millennium Physician Group, an independent physician group with 600+ providers and more than 150 locations throughout Florida, successfully used messaging to grow its business and help patients rebook appointments. Like many organizations, it saw a sharp decline in patient volume early in the pandemic due to fear and uncertainty around visiting doctors in person.
The company used the Feedtrail platform to proactively initiate outreach to every patient who had missed an appointment, offering the option to reschedule in-person visits as telehealth appointments. Ultimately, Millennium Physician Group was able to rebook over 2,000 appointments in under eight weeks, getting patients back in the door — or the virtual door — and driving revenue.
2. Engagement to Increase Communication: Educate and inform
Communication in healthcare can and should go beyond managing an appointment calendar. Providers can effectively use messaging to engage and educate patients, and make them aware of time-sensitive process updates.
Welcome messages sent to brand-new patients of a clinic or hospital get people engaged even before their first visit. A link with directions and a map of the facility make sure first-time patients never get lost on the way or once they arrive, and that they show up in the right place on time.
When a patient misses an appointment, it can be for a number of reasons, forgetfulness aside. Community resources like free transportation services are often available, but many people don’t know about them or are embarrassed to ask. A friendly message with a link to more information can be just what the doctor ordered.
⭐ Mini Case Study: Valley Professionals Community Health Center
Valley Professionals, a Federally Qualified Health Center for medically underserved populations in Indiana, has creatively used this functionality to keep its community in the know. The organization notifies patients about education and information sessions held throughout the year. This intentional outreach comes to patients directly via text with a link to easily register, in case they forget or miss announcements posted elsewhere.
The company also uses messages to announce facility updates like closures, holidays, and new hours. For example, when there was a staff training day, they sent out the closing times for all their locations so that none of their patients would be surprised.
3. Engagement to Improve Care: Focus on a successful recovery
Improving outcomes is the golden ring in healthcare, and messaging can be a powerful lever to do just that. Feedtrail clients use the platform to engage not just with patients, but with their families and caregivers as well, for better coordination of care, especially during crucial recovery periods.
Alerts that a loved one is ready to be discharged, medication reminders with clickable care-plan details, and messages with links to recovery resources go a long way toward ensuring positive outcomes. This provides peace of mind to patients and providers alike, allowing them to focus on what’s most important: recovery.
⭐ Mini case study: Montana Health System
A multispecialty group serving local communities in Montana, uses these types of messages to improve care coordination and patient flow. The organization not only notifies caregivers when a patient is ready for discharge, it asks for an estimated pick-up time. This gives the group a better understanding of how long the patient is going to be in a bed or how long they need to hold that individual, for more efficient resource management and handoffs.
4. Engagement with Employees: Boost Your Culture
While patient engagement often takes center stage, engaging healthcare employees is equally essential for creating a positive, resilient workplace culture. A strong culture of employee engagement helps reduce burnout, improve morale, and ultimately enhances patient experience. When staff feel supported and valued, they are better equipped to deliver high-quality care, directly benefiting patients and fostering a cycle of positivity within the organization.
For instance, sending notifications about wellness resources or upcoming mental health support sessions allows employees to feel valued and supported. By informing staff of professional development opportunities and new healthcare protocols, Feedtrail’s platform encourages continuous growth and keeps employees connected to the organization’s mission.
In organizations with robust employee engagement strategies, staff members are more likely to have positive interactions with patients, feel invested in the organization’s goals, and contribute to a patient-centered culture. Feedtrail supports this vision by providing an easy, efficient way to engage employees, from essential updates to opportunities for career development, all of which lead to a more unified and motivated workforce.
⭐ Mini Case Study: Aveanna Healthcare
Aveanna Healthcare has over 40,000 employees across the country, ranging from private-duty and home-health nurses to administrative and operations teams. Given the organization’s geographic footprint, there are lots of opportunities to inform workers about process changes.
When moving payroll services online, the organization sent out a notification to all its employees with useful information to ensure the key details weren’t overlooked. The company has also used the Feedtrail platform to screen for COVID exposures. This has proven useful with remote staff, who can’t be monitored in person.
Innovative Types of Patient Engagement with Feedtrail
Feedtrail’s robust platform empowers healthcare organizations to adopt innovative types of patient engagement that go beyond standard practices. Through its flexible messaging tools, Feedtrail enables hyper-personalized, timely outreach to targeted patient segments, driving engagement that truly resonates.
Feedtrail supports diverse types of patient engagement that address the multifaceted needs of healthcare providers. From streamlining relevant reminders to increasing access to care information, Feedtrail’s platform is designed to boost both patient and employee engagement. Here’s how Feedtrail stands out in each area:
- Hyper-Personalized Messaging: Feedtrail’s platform enables providers to send tailored messages at critical moments, whether it’s a reminder for a wellness check or an update on care procedures. By addressing individual patient needs, providers ensure patients feel valued and heard, enhancing their overall experience.
- Employee Engagement: Feedtrail extends engagement beyond patients to include healthcare staff. Notifications for flu shots, COVID boosters, or new wellness programs help keep employees informed and supported, reducing burnout and encouraging a more resilient workforce.
- Driving Business and Engagement at Every Level: With tools that support multiple types of patient engagement, Feedtrail helps healthcare providers leverage every opportunity for meaningful interaction, from pre-appointment instructions to post-discharge care coordination, and everything in between.
Through these flexible and powerful functionalities, Feedtrail helps healthcare organizations improve communication, streamline operations, and deliver care more effectively. Whether you’re a small clinic or a large health system, implementing diverse types of patient engagement strategies through Feedtrail’s platform ensures more efficient workflows, improved patient outcomes, and enhanced staff satisfaction.
Final Thoughts on Patient Engagement
Successful engagement strategies improve both patient experience and employee experience. Often a simple text message is all it takes to make a difference.
Healthcare organizations that leverage the full capabilities of platforms like Feedtrail are able to streamline their businesses to achieve better outcomes and greater customer satisfaction.
Discover innovative ways Feedtrail clients are going beyond traditional surveys to enhance business growth, care quality, and employee engagement in this short video: