What is Digital Patient Education and How Does it Work in 5 Quick Q&A's

There is a lot of discussion and mystery surrounding digital patient education. What is it? How does it work? Do I need it? Can I make money from it? Will it help my practice/patients/staff? The next few paragraphs will help answer some of those questions.

What is Digital Patient Education? Simply it is an audio video content system usually run through a TV monitor that spotlights health and wellness tips and practice information. Typically there are two types of education services. One is supplied to the practice by third party vendors that work with pharmaceutical companies and retailers to influence purchase and prescribing. The other service is subscription based and allows customization of content to spotlight the practitioner and their staff.

How does it work? Most systems are internet based where the content is delivered to your office using a microcomputer of some sort. Content is typically changed once a month and focuses on 9-12 topics in a 60 minute loop segment.

Do I need it? Yes, if you see Medicare patients, you are required to educate patients as part of the Meaningful Use requirements. Digital Patient Education is a very passive way to get the patients into the healthy lifestyle mindset needed to get positive results.

Can I make money from it? This is the biggest question that we get. That depends on you. If you choose a system that enables you to promote your practice, its people, specialties, products, services, and community events, then absolutely. If you choose a one size fits all system, probably not. You get what you pay for. You need to call us to find out how.

Will it help my practice/patients/staff? If you believe that a smarter patient is more likely to be complaint, then absolutely. Patients will be more informed and motivated to receive their course of treatment. Their time in the waiting room will be perceived to be diminished as they are engaged and not watching more mindless TV. A subtle byproduct of our systems is that there are not scheduled program breaks or hard endings. A continuous loop of content moves seamlessly through the day. From your staff’s perspective, there is no longer a battle over the TV. No CNN vs. Fox, ESPN vs. Ellen. No ads for drugs, medical malpractice, class action lawsuits, junk food, or other vices.

To learn more, please call Jim Cucinotta at 856-520-8655 or email at jim@haloheals.com.