Patient
education has been defined as “the process by which health professionals and
others impart information to patients that will alter their health behaviors or
improve their health status (Peter R. Koongstvedt, ‘The Managed Health Care
Handbook,’ Fourth Edition, Aspen Publishers, Inc., 2001).”
Of course, improving the health status of patients is always at the forefront
of any treatment program. But patient non-compliance is often cited as
the main reason for poor health outcomes in all patients. In fact so much
as been written on this subject, most of us are well aware of this situation…
and we know, it isn’t any one thing that causes it. But no matter where you
may search, article upon article seems to cite education as a dominant method
for improving patient behavior and improving compliance.
My
take on this is simple… if the idea of supplying key patient education may
improve patient compliance, why not utilize a method of communication that is
ideally suited for establishing ongoing, nurturing contact and is a great
mechanism to deliver ongoing, relevant information? The method I am
offering up is opt-in email.
The
dominant use for opt-in or permission-based email in the healthcare industry,
as well as other industries, has been overwhelmingly for marketing purposes --
for sharing announcements, news, and special events to those who have
subscribed to receive this information.
However I’d like to suggest, opt-in email can also be utilized as an
effective means of patient education. The built-in framework or
benefits provided by email marketing make it a great tool for regular
newsletters... but if fine-tuned to a certain health condition, can also become
an effective means of disseminating patient education information and
resources.
If
you send out a monthly newsletter with a variety of health topics such as
nutrition, the value of sleep, etc., as a community service or goodwill
gesture, that’s one thing. But imagine if you could segment your patient
population by disease or injury type; and, instead, send relevant information
that addresses just that patient population? And, then make it even more
practical by adding links to online articles and resources that affect just that
population? These could be fun quizzes on health topics, or downloadable
patient education brochures or flyers, etc. Resources, of course, would
vary and depend on what is available and/or screened by that healthcare
provider and available publicly to patients.
But
as new patients sign-up, a healthcare provider could also utilize the
auto-responder feature of email marketing to have pre-set communications and
patient education documents that are emailed to the patient. It could
become common practice to ask the patient if they would like to receive patient
education materials from their doctor via email. Then you have an open
doorway to stay front and center with that patient – to continually, routinely
provide key information the patient can incorporate in his or her daily life
that have the power to improve compliance and, thereby, improve outcome.
It’s
true; opt-in email is not just for marketing purposes. With an innovative
approach to communication, it can be used in new ways as real solutions to
solve common communication problems, especially in a healthcare setting where
so much is at stake.
In
the coming months, I'd like to explore this topic further and as I do so, will
provide more references to support this optional use of opt-in email.
Written
by
Gen
Cole, MHA, Gen Cole Communications
www.gencole.com