Care Management Solutions- How Mobile Technology is Helping

Healthcare industry is going through a major shift, that is from fee for service model to value-based care model.  Care management solutions are believed to be key in achieving & implementing value-based care, Healthcare players and healthcare entities understand the importance of care management. 

However despite the awareness and positive willingness; care management solutions had not been as effective as they are expected and the primary reason is, that most of the care management solutions fail to engage with the patients. Care managers want to leverage care management principles but due to lack of patient involvement; care management is yet to make the desired impact. 
But now, with mobile technology along with the impetus of wearable technology; it seems that we can have real good care management solutions for patients & care managers. The rapid increase in the user base of smartphones & wearable devices is also helpful in fulfilling the goals of Population health.  

Following are some points about how mobile technology is helping care management- 

Doctor's or care managers meeting with Patients - 

Traditionally doctors or care managers needed to physically meet the patients to know his health parameters and health conditions. But now we have care management mobile apps integrated with  Bluetooth devices that can not only read health vitals of patients but can automatically be synced this to care managers portals. This way care managers can (virtually) meet patients more frequently than ever; this saves time and improves the quality of healthcare. 

Powerful caregivers-

The caregiver is always an important player in the healthcare ecosystem. Care Management mobile app are also very useful for caregivers also, caregivers can get help about patient's medication, an appointment with doctors, get alerts and act upon and can also get educated. Empowering caregivers mean better healthcare.     

Patient's involvement in his own healthcare-

Due to various security reasons, patients were shielded from their own health records. But now with so many healthcare mobile apps and wearable devices in market patient himself can keep a check on his various health related data via mobile apps and if required then can proactively contact his/her care manager. Patient engagement is key to the success of care management solution.    

Real-time & factual data for care managers-

With mobile apps offering solutions for care management;  care managers can have the access to the real-time health data of patients, this means care managers can act or can send alerts right at the time when it is required. Real-time data also helps patients, with real-time insights about their health data patients, can contact their care managers and can ask better questions about their health.  

Analytics & Population health- 

Care managers can get the access of various health data from different patients and they can also check what treatment worked well for a particular patient for a particular health condition. So care manager can easily decide care plan for other patients who has a similar health condition.  

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You may also like reading my article on care management solution essentials.  

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The success of care management solutions depends on equal & effective participation from Doctors, care managers, caregiver, and patients; health care Mobile apps are helping in establishing a single communication thread for all these players. There are so many healthcare mobile apps companies are publishing their healthcare apps, though many of the healthcare apps are not very useful but we have enough proof that mobile apps are actually helping overall healthcare ecosystem. The best part is mobile apps have given an opportunity to patients to participate in their own healthcare decisions. I believe what we have seen till now is just a start and we will witness mobile technology doing wonders in health care very soon.