The theme this year for European Public Health week is Health Throughout the Life Course, and today we are looking at resilient health systems, focusing on patient engagement and quality of care. Advancements in technology has changed the healthcare industry, especially since the emergence of Covid-19. There has been a strong emergence in personalised treatment according to the patients individual health risks and characteristics. This includes age, gender, height, weight, diet and family history, and is a way of helping clinicians make an informed decisions about treatment options.

By tailoring the service given to individual patients, this will promote a more active engagement in their health, when patients set their own goals and have a more active role in their own care they will be more likely to commit to these plans long term. Patients can start tracking their every day behaviours. Tracking steps and physical activity to see if they are getting enough, it is important to get your heart rate up everyday to stay healthy. Tracking food intake can determine how much or how little nutrients are being consumed. Tracking sleep to make sure a sufficient amount has been had every night. This is to also make sure they are on track to achieving their goals.

Empeal understands the importance of quality healthcare and patient involvement in the prevention and management of chronic health conditions. Giving personalised recommendations, and monitoring patients progress and compliance can help clinicians intervene in a timely manner to prevent any further decline in health.

Open and honest communication with patients is what’s important, by educating and supporting patients, the best care can be given. Making the move towards a preventative approach rather than a reactive approach by providing education and training services can optimize care efficiency. Here at Empeal we encourage education in various fields of health and wellbeing, which can lead to a healthier and happier lifestyle.

References:

Deloitte, 2022, Patient engagement strategies in a digital environment - LINK

Enterprise Ireland, 2022, Patient engagement is the biggest enabler of digitally-enabled medical technology - LINK