San Luis Obispo County Public Health launches two-way text to increase patient engagement and augment their individualized patient care model. We are very pleased they chose PreventionPays Text as their platform.
Nurses will use two-way text dialogue to answer questions about their personal health choices, medications, and preventative strategies. The focus will be on "keeping it light and to the point," reported the director of the program. If the conversation escalates to something more substantial, then they will try to get them an appt or call them on the phone.
With texting, engagement is phenomenal with 98% of all texts opened within the first 5 minutes.
Unhealthy behavior such as smoking, overeating and non-adherence to medications drives outcomes in many cases -- which makes patient engagement a key part of population health management. Recognizing this, healthcare organizations are trying to engage patients on numerous levels by using technologies that range from patient portals and secure e-mail to automated phone messaging and texting.
It's no surprise that texting has become the communication mode of choice for a big slice of the population with the explosive growth of mobile devices. In fact, Americans under 55 text far more often than they call on their cell phones; those under 30 text more often than they e-mail other people. Younger people are often the patients who are the hardest for physicians and hospitals to reach.