Patient Centered Care includes Smart TV Technology

Technology and patient experience go hand in hand. We’ve all come to expect that smart technology is integrated into our work, shopping, homes, and even in our healthcare experiences. While technology is beneficial in healthcare, it’s important to remain personal, meaning that providers still give patient-centered care. 

According to NEJM Catalyst (2017), one of the many important aspects of patient-centered care is that

“Patients are partners with their health care providers, and providers treat patients not only from a clinical perspective, but also from an emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and financial perspective.”

Today’s Smart TV technology adds to the overall patient experience and helps providers give this holistic care. Technology that is easy to use, comforting and cost effective keeps healthcare experiences advanced but also patient centric. 

Easy to Use Technology

No one wants to spend time figuring out how to use a new digital device. The more intuitive and user-friendly technology is, the more likely we all are to use it. When hospital TVs are expected to be used by patients, they need to be carefully chosen with the patient’s needs and staff desires in mind. This way, patients and staff will reap the benefits of consistent and collaborative care. Patients also are more likely to adopt the technology and feel like the provider thought of their needs when choosing the resource.

Think about how easy it is for patients to use telehealth options. Many patients will adopt this technology because it increases their communication with their provider, makes them feel like they are part of their care, and is easy to use. 

Comforting Technology

One way to show patients that they are at the center of their care is to offer them technology that is familiar and comforting. We all know the stress and tension that can build up during medical visits. Offering technology that is known to patients can be a game changer.

For example, TVs or video games can be comforting to patients in stressful or long duration healthcare environments. We have these luxuries at home, so why not provide them during the long hours of treatment at an outpatient clinic or during an overnight hospital stay? This will make patients feel more at home in an environment that isn’t often seen as warm and inviting.

Smart hospital TVs help patients feel connected to what matters to them. By offering personal, smart TV technology that is comforting to patients, they will feel that healthcare providers care about their whole well-being, physical as well as their mental, spiritual and social well-being.

Cost Effective Technology

Technology is often a large investment. That’s why both patients and the healthcare facility staff should benefit from choosing the right patient technology. It’s great when technology can also bring value to a facility for the foreseeable future. Something that is easily upgradeable or backwards compatible is often a desirable option.

An example of making a cost-effective technology decision would be researching patient engagement platforms and seeing how robust of a platform makes sense for your facility. Something that connects with many of your other systems may make sense. Or a smaller, customizable patient engagement experience that provides several different features and doesn’t tie into your ADT or health records may make sense. You know your facility best.

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There are many facets of healthcare technology resources and patient centered care, but these are functions of the experience that patients have come to expect. 

If providing patients with Smart TV or tablet technology in your healthcare facility is of interest to you, PDi would love to help. We bring 40 years of care improving the patient experience.

NEJM Catalyst (2017, January 1). What is patient-centered care? https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.17.0559