Being able to offer holistic treatment requires active patient participation. According to Berwick, we are entering a new phase of high-quality healthcare that places a strong emphasis on the value of patients’ active participation (as mentioned in Saut et al., 2023, p.1). Including families in care and decision-making is a component of patient engagement. In people suffering from mental illness, the family is extremely important (Ong et al., 2021). As per the definition provided by Ong et al. (2021) on page 213, “family engagement is defined as the process of identifying, enrolling, and retaining families in treatment services”. Studies have demonstrated the immediate and long-term advantages of family involvement in patient-centered care for individuals with mental health disorders.
The patient’s capacity for self-monitoring and for identifying changes in their condition are crucial components of patient engagement. Involving patients is essential to their recovery and good citizenship. According to Bombard et al. (2019), research has shown that patient engagement has multiple positive effects on care quality. They included the creation of customized planning documents and improved treatment.
Additionally, it was shown that patients who expressed interest in continuing to participate thought the experience was instructive and that their participation brought attention to problems that could have gone unnoticed. The latest strategy for enhancing patient safety is patient and family engagement (Park & Giap, 2019). According to the Leadership Guide to Patient Safety, achieving patient safety depends on patient and family engagement.
It is both a right and a shared responsibility to participate in care. Hickmann and colleagues (2022) have delineated the notions that impact patient engagement. As part of patient enablement, health literacy serves as the foundation for the concepts. Patient empowerment follows engagement, and patient empowerment follows patient involvement, engagement, and participation. Patient adherence and compliance are the ultimate results.
A range of technologies accessible for healthcare are referred to as “connected health” (Chen et al., 2020). Although there are several obstacles to be taken into account, connected healthcare has benefits for controlling patient health. Easy access to many forms of technology can enhance patient participation. These can include telehealth visits, podcasts, Facebook support groups, mobile applications for patient portals, and mobile applications for educational and tracking content. Research has been conducted on the various forms of technology and how well they can promote patient involvement.
Technology can offer individualized services, flexibility, accessibility, and prompt treatment and feedback. Greater engagement and self-management are made possible by these platforms. Although the use of secure patient portals has increased, mental health patients frequently have restricted access to their records (O’Neill et al., 2019). It says there is mounting evidence that people gain by having access to their medical records. Open notes foster patient trust and provide patients a sense of control over their care, which is something that patients desire. But mention that some patients thought it was detrimental to read their notes.
According to 8% of patients in the O’Neill et al. (2019) study, reading their notes made them feel more anxious. Other negative effects included feeling frightened, judgmental, or offended. Another service made possible by technology is telehealth. The use of telemedicine to enhance discharge from the hospital and the transition to the home was examined by Noel et al. in 2020. When patients hear about new prescriptions, symptoms and indicators to watch out for, and follow-up visits, the hospital discharge process can become stressful and can be a vulnerable time for them.
The utilization of telehealth services significantly improved the participants’ confidence and zeal, according to the study. There is value in lowering readmissions, according to other studies. The use of smartphones has grown in popularity, making them more affordable for those with lesser incomes houses via initiatives supported by the government.
Given its widespread appeal and ease of use patients from various socioeconomic backgrounds are now increasingly accustomed to using this technology. Apps for smartphones can be customized to meet unique requirements and user skills. According to Ghozali et al. (2021), pati
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