- Apr 19, 2018
Today, patients are more involved and engaged in their care. Thanks to the introduction of latest digital technologies that make it convenient for patients track their health-related details. Moreover, the interest of patients to capture their health data has grown over the years. They now use mobile apps, wearable devices, etc. to collect their health information. Using all these tools, they can check blood pressure, track heartbeat rate and other conditions.
PGHD refers to the health information that patients or their family members and friends record, collect or create. The different types of data under PGHD include health history, biometric data, past treatment records, and other medical details of a patient. All this patient-generated data helps physicians and other medical practitioners to address their health concern.
According to the report of Ernst & Young LLP (EY), physicians believe that PGHD can help improve quality of care and make way for better-personalized care services. That is why health practitioners are in search of ways to capitalize on the abundant data the patients generates. This information helps them address the many challenges across the healthcare ecosystem.
Earlier, the healthcare professionals had no access to real-time patient data. This led to delay in timely delivery of care and also hampered the quality of services. But with PGHD readily available for use, clinicians and researchers can get a better insight into patient data that can help them offer effective healthcare solutions. Also, use of patient-generated data reduces the need for frequent clinic visits and leads to early intervention in treatment procedures. As a result of which, the overall healthcare cost reduces even for the insurance provider as well as for the patient.
The popularity of connected medical devices has simplified the process of healthcare monitoring. It has enabled healthcare providers to offer precise diagnosis and faster treatment solutions. However, lack of proper technical infrastructure, professional expertise and training facilities are hindering the adoption of these digital technologies. While on the part of the patients, there are still many who have kept themselves away from participating in PGHD. Lack of awareness and no access to PGHD technologies are preventing patients from gathering and sharing their health data.
The significant three benefits of patient-generated health data include:
Leads to Improvement in Chronic Disease Management
The availability of wearable devices and mobile applications has transformed the way healthcare ecosystem. Today, patients are increasingly using these medical devices to gain insight into their health conditions. As a result of which, they are generating more and more health data which are then used by medical practitioners to improve care services.
Patient-generated health data has a close relation with remote monitoring of chronic diseases in patients. By collecting data from mHealth devices, doctors can manage chronic illness of patients recovering at home. Furthermore, this data will help healthcare providers visualize and understand the next they must take to treat a patient with the chronic disease. Moreover, PGHD eliminates the need for visiting the patient in person to a great extent.
Supports Precision Medicine Initiatives (PMI)
Patient-generated health data is the basis of Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) in which patients willingly provide their medical data to researchers and clinical analysts. This patient data in combination with the existing electronic health record helps physicians develop more precise medicine for improving their treatment plans.
Giving the Power of Data to Patients
Nowadays, patients are active participants in their care. They are readily using technology to know about their health conditions and ensure they receive quality care. With PGHD, patients get control of creating and if needed sharing their health data with medical providers. Moreover, PGHD keeps patients informed about their health. And also, assists them in taking right decisions about their treatment procedures.
Conclusion
With the sudden shift toward patient-centric care, providers are making all effort to engage with the patients digitally. Companies are coming up with digital tools and apps that are helping patients to participate in their care plan. Thus, it won’t be wrong to expect that PGHD will make care facilities better and patient-oriented in the days to come. With increased awareness about the benefits of PGHD, the healthcare industry is set to witness further development.
