The Future of Healthcare: Insights from Health 2.0 Conference

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Transformation of Patient Care
3. The Role of Digital Tools in Patient Care
4. Nemours Children's Health: A Pediatric Health System
   • 4.1 Nemours Children's Health: An Overview
   • 4.2 Deploying Technology to Improve Patient Engagement and Outcomes
5. The Importance of Human-Centered Design in Healthcare
   • 5.1 Starting with the Problem
   • 5.2 Stakeholder Involvement in Design
   • 5.3 Agile Methodologies in Healthcare
6. A Journey through Nemours Children's Health
   • 6.1 Diagnosis and Education
   • 6.2 Nurturing Campaigns and Clinical Care Teams
   • 6.3 Telehealth Consultations and Chat Bots
   • 6.4 Utilizing Technology to Address Social Determinants of Health
   • 6.5 Enhancing Care Coordination and Delivery
   • 6.6 Dragon Ambient Experience: Reducing Physician Burnout
   • 6.7 Empowering Parents with Education and Remote Monitoring
   • 6.8 Streamlining Appointments and Payments
   • 6.9 Heart Prep: Supporting Families with Heart Conditions
7. The Future of Healthcare and Integration with Primary Care Providers
8. Conclusion

The Transformation of Patient Care in the Digital Age

In the past, patient care was primarily confined to hospitals and clinics. However, with the advent of digital tools, such as telemedicine, mobile health apps, and wearable devices, patient care has transcended the traditional boundaries of healthcare facilities. This shift has brought about a new era of patient care that goes well beyond the walls of hospitals and clinics.

Nemours Children's Health, a renowned pediatric health system, has been at the forefront of this digital transformation. By deploying technology across the continuum of care, Nemours aims to improve patient engagement, enhance care coordination and delivery, and even go well beyond medicine. This article will explore the various ways in which Nemours is leveraging digital tools to revolutionize patient care.

Nemours Children's Health: A Pediatric Health System

Nemours Children's Health: An Overview

Nemours Children's Health is a pediatric health system with a freestanding hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, and another in Orlando, Florida. Their commitment extends well beyond traditional pediatric healthcare, as they believe in supporting every aspect of a child's continuum of care, including emotional, behavioral, economic, and environmental conditions that impact their lives and families.

Deploying Technology to Improve Patient Engagement and Outcomes

In today's digital age, consumers and patients are demanding more convenience and personalized experiences in healthcare. Recognizing this, Nemours has focused on deploying technology to improve patient experiences and outcomes. However, they believe in taking a human-centered approach, starting with the problem and involving all stakeholders, including patients, families, healthcare providers, and technologists. Using agile methodologies, Nemours iterates quickly to ensure that their technology solutions Align with the needs and preferences of the end-users.

A Journey through Nemours Children's Health

Diagnosis and Education

When parents receive a diagnosis for their child, it can be overwhelming and confusing. Nemours addresses this by providing comprehensive education through their Website, KidsHealth.org. Parents can access information about their child's condition, learn about Nemours clinicians and outcomes related to that specific condition, and even fill out a form to receive further nurturing campaign emails.

Nurturing Campaigns and Clinical Care Teams

Nemours uses nurturing campaigns to provide ongoing support and education to parents through email communication. These campaigns aim to address specific sub-specialties, ensuring that parents receive personalized information and stay engaged throughout their child's healthcare journey. Additionally, the clinical care teams proactively reach out to parents to offer consultations, ensuring that their questions and concerns are addressed.

Telehealth Consultations and Chat Bots

Recognizing the convenience and accessibility of telehealth, Nemours offers telehealth consultations to parents who live far from their facilities. To prepare parents for these consultations, they utilize automated chat bots that provide personalized guidance and information. These chat bots have also been deployed in various other use cases, such as appendectomies and tonsillectomies, resulting in improved satisfaction rates and reduced no-Show rates.

Addressing Social Determinants of Health

Nemours understands that a child's health is influenced by various factors beyond medical care. To address social determinants of health, they utilize social determinant of health questionnaires and screeners, filled out by parents through the Nemours app. This information is then used to connect families with community programs and resources that cater to their specific needs.

Enhancing Care Coordination and Delivery

Care coordination is essential for optimizing patient outcomes. Nemours employs technology to streamline care coordination, ensuring that all members of the care team are aligned and informed. Through the use of dashboards, clinicians can monitor patient data in real-time, proactively reach out to parents when necessary, and provide personalized guidance and support.

Dragon Ambient Experience: Reducing Physician Burnout

Physician burnout has become a significant concern in healthcare. To address this, Nemours implemented the Dragon Ambient Experience, an AI-enabled system that reduces the time clinicians spend on electronic health records (EHR). By automating note-taking and documentation, physicians can focus more on patient care, alleviating burnout and enhancing the patient experience.

Empowering Parents with Education and Remote Monitoring

Education plays a vital role in empowering parents to care for their child's health. Nemours provides educational materials through various platforms, such as TVs in hospital rooms and the Nemours app. Parents can access instructions, videos, and other resources that offer guidance on caring for their child's condition. Additionally, Nemours has developed a remote patient monitoring tracker, allowing parents to report vital signs and communicate with the care team from the comfort of their home.

Streamlining Appointments and Payments

Nemours is committed to making the healthcare journey as convenient as possible for parents. Through the Nemours app, parents can schedule appointments, complete registration, check-in digitally, and even make payments. The app also offers financial support and guidance, ensuring that parents can navigate the sometimes complex world of healthcare finances with ease.

Heart Prep: Supporting Families with Heart Conditions

For families dealing with heart conditions in their child, Nemours has developed the Heart Prep application. This app provides resources, education, and a Sense of community for expecting mothers and parents of children with heart conditions. By creating a support network and offering additional educational outlets, Nemours aims to alleviate distress and provide hope to families facing these challenges.

The Future of Healthcare and Integration with Primary Care Providers

As technology continues to advance, the future of healthcare holds great potential for integration with primary care providers. Nemours acknowledges the importance of collaboration and is actively working with primary care organizations to Create clinically integrated networks. By coming together, healthcare providers can ensure seamless and coordinated care for patients, ultimately improving health outcomes for children.

Conclusion

In the digital age, patient care has evolved beyond the confines of traditional healthcare facilities. Nemours Children's Health is at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging digital tools to enhance patient engagement, improve care coordination, and go well beyond medicine. By prioritizing the human-centered experience and partnering with stakeholders, Nemours is revolutionizing patient care and setting a new standard for pediatric healthcare.