Introduction
In nursing, patient-centered needs assessment identifies and prioritizes patients’ individual needs. Personalizing treatment improves patient involvement and results. Evidence-based strategies will address health, economic, and cultural issues. The study will also examine how ICT technologies improve consumer health literacy and patient care. It will also discover novel ways to use technology to provide high-quality, ethical, and efficient patient care. Finally, equal access to patient personal health data and technology reduces terrible consequences.
Importance of Patient Engagement
Patient engagement improves health outcomes and treatment adherence by allowing patients to participate in their care choices actively. Over the last five years, research has shown that patient participation improves clinical results, happiness, and healthcare costs. Because it changes the patient’s role from passive to active and educated, patient engagement helps people better manage their health issues. Engaged patients are encouraged to take charge of their health, collaborate with healthcare practitioners, and make educated treatment choices (Srinivasan et al., 2020). The degree of participation helps people take responsibility for their activities and maintain their health. Patients are more likely to follow treatment programs if they are actively involved in their care. The past five years of research have shown that patient participation in healthcare is beneficial. Srinivasan et al.’s 2020 research “Enhancing patient engagement during virtual care: A conceptual model and rapid implementation at an academic medical center” highlights the importance of patient participation in virtual care.
Srinivasan et al.’s conceptual model describes patient participation during virtual treatment. It emphasizes the importance of customized treatment, collaborative decision-making, and virtual patient-provider contact. The research shows how academic medical centers may adopt patient involvement throughout the shift to virtual care models. Patient participation also improves therapeutic results, according to previous research. Better illness management, lower hospital readmissions, and medication adherence are more probable among engaged patients. They have greater control over chronic illnesses, including diabetes, hypertension, and asthma, reducing exacerbations and consequences. Engaging patients improves healthcare satisfaction (Do et al., 2020). When patients are active in their treatment and can express their preferences and concerns, they are happier with their care. It may improve patient-provider interactions and patient satisfaction. Patient participation reduces healthcare expenditures and improves health outcomes and patient happiness. Engaged patients are more likely to seek appropriate and timely medical assistance, preventing possible consequences. It reduces the need for expensive treatments and hospitalizations.
Potential Use and Impact of Health Care Technology
Patient empowerment requires improving consumer health knowledge. Healthcare technology modalities have become valuable instruments for this purpose in recent years. Innovative technologies like mobile apps, telemedicine, and others improve patient care and health literacy. Patients now use mobile apps to monitor their health. These applications promote patient participation and self-care. Medication reminders help patients follow their treatment programs, lowering missed doses and boosting results. Patients may also track their symptoms to find trends and triggers and make educated treatment choices (Sieck et al., 2020). Health literacy is improved via mobile app health education modules. These modules simplify medical words and treatment alternatives based on the user’s health profile. These applications help people make informed health decisions by providing digestible information.
Telehealth has improved healthcare accessibility and delivery. Telehealth services allow patients in rural or underserved locations to consult and follow up with doctors remotely. Patients may save time and money by connecting with professionals through video conferencing and secure communication systems. Patients with chronic diseases that need continual monitoring and care may benefit from telemedicine. In real-time, remote patient monitoring equipment and wearable technology can monitor heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose levels. The information may be sent to healthcare providers to follow patients’ development and react quickly. Telehealth services empower and engage patients by offering ongoing assistance and feedback.
Value and Relevance of Technology Modalities
In an ethical, culturally sensitive, and inclusive way, each healthcare technology modality prioritizes patient privacy and autonomy to encourage patient interaction. Ethical use of these technologies empowers and respects patients. Healthcare practitioners and technology developers must encourage honest communication with patients. It requires creating a trusting atmosphere where patients may voice their concerns and ask inquiries. People need honest talks about treatment alternatives, risks, and results to make educated health choices. These technologies should also enable sharing of the information needed for proper treatment. Respecting patients’ privacy requires following legislation and licenses to protect sensitive data. When creating these technologies, inclusivity is crucial (Nguyen et al., 2021). Explaining difficult medical words and ideas to patients and their families is vital, regardless of language, ability, or education. Plain language and multilingual educational tools may improve communication and empower patients. In healthcare technology, cultural awareness is crucial. Understanding and honoring multiple cultural traditions, beliefs, and values may help these modalities better serve different patient groups. It encompasses religious beliefs, nutritional preferences, and traditional healing approaches to provide culturally acceptable treatment. Health information sharing and technological interoperability boost patient involvement. Sharing patient data amongst healthcare providers improves care coordination and patient outcomes. Doctors with complete medical histories and treatment plans can make better judgments and provide more individualized care.
Innovative Strategies for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Patient Care
Selecting technology that meets the demands of the selected patient group is essential to maximize its effect. When choosing, digital literacy, linguistic preferences, and cultural conventions must be considered. Doing so makes the selected technology more inclusive and engaging for varied patient groups. Multilingual assistance and culturally relevant health material in technology are essential for cultural and language appropriateness. It helps patients feel understood and valued. Allowing people to access healthcare information in their chosen language by providing material in many languages recognizes linguistic diversity (Kartikasari et al., 2020). Culturally appropriate health material embraces varied cultural viewpoints and beliefs—patients’ faith in technology and involvement in health management rise. Technology becomes more approachable and user-friendly by responding to varied cultural norms and values, enhancing patient experiences.
Mitigating Risks of Adverse Outcomes Due to Inequity in Access to Technology
Inequity in technological access, such as internet access, health literacy, and language challenges, may put certain people at risk of bad outcomes. These people may need access to critical information and resources, limiting their personal and professional progress. Targeted education and assistance for technologically challenged areas may reduce these dangers. Training programs and seminars improve technology access and engagement by teaching basic digital skills. Creating language-specific materials may improve comprehension and inclusion and remove linguistic barriers to vital information. In comparable situations, these techniques have addressed disparities and hazards (Nguyen et al., 2021). Underserved populations benefit from digital divide initiatives. Education and assistance have helped people overcome technology hurdles and access online possibilities. Language-specific tools have been used to increase communication and engagement with varied communities to ensure that critical information is available to everyone.
Conclusion
Evidence-based patient-centered needs assessment in nursing care uses healthcare technology to increase patient involvement and outcomes. Nurses may provide ethical, culturally acceptable, and high-quality patient care by recognizing the significance of patient involvement, researching technological modalities, assessing their value and relevance, and applying novel tactics while reducing risks. Health care technology may enable individuals to engage in their care choices actively, improving health outcomes and well-being.
References
Srinivasan, M., Phadke, A. J., Zulman, D., Israni, S. T., Madill, E. S., Savage, T. R., … & Sharp, C. (2020). Enhancing patient engagement during virtual care: a conceptual model and rapid implementation at an academic medical center. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 1(4).
Do, B. N., Tran, T. V., Phan, D. T., Nguyen, H. C., Nguyen, T. T., Nguyen, H. C., … & Duong, T. V. (2020). Health literacy, eHealth literacy, adherence to infection prevention and control procedures, lifestyle changes, and suspected COVID-19 symptoms among health care workers during lockdown: online survey—Journal of medical Internet research, 22(11), e22894.
Nguyen, M. H., Pham, T. T., Nguyen, K. T., Nguyen, Y. H., Tran, T. V., Do, B. N., … & Duong, T. V. (2021). The negative impact of fear of COVID-19 on health-related quality of life was modified by health literacy, eHealth literacy, and digital healthy diet literacy: a multi-hospital survey—international journal of environmental research and public health, 18(9), 4929.
Sieck, C. J., Sheon, A., Ancker, J. S., Castek, J., Callahan, B., & Siefer, A. (2021). Digital inclusion as a social determinant of health. NPJ digital medicine, 4(1), 52.
Kartikasari, D., Aryanti, E., & Kristanto, T. (2020, December). Strategies for implementing net hospital accreditation standards to improve patient-centered care services quality vices. In The 1st International Scientific Meeting on Public Health and Sports (ISMOPHS 2019) (pp. 101-106). Atlantis Press.