Advancing health outcomes in today's complex landscape of payers and providers takes more than well-crafted models of care. According to Jessie Gruman, it takes active, engaged patients who not only seek the best care but who become core participants in their plan for health, and healthcare, success.
Gruman, who will provide the keynote presentation at the Care Coordination Summit on September 14, is president of the Center for Advancing Health and an expert on what she considers one of the most critical aspects of modern healthcare -- the emerging discipline of patient engagement.
"It's not possible to improve patient outcomes without our [the patient's] help," says Gruman. "We have to participate fully and knowledgeably in our care if we are going to be able to optimally benefit from the care available to us."
In addition to her role as health advocate, Gruman is also a long-time patient. At the age of 20, when most of us are embarking into the world of adulthood, Gruman came face to face with a surprising diagnosis of cancer. Since then, she has endured four bouts with cancer. "I have never not been a patient as long as I've been an adult," says Gruman, now 58.
12 Surprising Statistics About Patient Engagement
Founded in 1992, the Center for Advancing Health (CFAH) conducts research as a way to promote informed health decisions for the American population.
"We've done a lot of work at the Center identifying the behaviors that we have to undertake if we're going to benefit from our care," says Gruman. "In many ways, it is the role of nurses, case managers and others to help us figure out how we can achieve those behaviors."
For years The Center for Advancing Health has collected data on patient engagement trends, and the latest numbers show that there is a lot of work to be done in boosting engagement. Here's a look at a dozen (possibly surprising) trends about modern patient engagement. The data comes from the report, "Snapshot of People's Engagement in Their Health Care," published by CFAH and is divided into healthcare-related categories.
Safe, Quality Healthcare
5-10%
A small fraction, or roughly 5-10 percent, of people take into consideration reports on quality-based healthcare when making decisions about which physicians, hospitals, health plans and other services from which to choose.
20%
Among Americans 18 and older, one in five report not having a primary care physician.
Communication Trends
Communication continues to be a basic hindrance to healthcare relationships.
50%
Roughly half of seniors do not bring a list of questions to cover during appointments with their doctors.
60%
More than half, or 60 percent, of seniors do not regularly bring a list of medications to their physician appointments. One-quarter of seniors never bring a list of medications.
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