In a bid to mitigate the damage of a mysterious global outbreak, governments worldwide implemented a series of restrictive actions to COVID-19 such as lockdowns, mask mandates, and social distancing. This period of isolation had far-reaching consequences on societies around the world, and created a dramatic surge in the use of digital technologies. In response, the public has grown accustomed to such technological solutions in all aspects of life — remote education, remote work and remote health services have suddenly become a necessity, and not merely a luxury. According to research provided by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), during the pandemic the number of internet users worldwide grew from 4.1 billion in 2019 to 4.9 billion in 2021.
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has accelerated the pace of tech utilization worldwide, so where do older patients find themselves in this evolving landscape? Many adults over the age of 65 have been deprived of human contact for months on end since they were more likely to suffer complications in the course of COVID-19. Faced with this new reality, seniors have turned to improving their tech literacy to cope. New research conducted by AARP found that ownership in various devices increased across all age groups — not only adults in their fifties are purchasing new tech, but people in their sixties and seventies. More seniors — at least 44 percent — view technology in a positive light after the pandemic, while about 4 out of 5 of surveyed seniors feel comfortable using tech to stay connected with family and friends.
The older population is getting increasingly comfortable with technology, so what does this mean for your ASC? Digitalization of the patient experience is inevitable — the industry now demands a more progressive way to handle patients across all age groups. Those of Gen Z, Millennials, and more senior patients expect their digital healthcare services to be the norm, not an exception. One Mnet Health offers digital solutions that help you meet your patients’ expectations and elevate their patient journey with your facility to a new level.
Communication quality can make or break patient experience with your facility. Our automated patient communication solution Engage, helps you stay connected with your patients, and improves the overall communication experience to feel more personal and seamless. Engage allows you to send educational videos, and email/text reminders to communicate all necessary patient information. Better yet, these messages can all be customized to the communication preferences of each and every patient and their medical history.
The collection of preoperative paperwork has similarly transitioned into using technological solutions to automate and streamline the process. Our digital patient registration solution, Medical Passport, can help you do just that. Moving health and history forms online saves time for both patient and provider. Furthermore, such forms allow patients to prepare more accurate and comprehensive information at their own convenience. Being able to fill out the sometimes-lengthy medical intake questionnaires from the comfort of their own home is attractive to all age groups.
Finally, our financial solution, Payments, helps patients to understand their financial responsibility and eases concerns by offering flexible payment plans to pay their bills in a convenient and timely fashion. Faced with the stresses of surgical operations and invasive procedures, the more patients’ other worries may be alleviated, the greater the impression of the overall experience will be. Offering clarity, transparency, and flexibility through modern solutions serves to significantly improve the financial relationship between patient and provider.
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