3 Ways to Navigate New Rural Health Partnerships in the Digital Frontier

About one in five Americans, more than 60 million, live in rural areas. On average, rural residents are older, poorer and generally have worse health conditions than urban residents. Requiring more medical attention and care, they also have more limited access to health services. Challenged with workforce shortages and sustainability, rural providers can’t go it alone.

At the 37th Annual AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference last week, physician and health care technology expert Geeta Nayyar, M.D., former chief medical officer, Salesforce, and author of “Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare’s Misinformation Illness,” examined how hospitals and health systems can respond.

Virtual health care at the nonprofit system, part of Advocate Health, is a vital piece of a larger, transformative shift in its entire care model. Katie Kriener, senior vice president of virtual health for Advocate Health and its Southeast region’s medical group operations, notes in the report that technology provides the ability to fulfill the health system’s vision.

4 Keys to Atrium Health’s Virtual Care Services

1. Combat Social Media Misinformation

While 93% of Americans trust their doctors to make the right recommendations on health issues, 52% of Americans don’t trust the health care system. Only 10% of doctors practice in rural communities, many of whom are primary care and family physicians who tackle diverse cases and make the best use of their limited resources.

Takeaway

Hospitals can combat the noise from social media influencers by using their own clinicians to deliver content highlighting their role as a trusted source of information in the community. This can include short blogs, messaging on social media and creating YouTube videos of clinicians explaining important health topics.

2. Address the New Kids on the Health Care Block

Aware of consumer frustrations with the health care system, 90% of provider executives say consumerism is a top priority. Even though many patients might be happy with their current doctors, 69% would consider switching to other providers that offer more appealing services like the availability of same-day appointments for non-routine issues, convenient locations and self-scheduling. Big retailers and tech companies have vast resources and a deep knowledge of the consumer experience but lack knowledge of health care and individual communities.

Takeaway

Hospitals can partner with retailers and big tech to meet patient demand for timely care options and easy-to-navigate online tools that guide patients to the most convenient way to address their needs.

3. Execute Your Digital Transformation Strategy

Focus on telemedicine to improve access and cut unnecessary emergency department visits. Lean into the wearables revolution to engage with patients on preventive care and wellness. Elevate online engagement to build stronger patient-provider relationships and increase their understanding of the health information and recommendations. Bring joy back into the health care workforce and reduce nonvalue-added work by lightening the load with artificial intelligence and tying it all together with data solutions and interoperability.

Takeaway

Hospitals can partner with retailers and big tech to meet patient demand for timely care options and easy-to-navigate online tools that guide patients to the most convenient way to address their needs.