How patient engagement can support population health

This article discusses the importance of patient engagement in supporting population health. It explores different strategies and methods for patient engagement, including the use of information technology and the teach-back method. The article also includes responses to two student assignments on the topic.

RUNNING HEAD: POPULATION HEALTH 1
Population health
Name:
Institution:
Tutor:
Date:

POPULATION HEALTHCARE 2
How patient engagement can support population health
As a healthcare provider, supporting population health is sometimes a difficult task. It
often calls for the engagement of patients so that the road to recovery can be smooth. Patient
engagement supports population health since they are in a better position to understand what they
can do better or not. There are different ways in which patients can be engaged to support their
population health.
Since the world has made significant advancements in technology, I would utilize
information technology to engage different patients. Majority of the patients that I have come
across have smart or android enabled phones. I can therefore engage the patients through
different social media groups such as WhatsApp. I can form a WhatsApp group of patients with
similar health problems then the patients could provide their opinions on how well they should
be cared for. This forum can also enable the patients to share their experience and encourage
each other.
Another important strategy is the “Teach back method”. The teach back method involves
teaching a patient on different nursing interventions then request the patient to teach back the
same procedure (Dinh, Bonner, Clark, Ramsbotham, & Hines, 2016). This method of engaging
the patient makes it possible for the patient to master everything. This method of engagement has
shown improvements in population health as per several studies.

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References
Dinh, H. T., Bonner, A., Clark, R., Ramsbotham, J., & Hines, S. (2016). The effectiveness of
the teach-back method on adherence and self-management in health education for
people with chronic disease: a systematic review. The JBI Database of Systematic
Reviews and Implementation Reports, 14(1), 210. doi:10.11124/jbisrir-2016-2296

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Response to student one
Student one has really done a commendable job especially at the introduction .The author
has illustrated some of the chronic conditions which patient engagement can play a huge role in
reducing the morbidity and mortality rates. Some of the chronic conditions mentioned include
diabetes and obesity.
Regarding the different methods used in patient engagement, the author has also
illustrated them clearly. As per the instructions, we were supposed to mention one method that
uses Information technology such as phones and computers. The author has clearly illustrated
this concept by telling us how he uses emails to communicate with the different patients. The
author talks of how he sends journals that educates the patients on pressure self-checks through
the email. This is a very good initiative or strategy. Another method mentioned by the author
include the use of anticipatory guidance by introducing what would be learnt the next time and
encourages the patients to find out more on the same. This is a very good method that can be
used to engage the patients to improve population health.
Response to student two
Student two has done a commendable job. The assignment is precise but to the point. The
author has told us how he integrates the information technology in engaging the patients by the
use of the online system that can access different charts of the patients. The results of the
different diagnostic tests done to the patient are also sent through email and then the patient can
provide feedback through the same channel. This form of engagement really encourages the
patients so as to improve population health. The other strategy as illustrated by the second author
is health coaching. This according to the author, empowers the patients so that they can be at

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their center of their health care needs. This is in line with different studies that have shown
success with this method.