Enhancing Patient Engagement

Medical checkups can be mentally and physically stressful for patients. Will it hurt? How long will it take? Then there's the uncertainty before the diagnosis. But simply not going is not an option. That's why we do everything we can to make examinations as comfortable as possible for patients. It starts with the human-centered design of our modalities. Beginning in the development phase, we already take the patient's perspective into account, even working together to find the best solution. We also collaborate closely with the professionals who will be running the device for hours. For these experts, a safe, comfortable, and easy-to-operate workplace is essential. This is what human-centered innovation means to us at Siemens Healthineers: Our innovations are designed for patients and healthcare professionals alike – for everyone, everywhere, sustainably. These individuals are either in a personally sensitive situation – or it’s their job and passion to help others. For both groups, human-centered design is key to strengthening trust and enhancing the human side of healthcare. A solution's impact on a clinical workflow isn't determined by the range of technical functions it offers, but rather by how it provides those functions in an understandable, accessible, and practical way. Take mammography as an example – a particularly sensitive screening that is extremely important in our joint fight against cancer. After all, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer for half of humanity: Every minute, four women worldwide are diagnosed with this disease. Early detection is crucial, which is why the examination must not be daunting. As studies indicate, women with perceived pain or unpleasantness were more likely to avoid future mammograms. For this reason, designing medical devices to create a calming environment and promote a sense of safety for patients plays an important role in healthcare delivery.

As a surgeon, I've seen the potential of AI to diagnose diseases and streamline the entire patient journey, from the moment patients walk through the door to the day they're discharged. Imagine a patient arriving at the hospital with a suspected heart condition. Traditionally, this could involve multiple appointments, tests, and specialist consultations, causing delays and potential anxiety for the patient. With AI, this process can be expedited and personalized. Algorithms can quickly analyze medical records, lab results, and imaging scans to identify potential issues, flagging them for immediate attention. AI-powered chatbots can guide patients through the process, answering questions, scheduling appointments, and providing educational resources. For example, AI can help identify patients at high risk of readmission, allowing for proactive interventions and follow-up care that reduces hospital stays and improves outcomes. But AI's potential goes beyond efficiency. It can also enhance the patient experience by: ◾️Personalizing care plans: Tailoring treatment based on individual patient data. ◾️Providing 24/7 support: Offering virtual consultations and access to information anytime. ◾️Empowering patients: Giving them the tools and information they need to actively participate in their own care. I'm excited about AI's possibilities for improving healthcare delivery. By seamlessly integrating AI into the patient journey, we can create a more efficient, effective, and, ultimately, human-centered healthcare system. #AI #healthcare #innovation #patientjourney #efficiency #heart

🧠 Last month the BMJ celebrated a decade of its patient partnership, but since then something's been bugging me: Why are we still ignoring the most valuable experts in neurodegenerative diseases—the patients themselves? 🤔 While we've seen pockets of patient involvement, traditional research models often overlook the valuable insights patients provide, bringing them in only as research participants or looking for a rubber stamp on studies designed only by scientists. By failing to keep patients at the centre, we're missing a trick. Here's why: 👀 Real-world insights: Patients live with their conditions every day, which means their experiences provide critical insights that can drive more effective user design. Ignoring these voices means missing out on the real experts. 🎯 Improved clinical outcomes: You can get the science and engineering right, but the patient-centricity wrong, and experience gadgets that gather dust in drawers, prescriptions that go unfilled, and trials with high attrition. We have to involve patients *before* that happens to get the right data to improve outcomes 🔨 Respecting patient-developed innovation: Too often "innovation" is a hammer in search of a nail - but many of the smartest "health hacks" I've seen were developed by patients and caregivers - we should be scaling these rather than always building a new app, a new device, or relying only on the peer-reviewed literature when that's not where these things come from or are documented 😇 Ethical imperative: Patients deserve to have a say in the research that affects their lives. Their participation ensures that research is conducted with empathy and respect for their experiences. There are some savvy organisations that understand this, such as LifeArc MND Insights Group, the Co-Design roles available at Parkinson's UK, Rare Dementia Support Champions programme for co-design, and from the other side of the fence the incredible advocates at Genetic ALS & FTD: End the Legacy who have started transforming the way a whole field thinks about those at risk of genetic ALS/FTD. 💬 I'd love to hear your thoughts! You know the drill: Comment below or shoot me a note to discuss. And feel free to share—it's important to me that this message spreads to the people who need to see it. ♻️

Patient‑centricity in healthcare has grown up. And that’s a good thing.   In healthcare and life sciences, we’re moving from engagement to co‑creation.   Patients are no longer being “looped in” late. Co‑creation isn’t an occasional workshop anymore—it’s becoming part of trial‑design muscle memory. When patient input is embedded early, clinical trials see ~25% faster enrollment and significantly fewer late‑stage amendments. Decentralized, patient‑friendly designs are also delivering ~20% higher retention. That’s impact—not intent.   The second shift is equally important: we’ve moved from good intentions to measurable outcomes. Patient experience is now treated as an operational lever. It’s measured, tied to KPIs, and discussed alongside timelines, cost, and risk. That signals true maturity.   The third evolution is how we use technology. We’re seeing a move from digital tools for novelty to responsible AI with purpose—designed to reduce patient burden, not add complexity. Simpler protocols. Smarter scheduling. Better listening to patient signals.   Taken together, this marks a fundamental change in mindset. Patients are being recognized for what they truly are— co‑experts in healthcare design, not just end users.   The question for leaders is no longer why patient partnership matters. It’s how deeply we’re willing to embed it into how we work, decide, and build. #PatientCentricity #PatientExperience

At University Hospitals, we’re transforming how patients experience care—by placing pharmacists directly within our primary care practices. This innovative model ensures patients receive expert medication guidance immediately after their provider visit, improving adherence and outcomes.   Nearly 60 pharmacists are already embedded across UH, helping patients navigate prescriptions, reduce costs, and avoid complications. Medications are delivered to patients’ homes, and pharmacists follow up by phone or video to ensure proper use.   The impact is clear: patients with chronic conditions like diabetes are seeing significantly better results. Physicians are gaining new insights into real-world barriers to care—and together, we’re closing critical gaps.   This is what modern, patient-centered care looks like. Read more in my latest blog.   #HealthcareInnovation #PatientCare #PharmacyLeadership #BetterOutcomes #HealthcareLeadership    

Did you know women are 50% more likely than men to report skipping health care appointments due to long wait times and 35% of women are more likely to skip or delay care over a 12-month period compared to men? Postponing health care visits or leaving conditions untreated can lead to higher costs at a personal, organizational, and societal level.   Important new research from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, led by my colleagues jen radin, Asif Dhar, Jay Bhatt, Wendy Gerhardt Dorfman, and Leslie Korenda, found three structural design flaws contributing to gender disparities:    💰Affordability. Women are 31% more likely to skip care due to costs, and surveyed women were almost twice as likely to say they aren’t financially prepared to pay an unforeseen medical bill.   ⏰ Access. Scheduling and long wait times can make it difficult to make or keep medical appointments.   🫤 Prior experiences. More than 40% of participants in a previous survey said they have skipped or avoided care because they didn’t like the way a provider or staff member treated them.   I believe that addressing these flaws, focusing on women’s health, and closing the gender gap could lead to higher quality health outcomes regardless of gender. Every industry stakeholder—employers, health plans, hospitals and health systems, and investors and innovators—has a strategic, meaningful role to play by increasing its focus on women’s health, removing barriers to care, and improving experiences with innovative products and services.    Find specific ways the health care industry can address gender disparities and improve health equity for all in the report: https://deloi.tt/3SOR3uF 

What if patients had full access to their medical records AND the tools to make sense of them? That’s the bold vision taking shape in Switzerland, where a new citizen-controlled data initiative is helping people take charge of their own health. But access alone isn’t enough. Without medical expertise, even the most complete data can leave patients feeling lost. That’s where generative AI comes in. At the 2025 Association Swiss Health Data Space Forum, I spoke about how tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help patients decode their medical data, understand treatment options and take action to stay healthy (between doctor visits and long before an emergency). The article below captures the core message I shared in Olten: Empowering patients isn’t just about transparency. It’s about giving people access and understanding. When clinicians, patients and GenAI work together, the impact is significantly greater than any on their own. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g7-8GdPm #HealthcareInnovation #GenerativeAI #PatientEmpowerment #HealthcareOnLinkedIn with Ernst Hafen and Association Swiss Health Data Space

🎤 New Publication Alert 🎉 I used a nationally representative survey to examine how medical (dis)trust and experiences of discrimination affect shared decision-making across racial and ethnic groups. 💡 What did I find? Regardless of race and ethnicity, medical mistrust reduces the odds of shared decision-making, and high-quality care increases the likelihood of shared decision-making 🚨 But when teasing out the data in the adjusted predicted models, we see a clear pattern: Experience of discrimination and medical mistrust, particularly among Black and Hispanic women, significantly reduced the predicted probability of shared decision-making. This group saw the steepest decline in collaborative care. 🔦 Big takeaways: 1. While Black women demonstrate high levels of patient advocacy, they still encounter systemic obstacles that threaten the quality of their clinical interactions. 2. Hispanic women face the most dramatic declines in collaborative care when experiencing discrimination. 3. Systemic failures have deeply eroded trust among women, particularly those from marginalized communities. 4. I argue that achieving health equity requires the elimination of discriminatory practices and the fostering of woman-centered care to rebuild institutional trust. Take a read and share your thoughts. https://lnkd.in/gnA6Yc4a #healthequity #shareddecisionmaking #womenshealth

Patients don’t just experience healthcare in appointments—they live it 24/7. A valuable framework for understanding patient experience highlights three key domains that capture the essence of what it means to be a patient. The first domain is biological dysfunction, the disease and its symptoms themselves. The second concerns satisfaction, or how patients evaluate their interactions with HCPs, including metrics like the Friends and Family Test. Most compelling is the third domain, which focuses on the totality of living with health, illness, and treatment, encompassing everything from doctors’ appointments and self-management routines to the emotional and social impacts of chronic conditions. Within medical congresses, these domains must be considered integrally, to improve doctor-patient communication and drive effective treatment planning. Many congresses, however, are organized around strict compliance criteria such as the ABPI Code of Practice. While this may deter some from actively involving patients, it is important to recognize that regulations do not outright forbid patient participation. Rather, they call for careful structural and logistical approaches—ensuring that events maintain ethical boundaries while welcoming the real-world insights patients bring. These insights are essential for bridging the disconnect that can occur between healthcare providers and those they treat. From endless hours in waiting rooms to juggling medications around full-time responsibilities, patients bring firsthand observations of how healthcare systems work—or fail to work—in practice. That accumulated knowledge is akin to a “University of Life,” offering lessons few clinicians can gain purely from formal training. When this perspective is shared, it drives more grounded, inclusive conversations around research findings, evidence-based medicine, and opportunities for improvement. Planning for patient participation in medical congresses often involves establishing clear guidelines for promotional versus non-promotional content, creating dedicated discussion forums, and setting transparent expectations. When we invite patients to be partners—not just subjects—their experiences, skills, and insights become powerful catalysts for improving care. Beyond any single domain, recognizing the whole of a patient’s journey leads to a more empathetic, responsive, and effective healthcare system for all.