Chronic health patients cost around 90% of the US healthcare budget despite making up just 5% of all patients. People with these conditions caused by lifestyle, such as diabetes, are also far more likely to forget to take their medicine or show up to their appointments.
This is why the need to improve communication with these types of patients is hugely important for not only their wellbeing but the time and investment it takes up on the infrastructure of the US’s healthcare system and the knock-on effect that has with other non-chronic sufferers.
The numbers are more shocking when you investigate further. Chronic illnesses are usually those of a long duration, and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioral factors. According to the World Health Organization, they result in the deaths of 41 million individuals each year across the world, which equates to 74% of all deaths globally. It is imperative then that something needs to be done to better support these patients and tackle the serious burden created on medical organizations.
Harmful lifestyle choices, such as smoking, a lack of physical inactivity, alcohol, and unhealthy diets all significantly increase the mortality rate associated with chronic illnesses. Moving from a reactive to a proactive model of healthcare will help to address these choices and mark an important evolution. Instead of waiting for illnesses to escalate, there needs to be a prioritizing of general health, whilst also identifying risky elements and being knowledgeable and equipped for the future.
The Covid-19 pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic acted as a forced testing ground for technological innovation in healthcare. And despite varying successes throughout each country – and several bumps in the road – it did prove how tech can play a vital role in proactive healthcare management by streamlining and automating processes.
Fast forward to 2024 and advances in tech are now modernizing the way chronic health patients manage their health, with digital tools now helping individuals to track progress, receive tailored guidance support, as well as linking with healthcare systems from a remote location. This allows providers to deliver a more effective and efficient care.
ContactEngine's proactive conversational AI is at the forefront of this with its solution available through the patients’ preferred communications channel. Our AI proactive comms can send messages via the patient's preferred channel to prompt habits of those with chronic conditions, allowing healthcare providers to be able to keep these patients on their personalized treatment plans and reducing the likelihood that they end up in A&E.
ContactEngine’s solution
Our technology utilizes AI to deliver tailored communications that are timely and relevant. The framework can not only analyze patient data to understand individual habits and preferences, but it ensures messages are sent at ideal times. For instance, a diabetes patient might receive a reminder to take their medication in the morning when they are most likely to be at home, or a nudge to schedule their next appointment as the date approaches.
ContactEngine's proactive conversational AI can also seamlessly integrate with healthcare providers' systems, allowing for real-time updates and coordinated care. This integration guarantees that providers are aware of any issues in a patient’s compliance and can intervene rapidly if necessary.
This is why ContactEngine's proactive conversational AI provides an essential complement chronic health patients through proactive communications that literally saves lives by stopping patients from missing treatments and appointments. Through reminding, educating, and engaging patients in the form of nudging, we can help to ensure that those with chronic conditions stay on their prescribed treatment plans, leading to better health results and a more sustainable healthcare system.
