The author argues that patient engagement is an essential factor for early adopter baby boomers when it comes to healthcare decisions. The article highlights three domains of patient engagement – patient relationships, health information use, and consumer health technology use (Seale et al., 2019). The author then presents the findings from six focus groups with early adopter boomers, which challenge prior notions about the passivity of older adults regarding patient engagement. Baby boomers are found to want to be involved in making final healthcare decisions, with input from providers. They are adept at finding and assessing relevant online health information but desire providers to curate trustworthy information. The article also examines patient portal utilization by older adults. It provides leverage points to address disparities in utilization, such as providing training in patient portal use, involving spouses/care partners in the training, and making information technology more accessible.
The process of involving patients in their own healthcare decisions is known as “patient engagement,” and it is essential to the health and well-being of an entire population. According to Seale et al. (2019), early adopter baby boomers, also known as people born between 1945 and 1965, make up a distinct subset of the population because of their familiarity with technology and capacity to engage in analytical reasoning regarding their choices regarding their medical care. As a result, it is essential to understand their approach to patient engagement to guarantee that their medical requirements are met.
This article aims to investigate the patient engagement strategies used by early adopter baby boomers in the following three areas: patient relationships, utilization of health information, and utilization of consumer health technology (CHT). The author conducted six focus groups with early adopter baby boomers and concluded that they want to be actively involved in their decisions regarding their healthcare, including receiving input from their providers (Seale et al., 2019).
Although Boomers are skilled at locating and critically evaluating relevant online health information for self-education and self-management, they still want providers to curate information that can be trusted (Seale et al., 2019). Additionally, the article found that baby boomers embrace CHTs offered through providers, such as patient portals, email, and text messaging, as well as those sponsored by wellness programs, such as diet and activity devices and apps. On the other hand, there is no evidence to suggest that CHTs are used for diagnosing, treating, or managing diseases (Seale et al., 2019).
In conclusion, the article offers leverage points that can be used to address disparities in the utilization of patient portals. When taken together, these findings suggest that healthcare providers and public health officials need to pay special attention to the needs and preferences of baby boomers when it comes to healthcare to ensure that baby boomers receive the highest possible quality of care.
In conclusion, the article offers leverage points that can be used to address disparities in the utilization of patient portals. When taken together, these findings suggest that healthcare providers and public health officials need to pay special attention to the needs and preferences of baby boomers when it comes to healthcare to ensure that baby boomers receive the highest possible quality of care.
Abstract includes the study objectives, methodology, sample description, and study findings and should be a minimum of 250 words.
Question:
Did Seale et al. include these elements in the abstract?
References:
Seale, D. E., LeRouge, C. M., Ohs, J. E., Tao, D., Lach, H. W., Jupka, K., & Wray, R. (2019). Exploring Early Adopter Baby Boomers’ Approach to Managing Their Health and Healthcare. International Journal of E-Health and Medical Communications (IJEHMC), 10(1), 94-117. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJEHMC.2019010106
