Revolutionizing Care Delivery Through Digital Transformation and the Quintuple Aim

Improving the patient experience. Promoting better outcomes. Lowering costs. Often held in opposition to each other, these three concepts were presented in 2007 as aims that could actually serve to reinforce one another, a theory introduced by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement as the Triple Aim. Evolving in 2014 to include clinician well-being, the Quadruple Aim was born. Following the pandemic, the concept has expanded yet again to become the Quintuple Aim, factoring in the importance of health equity.

With each of these crucial aims, the importance of harnessing the right technology has become essential to support caregivers and patients alike. As the healthcare industry continues to face challenges such as staff shortages, burnout, and increasing consumer demands, emerging technologies and actionable data can help address these needs. Digital transformation continues to expand into the healthcare sector and organizations should invest in digital improvements to reach the goals of the Quintuple Aim for the betterment of their patients, caregivers, and the bottom line.

Boost Efficiency, Collaboration, and Satisfaction Through Technology

In a recent study conducted by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), 76% of healthcare professional respondents said clinician burnout was a major or critical issue. In another report, 60% of physicians shared that administrative tasks negatively affect their feelings of burnout. The need to ease workloads is crucial to accomplishing the Quintuple Aim, specifically regarding clinician well-being. During the last few years, it has become increasingly understood how important it is to factor in the wellness of the healthcare professional. The good news is technology can help. In the same HIMSS study, 59% said that the acceleration of digital patient engagement and communication systems benefits the caregiver’s workload. 

Digital health advancements play a large role in how clinicians communicate with their patients, support trust and openness, and allow patients to access healthcare services. Technology such as interactive patient care systems (IPS) makes care delivery more efficient, customized, and collaborative for all involved. At its core, an IPS leverages a smart television’s infrastructure as a hub for entertainment and personalized education and leads to patient empowerment. Guaranteeing that the patient and clinician collaborate each step of the way, robust integrations allow added functionality with systems such as nurse call, digital rounding, environmental controls, and meal ordering to reduce the administrative burden on the care team and boost the patient’s involvement. 

Including capabilities for patients to manage their own nonclinical tasks, such as changing the room lighting or placing a service request, improves operational efficiency and satisfaction for both patients and staff. Not only are these pivotal transformations key to reducing burnout and supporting staff retention, but a patient’s involvement in their care builds confidence in an unfamiliar environment by actively fostering collaboration and trust with the care team, creating a stronger partnership in reaching a common goal and ensuring the patient understands their care journey and doesn’t take a passive role. 

Convenience and Equity Need to Go Hand-in-Hand

Purposefully designed patient engagement systems also integrate with the electronic health record (EHR) and other health information technology (HIT) to bridge the gap between different systems, streamlining processes for providers and allowing for more timely and effective care. With disparate systems often the norm in the healthcare environment, innovative systems that facilitate data sharing cut down on fragmented care and account for the convenience factors that both patients and clinicians are seeking more and more. 

With input from de-siloed systems such as integrated EHRs, longitudinal claims data, and psychosocial data, a healthcare team is able to provide more accurate and personalized care. Each patient is unique. Clinicians must understand that uniqueness and treat the person in front of them. Better patient outcomes come from tailor-made care plans based on specific backgrounds and life circumstances. Leveraging de-identified patient data along with comprehensive demographic data and detailed hospital operations data, advanced prescriptive analytics can be developed to suggest the best treatment paths for patients in terms of patient outcomes and operational efficiency. Healthcare teams can use actionable data to provide greater insights for patients, loved ones, and clinicians. 

As part of personalized care plans, collection of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data can identify barriers that may confront patients when they leave healthcare facilities. Via integrations with tools such as Findhelp or Unite Us, provider organizations can connect patients with community based organizations to ensure they can supplement their clinical care with social care after discharge. 

Increase Engagement with Digital Health and the Quintuple Aim

Leveraging technology can reduce waste and lower costs while increasing care quality. It also allows clinicians to put the patient at the center of care through streamlined processes. College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) was surveyed on technology usage and 76.2% of respondents stated their health systems have experienced increased patient engagement with increased technology adoption. Additionally, nearly half noted clinician ease of use due to this increase. Advanced technology, such as patient engagement systems, proves the quintuple aim is within reach and allows both clinicians and patients to focus on the key aspects that matter most – access, care, and well-being.