Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE)

DUBLIN, July 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2znnmg/patient) has announced the addition of the "Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) - Increased Investment and Adoption of New Digital Tools Enable Key Stakeholder Collaborations and Encourage Compliance" report to their offering.

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Healthcare Goes Digital as Patient Adherence is Boosted by Information Technologies

Rising healthcare costs and phenomenal waste in the US healthcare system is forcing health services and industry players to re-think how care is delivered, states a new report by healthcare experts GBI Research.

The new report states that healthcare information technologies are being embraced as a way to engage patients and increase efficiency in the healthcare system, in a bid to counteract the huge costs imposed by chronic diseases.

National expenditure on healthcare in the US has surpassed 17% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with an aging population and changing lifestyles reflecting a growing prevalence of chronic diseases. Chronic disease healthcare costs dominate national medical expenditure, primarily due to complications resulting from patient non-adherence to treatment and medication regimens. Non-adherence is a major cause of waste in healthcare systems across the world among chronic disease patients.

Non-adherence to medication negatively affects the patient as well as the industry: the patient faces less effective treatment and increased risks of hospitalization, while struggling healthcare systems face pressure to improve patient outcomes and control costs, and the pharmaceutical industry suffers from lower prescription sales and less evidence demonstrating a drug's efficacy profile.

The engagement of patients in their own healthcare empowers them to make meaningful choices, and hence healthcare industry reforms in the US emphasize two central tenets of patient access and engagement, and coordinated care. Information and communication technologies are playing a significant role in this.

Federal stimulus is driving investments in Healthcare Information Technology (HIT), making huge amounts of data open to access, enabling data sharing and coordination in care delivery. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has mandated technology adoption by the healthcare providers, with innovation grants, incentives and penalties offered by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Rapidly increasing cost burden is also forcing US health insurance providers to leverage technology and collaborations, driving the industry towards better patient engagement.

Large investments have been injected into Electronic Health Records (EHR) and other healthcare information technology systems that allow care professionals to access and share high amounts of data. There technologies also allow care providers to have better dialog with patients and engage them in managing their own health. Patients are also being targeted using other digital tools, as an increasing usage of mobile internet and social media platforms provide opportunities for engagement between patients and healthcare industry. As patients go online to seek health information and connect with support networks, there is an increased need for trusted sources for health information. Pharmaceutical companies are facilitating and participating in this online dialog to provide patients with authentic information and increasing patient engagement.

Technological advances have already demonstrated improved patient adherence, with electronic health records, e-prescribing, mHealth apps and social media campaigns all playing a part. Industry stakeholders are realizing the potential in collaborating to produce better care delivery and resource benefits, as technology and data-sharing promotes cross-industry collaborations, uniting pharmaceutical manufacturers, health insurance payers, pharmacies and employers, to build better patient engagement.

Key Topics Covered:

1.1 List of Tables
1.2 List of Figures

2 Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) - Introduction

3 Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) - Market Dynamics

4 Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) - Role of Collaborations

5 Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) - Technology as Enabler

6 Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) - Conclusions

7 Patient Adherence, Communication and Engagement (PACE) - Appendix

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2znnmg/patient

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Sector: Healthcare and Medical Devices