Improving Patient Outcomes Using Connected Health Platforms

What are Connected Health Platforms? 

Connected health platforms are a tool that individuals can use to gather data and insights about their health, while staying connected with their health community. These digital platforms improve patient quality of life (QOL) and allow individuals to keep all their health information in one central location and always have their records on hand.   

Accessing these platforms through the web on a desktop or as an app on a phone or tablet allows people to access their health data anywhere, at any time. People becoming more engaged in their health has resulted in better outcomes. Connected health platforms can support in improving patient outcomes in QOL through a person-centered approach and are shifting the future of health care. 

How Connected Health Platforms Can Improve Patient Outcomes 

Connected health platforms can help improve patient outcomes in various ways. These digital platforms allow patients to access their health information remotely via computer, tablet, or smartphone. This type of care management software increases accessibility to healthcare while providing person-focused features (Welkin).  

Hospitals can be challenging for patients to travel to or may be an overwhelming experience for others. Some connected health platforms provide patients with another option for receiving care, removing accessibility barriers. These additional options can help ease the stress off patients and help them return to a sense of normality (Welkin). 

Patients can easily track and monitor their health remotely to see changes and trends within their health. For example, when frequently documenting their health, an individual may notice a decrease in their depression when they start a specific medication. Having this health data available at all times can empower individuals to better advocate for themselves during appointments and notice sooner when changes in their health occur. 

Another pain point for many patients, researchers, caregivers, and physicians alike comes from communication efforts. Connected health platforms enable patients to communicate more efficiently with their care team, caregivers, or physicians (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality). This process is made more accessible by allowing individuals to share an overview of their health with the click of a button. 

Additionally, as patients become more informed and take an active role in their health care, and their QOL improves, their stress is alleviated. If the patient feels in control of their health journey, they have more time and energy to spend with those they love (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality). 

How Zamplo Research Can Support Care Teams to Improve Quality of Life 

The Zamplo App is a connected health platform that empowers individuals to track health data, prepare for appointments, connect with others, and access relevant health information. Patients can self-monitor from anywhere, on the web or their preferred mobile device.  

Using Zamplo Research (an electronic data capture platform), researchers, clinicians, and patient support advocates can connect to the Zamplo App to provide individualized and insight-driven care, expand access to care, create patient support programs, and revolutionize research.  

The Zamplo App acts as the patient-facing application, and Zamplo Research serves as the researcher and clinician portal. With informed consent, this integration offers a scalable solution for longitudinal data collection for any medical condition or therapy. Participants retain access to and control of their data, so they can use their personal health information to make informed decisions about their health.   

Zamplo Research can also be used for patient engagement and support programs to empower individuals on their health journeys through education, data analysis, and encouraging peer-to-peer connections. 

As more healthcare and research approaches incorporate technology into practices, finding innovative ways to place the patient at the centre of every decision is essential. 

To learn more about how Zamplo Research can integrate with the Zamplo App, visit https://research.zamplo.org/integration  

The Impact of Connected Health Platforms on Healthcare and Where This Could Lead Us in the Future 

The future of healthcare is changing with innovations and new methods for patient care. Connected health platforms are impacting the healthcare system in considerable ways. Most importantly, it puts the power back into patients’ hands so they can advocate for themselves better.  

All data added by a patient into a connected health platform is owned by the individual, allowing them to have data equity without exclusion. Managing and keeping track of their health information enables individuals to stay informed about their health and any changes that occur so they can contact a care specialist as soon as a change in health happens.  

There is potential here to streamline the process of diagnosing health conditions as these platforms allow for a quicker overview of a patient’s health (HealthIT). 

Increased accessibility is another aspect that will impact healthcare going forward. Lower wait times, increased access to physicians, and larger sample sizes for research will improve health care and increase QOL in the future.  

The increased potential for remote monitoring of patient-reported outcome measures through integrations with connected health platforms would allow research to expand its reach, allowing for more diverse participants. Additionally, participants can track the effectiveness and side effects of treatments, medications, or activities easier. 

Connected health platforms will change how research is conducted, physicians operate, and patients receive care.  

Bringing It All Together 

Although the focus is shifting toward the individual, many pain points remain within the scope of QOL measures. Connected health platforms are one way to help lower the number of pain points and improve patient health care outcomes.  

These digital platforms are working to improve patient QOL by increasing accessibility, improving experiences, and enabling better communication efforts. Connected health platforms are here to stay and will shift the future of care in improving the health outcomes for individuals. 

To get started with Zamplo Research, book a meeting with our team here.