"Within the world of healthcare, patient engagement has evolved into a major goal across the industry. Patients and their caretakers need to be mindful of their overall health and wellness in order to put a dent in mortality rates and adverse health outcomes. How does EHR implementation and health IT come into the mix in better engaging patients with their overall health?"
Patient engagement refers to having patients be involved in their own healthcare. The primary route of this has been through patient portals. With a portal, patients can make appointments and communicate with their doctors, gain valuable educational material, and see lab and imaging results. The EMR puts all this information in one place for the patient. However, it depends on how involved the patient is in his/her own care. The patient must create an account and select what information they want. While I think it is a great idea in concept, it is not reaching the majority of patients who choose not to participate.