E-health and the usage of technology play a significant role in improving the journey of people with HIV and AIDS through compliance with an HIV treatment regime. But patient engagement with treatment and care is quite tricky to ensure throughout their lifetime. Find out how e-health can benefit HIV/AIDS programming, the use of technologies or platforms best adapted for virtual healthcare, and factors to be successful in patients’ overall quality of care.
What is e-health and Its Importance in HIV Programming?
E-health offers virtual healthcare services and information using information and communication technologies (ICTs). It is essential in improving numerous aspects concerning health and covers area variations, including health campaigns, training, health education, healthcare delivery, data collection, and research.
Many people find e-health a key factor in improving health systems, operations, and finances. But recent studies show that it also benefits consumers who use health services in various ways. The importance of e-health’s limitations within the HIV response and the opportunities it gives are both the same. Using e-health interventions has greatly improved the global HIV response and could serve as a means to put an end to AIDS being a public health threat. To cite a good example is mobile technology, where people with HIV living in remote areas can have easy access to information on how to prevent HIV infections and stick to their treatment regimen. Electronic health records strengthen HIV care by providing correct and prompt information about the patient. Because of social media, people with HIV are now able to unify and share valuable information as well as launch campaigns to push for their rights.
Technologies/ Platforms Used for e-health, Virtual Healthcare, and HIV Programming
M-Health
The World Health Organization (WHO) refers to this platform where one can use mobile devices like cellphones, wireless gadgets, personal digital assistants, and patient monitoring devices used for medical and public health practice. M-health has many downloadable apps or computer programs to keep track of medications. Healthcare workers and healthcare virtual staff can record the patients’ data via these apps.
Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Provides primary care providers access to patients’ information during their appointment. EHR also improves the quality of care by having timely access to data on populations who are most affected by health issues and experiencing epidemics.
Big Data
Refers to tons of digital data generated through ICTs. It also evaluates any changes in an epidemic more accurately in every demographic.
Telehealth or Telemedicine
This practice uses technology to allow virtual medical assistants to interact with the AIDS patient when distance separates them. This can be done through video conferencing or phone calls and instant messaging services. The main benefits include increased speed of available care and reduced travel costs, making it accessible for individuals located in both rural and urban areas.
Gamification
Pertains to using digital games where it utilized the elements of playing games. This has become quite an effective tool in improving health behaviors and health education among young people. Gamification is able to effectively reach the younger generation where it allows them to learn more about HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and testing services.
Websites
The Internet brings much valuable information to the table where people can have on-demand access to information about their health. Over the past two decades, people have learned to use websites to gain more knowledge about health issues although this may cause misled self-diagnosis. America’s National Institute of Health issued guidelines on ways to determine a reliable website to avoid the spread of false information.
Social Media
Interactive social platforms have become the most convenient tool for people to share and discuss content, ideas, and issues on HIV/AIDs with peers, healthcare workers, and healthcare organizations. The reach of social media is crucial in targeting people living with HIV/AIDS, as the disease can be isolating for them and pushing
Crowdsourcing
This platform has greatly helped shape information campaigns on HIV/AIDS. The process involved in crowdsourcing allows the shifting of individualized tasks towards a large group to improve a wide range of HIV/AIDS responses.
Factors for Successful Implementation of Technology and e-health-Related HIV Programs
User Involvement (Healthcare Workers and End Users)
Developing and implementing e-health initiatives to involve people with HIV and those delivering HIV information and services is vital to the improvement of the HIV/AIDS global response. Individuals using these initiatives should have ample training on how to use these in accordance with specific needs and lifestyles of a specific demographic along with available support as needed.
Language and Literacy
The content and information provided in e-health interventions should be appropriate for the users. Content, information, and directives should be spoken in a language the recipient speaks Complex medical terms are to be avoided when explaining an antiretroviral treatment to someone who only wants to know the intake timing of the medicines.
Cross-Platform
Users can make the most out of the e-health interventions with integrated technology, making it easy and comfortable. An initiative sending appointment reminders to the owner’s calendar on the mobile phone or tablet succeeds more than the other initiative having an online calendar and interventions. The reminders on the first initiative contain information from linked websites, while the latter lets users get access by logging on to a website.
Final Thoughts
E-health can empower people and their clinical care experiences by challenging the stigma and discrimination of people with HIV and AIDS. Improving your self-efficacy to manage your health and track the levels of patient engagements? Contact Phoenix Virtual Solutions today to generate e-health interventions and target specific groups with our tailored healthcare virtual staffing services.
