Too often today, the basic foundations of quality patient concerns are overlooked, or worse yet, never explored before a product is innovated or a policy is implemented. If asked, what would you identify as the five pillars of patient concerns? The motive companies innovate with determines the product outcome. The drivers (sales, fame, quick wealth) that motivate companies in their invention steps will determine the outcomes of the product. The product determines the quality of the care. What is driving the innovation? Money, the patients’ concerns, both?

Where to Begin

When Electronic Caregiver considered innovating cutting-edge technology to support and enhance the quality of care patients received, we started with the end user and worked our way back. Ten years of research and development would mean nothing if the patient’s needs were not the primary consideration from the outset. Along the way, with considerable intention and persistence, Electronic Caregiver was able to consistently identify five key factors that we found in the patients we engaged with. Whether spoken or unspoken, the following five things were the needs of those we want to impact positively. And so, we set off to do just that. Here are the top five pillars of patients’ concerns:

Longevity and Survival

Death is a big fear. It is a primal, deep concern. The fear of dying too soon can be significantly connected to healthcare in several ways, particularly for individuals experiencing thanatophobia (an intense fear of death) or health anxiety. Receiving a serious medical diagnosis can bring a person’s mortality into sharp focus, potentially triggering or exacerbating existing fears of death, especially the fear of not achieving life goals. Fear of premature death can influence a person’s healthcare decisions, leading to either excessive preoccupation with health or avoidance of necessary medical care.

Independence and Control: A Major Patient Concern

“Can I still live my life the way I want to?” Loss of independence and freedom in healthcare, often due to aging or illness, can significantly impact an individual’s well-being and quality of life. It results in the inability to perform daily tasks without assistance, manage one’s healthcare, or make decisions about one’s care. Independence is crucial for senior citizens because it fosters a sense of dignity, self-worth, and control over their lives. As they age, many face physical or cognitive challenges. However, maintaining the ability to make decisions, manage daily tasks, or engage in hobbies helps them stay mentally sharp and emotionally fulfilled. Independence also reduces feelings of helplessness or reliance on others. The lack of it can drastically lead to isolation or depression. By staying autonomous, seniors can continue to live with purpose, preserve their identity, and enjoy a higher quality of life, even as their circumstances change.

Comfort and Relief from Suffering

Experiencing a healthcare crisis or a serious illness can understandably lead to a fear of suffering, both physically and psychologically. “Can I feel better or at least not worse?” This fear can manifest in numerous ways and is a natural response to uncertainty and the potential for pain or discomfort.

Understanding the Fear of Suffering in a Healthcare Crisis:

• Fear of physical pain: Concerns about experiencing pain during treatment or due to the illness itself.
• Fear of helplessness and loss of control: A sense of losing control over one’s body, life, and future can be a significant source of distress.
• Fear of isolation and abandonment: Being in a hospital or undergoing treatment can sometimes lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation.
• Fear of uncertainty about the future: The unknown outcomes of a health crisis can trigger anxiety and worry.
• Psychological suffering: Beyond physical pain, a healthcare crisis can bring about emotional distress, including sadness, grief, depression, and anxiety.

Connection and Belonging

Social isolation kills. A healthcare crisis, whether personal or a wider public health event, can profoundly impact an individual’s sense of social connection and belonging. This can lead to increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. Social isolation and loneliness are not merely negative emotions; they have significant negative impacts on both mental and physical health. Isolation isn’t just at the top of the patient’s concerns; it is also ranked at the top of most families’ concerns.

The National Library of Medicine published an impact study on the effects of COVID-19 isolation on health, including both mental and physical effects, as well as recommendations. Finally, the quarantine implied a radical change in the lifestyle of elderly people, reducing social interaction, participation in exercise groups, religious or spiritual groups, which have negatively affected the mental and physical health in this population.”

Understanding and Confidence as a Patient Concern

“Can I trust this plan is going to work? What is the most likely outcome?” Patients want clarity, simplicity, guided care, and personalized explanations. Telita Montales of Care Patron says, “Helping patients build self-confidence can make a significant difference for healthcare professionals and mental health advocates.”One of the primary strategies for building confidence during a healthcare process should be collaborating with patients in developing and being involved as an active participant in their treatment plans. “This initiative-taking participation can lead to improved health outcomes, including better management of chronic conditions, reduced hospitalizations, and enhanced overall well-being.” Montales continued in the article.

Innovation Directly from Patient’s Concerns

As explained in our About section of this website, Electronic Caregiver’s plan has always been about improving the way care and support are delivered to patients. We’ve consistently innovated to address patients’ concerns at the top of mind. Our team investigated the leading areas of existing risk, pain, suffering, and mortality. Our collaborations delved deeply into conflicts in care, gaps in care, loss of independence, and impairments to health outcomes.

Additionally, we determined to understand the causes of treatment failures and the impact of unrestrained infectious diseases on our global population. We brought together hundreds of leading health industry collaborators to formulate a patient-centered vision for reimagining care. For years, we assembled, interviewed, and scientifically screened and assessed thousands of patients. We evaluated tens of millions of data points. We began to build it. All of it. And the result is Addison Care, the virtual caregiver designed with patient concerns foremost in mind from the beginning to today.

Addison Care and Patient Concerns

The Addison Care system, which runs on AWS and Intel, can alleviate many of a patient’s concerns:

• Remind users to take prescribed medications.
• Conduct interactive health assessments.
• Deliver dosing-compliance verification to caregivers and providers.
• Assist patients in recording vital sign measurements when monitoring specific conditions.
• Provide additional support for managing behavioral health conditions.
• Connect to emergency response services, caregivers, family, and friends.
• Engage its users in a myriad of entertaining cognitive interactions daily

More Information

The system can also be paired with various Bluetooth devices. These include devices such as a glucometer and a weight scale. A blood pressure cuff is available for patients who have or are managing heart disease. The ongoing evolution of Addison Care will ensure that more patients’ concerns are addressed and more fully supported as new features are innovated to offer more support. With constant oversight, daily med reminders, therapy, and coaching, Addison Care involves the patients and invites them to regain an understanding and control of their healthcare plan. Communicating the detection of symptoms, side effects, adverse reactions, and behavior shifts to key stakeholders is proactive in the quality of care a patient receives.

Furthermore, Addison Care is not only a technological breakthrough in healthcare support, but it also comes along with a team of healthcare workers who validate alerts, triage risks, and curate actionable data for provider response. It is a win-win for patients, providers, family, and caregivers alike.

For a conversation with a real person about how Addison Care can be personalized for a family member, call us today at 833-324-5433. We would love to talk with you about the possibilities.