Chronically Patients Monitored with Interactive Voice Response System
News reported in Digital Healthcare & Productivity notes that an alternative approach to monitor patients with chronic illnesses is interactive voice response systems (IVRS). Data collected from patients surveyed with IVRS indicates a willingness to utilize the systems.
IVRS can automate the monitoring of telephone calls ensure patient adherence with healthcare plans or remind patients of upcoming appointments. IVRS technology employs natural voice recognition speech technology. Systems can, for example, assess patient’s confidence in responses based on terms utilized and the various connotations of particular words employed.
Facilities develop a protocol for different responses to the automated phone system. Potential choices include notification of a clinicians for further evaluation or determining if a patient needs to be referred to treatment. This can limit the involvement of clinical staff to those patients which require additional evaluation. As well, collection of call data is maintained for analysis purposes, including auditing or trend assessment.
New data on use of IVRS systems eliminates potential concerns about implementation. For example, initial concerns cited that patients would be turned off by a voice-activated system akin to a telemarketer. Another concern was that elderly patients would not be able to interact with IVRS.
Published data indicates that patients from a variety of age groups accepted use of IVRS systems for monitoring. In fact, over 65 percent of the patients preferred the automated system because they felt that they could be more honest than if they were speaking with a live clinician. This may improve care quality secondary to improved information.
January 18, 2008 Related topics: Monitoring, Trends, Quality, Safety, Errors