Patient experience is essential to the success of businesses within the healthcare supply chain. Assessing a patient’s journey to ensure a positive experience is important to quality lead generation and revenue growth. After all, people who receive treatment that meets their specific needs and preferences are likely to become loyal patients who spread the word about their experience. This expands the reach and helps drive more business to the healthcare provider.
As healthcare professionals analyze their services, they must evaluate their diagnostic tests for patient experience. By assessing these tests, medical professionals eliminate unnecessary procedures and provide the most positive patient experience possible.
What is Diagnostic Testing?
When a patient has a medical concern, physicians use diagnostic testing to rule out and confirm various ailments and determine their progression. Diagnostic tests and tools guide physicians in developing a treatment plan and measuring the treatment’s effectiveness.
Some diagnostic tests are invasive, where tools are inserted into the body, as in:
- Biopsies
- Blood samples
- Colonoscopies
- Endoscopies
Sometimes invasive procedures are the only way to access the information needed for doctors to diagnose a medical issue. Alternatively, they can use non-invasive diagnostic tests, where it is not necessary to penetrate the skin to diagnose.
Common non-invasive diagnostic tests include:
- MRIs
- X-rays
- Basic eye exams
- Mammograms
- Sonograms
Non-invasive testing typically requires equipment that creates pictures of soft tissues, organs, and bones.. These images let doctors know if more invasive steps are required to diagnose the issue.
Like any medical procedure, diagnostic testing is subject to inaccuracies, cost, risks, and benefits. That’s why it is important to evaluate testing procedures and streamline processes to ensure patients have positive experience.
5 New Diagnostic Tests for Patient Experience
A closer look at which diagnostic tests are issued and how they are conducted can help doctors meet the medical needs of their patients while avoiding excessive costs, saving time, and minimizing risk. All of this helps to provide an improved patient experience. Here are five new diagnostic tests for patient experience optimization.
1. COVID-19 Rapid Diagnostic Tests
While people wait to receive their COVID-19 vaccine, accurately and quickly diagnosing the virus is critical in minimizing its spread. Two new rapid diagnostic tests have been developed for people to detect COVID-19 variants and differentiate from illnesses with similar symptoms.
Much like an at-home pregnancy test, these COVID-19 rapid tests use commercial reagents for nucleic acid detection. The first test can be conducted in the comfort of one’s own home and results are revealed in roughly an hour. The second test uses the same sample but must be analyzed by a professional.
These new tests are more convenient, more comfortable, and produce results more quickly than previous COVID-19 diagnostic tests. They would certainly improve the patient experience. Scientists are currently seeking licensing for release of these diagnostic tests to the public and healthcare professionals alike.
2. Microneedle Patch with Fluorescent Nanolabels
Blood draws are one of the most common diagnostic tests conducted by healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, they can be inconvenient, painful, and are difficult for patients who can’t handle the sight of blood. A new alternative is a microneedle patch covered in fluorescent nanolabels that detects protein and antibodies in the interstitial fluid that exists between cells.
Microneedle patches are covered in tiny needles that only penetrate about 400 microns deep into the dermal layer of skin. They don’t touch sensory nerves, so they don’t cause any pain. Although antibodies in interstitial fluid are generally low in concentration, the fluorescent nanolabels boost the detection and make them easier to identify.
For patients who dread having their blood drawn, microneedle patch diagnostic testing can be a preferred option. It is painless, convenient, and yields reliable results.
3. RESP Lung Monitor
Monitoring lung sounds is an important step in diagnosing numerous respiratory issues. RESP, a new device developed by Strados Labs in Philadelphia, is a wearable technology allowing healthcare providers to monitor their patients and track data remotely.
RESP adheres to the chest and listens for lung sounds like wheezes and coughs. Data is recorded and stored remotely, and physicians can access the information at any time. Sound editing can eliminate outside noise, accurately track lung sounds, and reveal trends and patterns in the lungs’ performance.
Patients don’t have to make multiple trips to their doctor’s office for assessment or monitoring. They simply wear the non-invasive device and go about their daily routine. It’s a convenient way to monitor lung health and track medical progress.
4. VitalSight Remote Patient Monitoring
Although annual check-ups only occur once a year, they are fairly inconvenient. Patients have to take time off from work, navigate traffic, and sit in a waiting room with potentially sick people before they’re even seen by a doctor. A new diagnostic test created by Omron allows doctors to monitor their patients remotely.
VitalSight is a system that connects Omron’s weight scales and blood pressure monitors to an EMR through a special hub. Patients simply plug in the wireless hub to a power outlet and they can measure their own data from home. All readings are recorded, routed to their medical records automatically, and reviewed by healthcare professionals. Any abnormal results send an alert to staff for a follow-up.
Remote patient monitoring is easier for patients as it doesn’t disrupt their daily routine. They can still receive the same great care from the comfort of their own home.
5. BIOMONITOR IIIm Cardiac Monitor
The BIOMONITOR IIIm injectable cardiac monitor (ICM) has been on the market for a while, helping cardiologists remotely diagnose cardiac issues. The ICM now features a Vital Data Sensor that measures body temperature and can detect signs of fever. This is important for cardiac patients who are at a higher risk for infection and who have a harder time recovering from systemic illnesses.
Recognizing the onset of fever can indicate early signs of infection which helps patients receive treatment sooner. Remote monitoring also minimizes in-person contact. This protects these at-risk patients from possible illnesses. The ICM with Vital Data Sensor is a diagnostic test that brings ease and comfort to the patients who use it.
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