Empowering Patients: A Vital Strategy for Modern Healthcare Systems
TL/DR –
Healthcare consumers are demanding more involvement in their healthcare decisions, prompting health organizations to view patients as active team members. According to Wolters Kluwer’s 2025 Future Ready Healthcare Report, 70% of healthcare organizations see the need to adapt to patients’ changing needs, while 64% expect increased expectations from leadership to produce measurable results. One solution to this trend is UpToDate® Enterprise Edition, a modern health system that incorporates patient education content into the decision-making process, fostering a partnership between patients and their care team.
Patient Empowerment: The Future of Healthcare
Today’s consumers demand an active role in their healthcare, forcing modern health systems to prioritize patient experience. Savvy patients demand more convenience, a better price, or personalized care. These demands require hospitals and healthcare systems to adapt patient engagement strategies, according to the 2025 Future Ready Healthcare Report by Wolters Kluwer. The report reveals that 70% of healthcare organizations acknowledge the need to respond to evolving patient needs, and 64% anticipate increased leadership expectations for measurable results.
Turning Patients into Partners
To meet these evolving needs, healthcare organizations are viewing patients as active team members. This approach empowers patients with more evidence and information about their conditions and treatment plans. The World Health Organization’s initiative, “Patients as Partners,” seeks to understand how patient involvement could reduce adverse events, while a more generally applicable “patient partnership maturity model” explores how technology can foster deeper patient relationships.
Consumerism’s Role in Patient Engagement
With U.S. healthcare and personal wellness spending nearing $1 trillion, consumers are increasingly involved in their healthcare decisions. Data from the 2022 and 2023 McKinsey Consumer Health Insights Surveys show that 44% of healthcare consumers research providers prior to scheduling an appointment, and 58% prioritize their health more than a year ago. Consumers want affordable, convenient, high-quality healthcare that offers omnichannel care options.
Using UpToDate® Enterprise Edition for Patient Empowerment
To meet these demands, many health systems use UpToDate® Enterprise Edition. This solution aligns modern health systems with extensive clinical decision support tools, advanced analytics, streamlined processes, and access to award-winning UpToDate patient education content. By integrating patients as team members, health systems can innovate and optimize patient care journeys. Read more in our eBook, “Patient Collaboration Can Break Down Barriers and Advance Innovation.”
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