Leading Sideways: 6 Strategies for Integrating Technology with Empathy for Effective Social Care in Healthcare

BLIP-ZIP Executive Summary

To better understand the connection with technology, read my article, Leading Sideways! 4 Exciting Methods and 7 Critical Habits to Elevate Your Strategic Impact. Discover how lateral leadership can help integrate technology into healthcare without sacrificing human connection. This article explores the balance between using electronic health records and social care platforms like UNITE US and FINDHELP effectively while maintaining empathy in patient interactions. Check out the questions for discussion, professional development and learning activities, AI prompts, and hyperlinks for more information. Learn more at https://sheldr.com/

Introduction

The Case for FINDHELP.COM in Martinsburg, WV Dr. Smith, primary care manager of Valley Health, Martinsburg, WV, had a patient, Maria, who was struggling with diabetes management. Despite regular visits, Maria’s condition wasn’t improving. Dr. Smith decided to use their clinic’s EHR system more effectively. By reviewing Maria’s records, Dr. Smith noticed frequent notes about food insecurity. This prompted a deeper conversation with Maria, revealing that she often couldn’t afford healthy food. Dr. Smith then used a social care platform, FINDHELP, to connect Maria with local food banks and nutrition programs. The platform allowed Dr. Smith to track the referrals and ensure Maria received the support she needed. Over time, Maria’s health improved significantly, not just because of the medical care but because her social needs were addressed. This experience reinforced for Dr. Smith that while technology is a powerful tool, it’s the human connection and empathy that genuinely make a difference in patient care. By using technology to enhance, not replace, these connections, healthcare providers can offer more comprehensive and compassionate care.

Reference my recent article on Leading Sideways. Can technology truly enhance human connection in healthcare? Yes, however, it required a human touch.  While tools like electronic health records (EHRs) and social care platforms such as UNITE US and FINDHELP are invaluable for streamlining care, the real impact lies in how we use them to deepen relationships and improve patient outcomes. That requires the ability to lead sideways. How can we apply lateral leadership skills to ensure that technology enhances, rather than replaces, the human touch in healthcare? Consider the following case.

Popular Tools But Not Replacements for Leading Sideways

Technology can help, but it’s not a magic wand. Use it to connect, share, and improve care. But remember, people make the difference. How can we use electronic health records and social care technology such as UNITE US and FINDHELP to enhance, not replace, human connection and improve the end-to-end referral processes?

Electronic health records (EHRs), digital and video health platforms, and social care technologies like UNITE US and FINDHELP are powerful tools for connecting healthcare providers with social services. These platforms streamline referrals, track outcomes, and ensure patients receive comprehensive care. Several programs have been instrumental in linking veterans with housing, employment, and mental health services, demonstrating the potential of technology to bridge gaps in care.

However, the actual value of these technologies lies in their ability to enhance human connections. EHRs can provide a complete picture of a patient’s health, allowing providers to have more meaningful conversations and make informed decisions. For example, a primary care physician using an EHR can see a patient’s recent visit to a food bank, prompting a discussion about food insecurity and potential interventions.

Social care platforms like FINDHELP can also improve the referral process by making it more efficient and transparent. When a healthcare provider refers a patient to a community service, they can track the referral’s progress and follow up as needed. This ensures that patients receive the services they need and fosters a sense of accountability and collaboration among providers.

Don’t Replace Empathy

Ensuring that technology doesn’t replace empathy in healthcare requires a balanced approach that prioritizes human connection. This approach is part of the leading sideways skillset. Here are some strategies:

1. Training and Education: Health professionals should receive training on how to use technology as a tool to enhance, not replace, patient interactions, especially with patients who need services across organization boundaries in the community. Emphasizing the importance of empathy in patient care can help maintain a human touch.
2. Patient-Centered Design: Technologies like EHRs and social care platforms should be designed with the patient experience in mind. Features that facilitate meaningful interactions, such as easy access to patient histories and communication tools, can support empathetic care. By leading sideways, transparency and interoperability can be achieved.
3. Integrated Care Teams: Encourage lateral collaboration among healthcare providers, social workers, and community organizations. By working together as a cohesive team throughout a patient referral process, they can ensure that technology supports comprehensive and compassionate care.
4. Feedback Mechanisms: Implement systems for patients to provide feedback on their experiences. This can help identify areas where technology may hinder empathy and allow for adjustments.
5. Regular Check-Ins: Use technology to schedule regular check-ins with patients. This ensures ongoing communication and shows patients that their well-being is a priority.

We can leverage technology to enhance empathy and improve patient care by focusing on these strategies. How do you think these approaches could be implemented in your work?

Conclusion

While technology offers powerful tools for improving care, the human element truly drives outcomes. We can create a more integrated and responsive healthcare system by using these innovations to foster stronger connections and collaboration. The question remains: What tech tools make a real difference in your daily work? Learn more at https://sheldr.com/

Check out other SHELDR articles about LATERAL LEADERSHIP and LEADING SIDEWAYS OR SYSTEMS THINKING!

From Blind Chaos to Clarity: Master the 5 Systems Thinking Tools for the Next Pandemic

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Unleash Health Future Thinking Skills To Counter The Tectonic Shifts With These 16 Easy To Apply “Pair-A-Dime” Health Futures Thinking Tools

7 Empowering Strategies to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills: Your Journey to Empowerment and Better Health Outcomes

What’s your best tip for leading laterally—leading sideways?

Questions for Discussion

1. How can healthcare organizations ensure technology enhances rather than replaces human interaction?
2. What strategies can be implemented to train healthcare professionals in using technology empathetically?
3. How can patient-centered design in EHRs and social care platforms improve the patient experience?
4. What are the best practices for integrating feedback mechanisms to maintain empathy in technology use?
5. How can healthcare providers effectively collaborate with community organizations to enhance technology’s role in care?

Professional Development and Learning Activities

1. Workshop on Empathetic Technology Use: Conduct sessions focusing on integrating empathy with technology in patient care.
2. Training on Patient-Centered EHR Design: Offer training for healthcare professionals on using EHRs to enhance patient interactions.
3. Cross-Functional Team Collaboration Exercise: Facilitate workshops where healthcare providers, social workers, and community organizations work together on case studies.
4. Feedback System Implementation Training: This training will teach you how to set up and use patient feedback systems to improve technology and care.
5. Technology and Empathy Roundtable: Organize discussions on balancing technological advancements with maintaining a personal touch in healthcare.

AI Prompts

1. Generate examples of successful integration of empathy in healthcare technology use.
2. Describe a case where technology enhanced patient-provider communication without losing personal touch.
3. Create a plan for training healthcare staff to use EHRs empathetically.
4. Outline strategies for using social care platforms to foster better patient-provider relationships.
5. Provide a list of features that should be included in patient-centered health technology designs.

Hyperlinks for more information

1. UNITE US: Bridging Gaps in Social Care
2. FINDHELP: Connecting People to Resources
3. Electronic Health Records and Patient-Centered Care

Other Publications By The Author

Primer on Systems Thinking For Healthcare Professionals

Systems Thinking for Health Organizations, Leadership, and Policy: Think Globally, Act Locally 

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