The Power of Engagement in Healthcare: Why it matters now more than ever.

In today’s fast-paced, increasingly digital world, one truth continues to shape the future of healthcare: engagement matters. Whether we’re talking about patients, providers, or communities, meaningful engagement is more than a buzzword—it’s the heartbeat of better health outcomes, improved experiences, and more sustainable systems.

What Does “Engagement” Really Mean?

Engagement in healthcare is about creating active, informed partnerships between patients and the people and systems that care for them. It means patients are not passive recipients of care, but empowered participants in their own health journey. On the provider side, it means clinicians and care teams are equipped with tools and support to build trust, communicate effectively, and deliver person-centered care.

But engagement doesn’t stop with the one-on-one relationship between a doctor and a patient. It extends to health organizations, policymakers, and communities working together to remove barriers, promote health equity, and design systems that actually work for the people they serve.

Why Engagement Matters

1. It Improves Health Outcomes Engaged patients are more likely to follow treatment plans, attend follow-up appointments, manage chronic conditions, and make healthy lifestyle choices. According to a study by the Journal of General Internal Medicine, patient activation is strongly associated with improved health outcomes and care experiences (Hibbard et al., 2004). Patients who are more engaged tend to experience fewer complications, lower hospitalization rates, and better quality of life.

2. It Builds Trust Trust is the foundation of any good relationship, and healthcare is no exception. The American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation’s “Trust Practice Challenge” emphasizes that trust can be strengthened through transparency, shared decision-making, and empathy (ABIM Foundation, 2022). When patients feel heard and understood, they’re more likely to adhere to treatment plans and continue care.

3. It Reduces Costs Patient engagement has a direct financial impact. The Center for Advancing Health found that activated patients are less likely to require costly health services, such as emergency department visits and hospital readmissions (CFAH, 2013). A study in Health Affairs estimated that highly engaged patients can cost 8–21% less than less engaged patients (Hibbard & Greene, 2013).

4. It Supports Health Equity Engagement is a critical tool in addressing disparities. The National Academy of Medicine highlights how patient and community engagement strategies can close equity gaps by tailoring services to the cultural, social, and economic contexts of diverse populations (NAM, 2017). This includes involving community members in the design of care delivery systems to ensure inclusivity and responsiveness.

5. It Fuels Innovation Innovation thrives when the people it's designed for are part of the process. The BMJ notes that co-designing healthcare solutions with patients and front-line staff leads to better adoption and more relevant innovation (Bate & Robert, 2006). Engaging users in iterative development also improves safety and satisfaction.

How Do We Do It?

True engagement takes intention and effort. Here are a few ways healthcare organizations can foster it:

• Listen Actively: Make space for patient feedback and act on it.

• Communicate Clearly: Use plain language, ask for questions, and check for understanding.

• Design With, Not For: Include patients and communities in decision-making, program development, and governance.

• Leverage Technology Wisely: Use digital tools to enhance—not replace—human connection.

• Train and Support Providers: Help healthcare workers develop the skills and resources needed to engage meaningfully.

  
  

A Call to Action

The future of healthcare depends on engagement—not just as a nice-to-have, but as a must-have. When we put people at the center and work with them, rather than on them, we create a system that’s not only more effective, but more humane.

It’s time to make engagement a priority. Not just because it improves metrics, but because it’s the right thing to do.

References

• Hibbard, J. H., Stockard, J., Mahoney, E. R., & Tusler, M. (2004). Development of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM): Conceptualizing and measuring activation in patients and consumers. Health Services Research, 39(4 Pt 1), 1005–1026.

• ABIM Foundation. (2022). Building Trust: Practice Challenge. Retrieved from https://www.abimfoundation.org/what-we-do/building-trust

• Center for Advancing Health. (2013). A New Definition of Patient Engagement: What Is Engagement and Why Is It Important?

• Hibbard, J. H., & Greene, J. (2013). What the evidence shows about patient activation: Better health outcomes and care experiences; fewer data on costs. Health Affairs, 32(2), 207–214.

• National Academy of Medicine. (2017). Communities Driving Health Equity: A Workshop.

• Bate, P., & Robert, G. (2006). Experience-based design: From redesigning the system around the patient to co-designing services with the patient. BMJ Quality & Safety, 15(5), 307–310.