Implementing A Digital Health Navigator: Strategies & Experience in The Hospital Setting to alleviate Digital Equity

Abstract

Background: The implementation of telemedicine and digital health technologies in healthcare has increased, but patients still need help adopting and utilizing these technologies. To address this, a Digital Health Navigator (DHN) program was implemented to evaluate the benefits of improving patients’ adoption.
 Objectives: To alleviate digital equity within hospitals, we introduced a holistic digital health navigator program designed to promote the utilization of digital tools among hospitalized patients.  To implement a DHN program to improve patient adoption of digital portals to engage in healthcare. To learn from the program to further develop patient-facing portal education for hospitalized patients to expand to other hospitals.
 Methods: Over a period of thirty days, the DHN program conducted patient visits in two hospitals, on portal usage, collecting data, and adapting protocols based on patient feedback.
 Results: Feedback from patients indicated 98% of patients found the education and the DHN to be helpful. 92% recommend the UPMC Central PA Portal for accessing their healthcare information. The DHN program proves beneficial in promoting portal usage and addressing technological barriers experienced by patients. We provide strategies and recommendations on how to implement such a program.
 Discussion: We successfully implemented a digital health navigator program for hospitalized patients across two hospitals. Patients reported a positive perception and satisfaction with digital health navigator visits . Notably, our model overcomes challenges related to limited internet access and mitigates technology-related anxiety during hospital stays. The DHN program proved beneficial in promoting hospital portal usage and addressing technological barriers experienced by patients. Implementation and sustained adoption of digital technologies across a large healthcare organization can be achieved through a well-coordinated, team-based, and systematic approach with a DHN. We provide strategies and recommendations on how to implement such a program