As of today, almost all – 97% – of Americans own a cellphone and since 2011, the number of Americans that own a smartphone has grown by over 50%.1 With numbers like that, the industry asked the question, “Would patients and providers be better off using their own devices?” Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is a solution that allows patients to use their personal devices to enable virtual care technology like VitalCare.
At VitalTech, we offer a BYOD solution to allow patients to use their own devices to send information to their provider through VitalCare.
BYOD Benefits to Patients and Providers
1. Familiarity and Engagement
One of the top priorities of RPM is patient engagement. Many individuals own devices like laptops, smart phones, and tablets in which they are already comfortable using. Pew Research Center conducted a survey which revealed 61% of those 65 and older own a smart phone and 44% own a tablet computer.2
Patients may feel discomfort if forced to use a new device which could lead to a decrease in patient engagement. Patients who already use their own devices to track vital signs before enrolling in an RPM program are more likely to continue tracking their vital signs on a regular basis rather than learning to use a new device.
“Researchers found that low technology literacy—including lack of familiarity with tech terminology—and physical challenges, which can make adoption difficult, were the biggest barriers to the seniors’ adoption of new technology.” 3 BYOD eliminates the learning curve of new devices and brings more comfort to the patient giving the patient more will to self-manage their care and take control of their health.
2. Cost Effective
One advantage of BYOD is cost savings. Providers are able to reduce operational costs by having their patients utilize their own device for VitalCare, whether it be a smartphone or tablet, rather than purchasing a VitalTech tablet.
3. Accessibility
As the healthcare industry continues to struggle with reducing barriers to patient health equity, BYOD reduces some of these barriers. BYOD allows providers, who may not have the resources to purchase smart devices for their patients, to utilize solutions such as VitalCare.
One of our core goals at VitalTech is to reduce the barriers leading to inequities across healthcare. Providing digital solutions like VitalCare allows patients to access care from the comfort of their home. This helps providers increase access for those patients living in underserved or rural areas. Our BYOD offering allows us to remove barriers to these efforts.
Through BYOD patients may feel a greater level of comfort which strengthens their levels of engagement. At VitalTech we provide quality care while making patients comfortable. Whether through BYOD or a VitalCare tablet we help you provide quality care.
