Hospital Video On Demand

Patients only remember 50-60% of the information given to them by their doctors.

This shocking statement indicates that patient education must change and thanks to technology and caring patient educators healthcare education and patient interaction is evolving. Bedside conversations and a handout are not enough to connect with today's patient.  They don't understand medical jargon and are often too timid or afraid to ask questions.

Recent research says that:

• Patients understand only about 50% of what their doctors discuss with them.

• 60% of patients do not understand the information they are given about an upcoming treatment or procedure.

• In a related study, patients forgot 80% of what they were told and 50% of the remembered data was recalled incorrectly

• On top of this 14% of inpatients will be re-admitted within one month and up to 49% within one year.

• 75% of these re-admissions could be prevented through supplemental patient education.

The challenge is how to increase the level of understanding and actionable comprehension so patients and their family caregivers properly comply with discharge orders.

• It uses sight, sound and motion to present simple illustrations of complex issues.

• Video helps bridge educational barriers as those with low reading skills can learn more easily from video.

• Video helps overcome language barriers because illustrations and pictorial-based procedures communicate without words.

• Video can evoke emotion and thus be used to foretell the future by illustrating the benefits of compliance versus the consequences of non-compliance.

• Video is consistent. While the practitioner may accidentally omit something during multiple repetitive discussions the video is always consistent in it’s presentation.

• Video is almost universally accepted as a great way to learn.

• Video enables the educator to illustrate or model proper patient behavior as well as show what to do rather than what not to do.

• Video is very helpful with family caregivers as most of the responsibility for follow-up home care shifts to families after discharge. Caregivers and family members are very important in the recovery process, yet family caregivers may experience considerable anxiety and fear about caring for a loved one. In one study, spouses ranked their needs for information higher than patients ranked their needs. Patients were generally happy to go home, while caregivers were nervous about their abilities to care for a postoperative patient.

VIDEO ON DEMAND MAKES VIDEO BETTER

Video is a great tool to supplement face-to-face patient interactions but video can be made even better when it is provided as a video on demand solution that patients and caregivers can access at any time during their hospital stay. The advantages of video on demand are:

• Educational video is available 24 hours per day so patients and their family caregivers can access this programming whenever they want. This is called the "teachable moment" and it occurs when the patient or their family members are "ready to learn". This is important because exposure to information (i.e. from a scheduled patient channel) when the patient is not interested is a waste of time.

• Video on demand means any video can be watched over and over. This feature gives the patient an opportunity to build on their knowledge as each incremental viewing may help them better understand their treatment or condition.

• Video on demand provides great follow up opportunities for the nursing staff or patient educator. Because video on demand is not dependent on a schedule a healthcare professional can recommend programs and follow up with either the patient or their families when they are ready and willing regardless of the time of day.

• Video on demand is instantaneous so programs can be viewed within seconds making this very convenient for the patient.

• Video on demand is easy to use and no special training is required for the patient or their caregiver.

• Video on demand ensures compliance with Joint Commission standards and recommendations regarding patient education.