ֱ

Healthcare News & Views

New UAB Study Finds Use of Patient Engagement Technology Varies By Patient Demographics

July 27, 2021
By
seamless

This study on the “,” published in the Annals of Surgery by Lauren Theiss, M.D. discusses the association of patient-level characteristics on the use of patient engagement technology during the perioperative period. ֱ is an example of a digital patient engagement platform that guides patients from pre-surgery preparation through post-surgery recovery using their own devices (e.g. smartphone, tablet, computer). 

Here is an excerpt from summarizing UAB’s results examining disparities in perioperative use of ֱ:

As patient engagement technologies are increasingly used, it remains unclear who uses, and does not use, these technologies. So, the team of researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery who enrolled in a patient engagement technology at UAB. Ultimately, the study suggests that patient use of a patient engagement technology around surgery differs significantly by patient sex, race/ethnicity, and insurance status. Specifically, male patients, patients who are not privately insured, and Black patients were less likely to activate and use the technology.

These results reveal the importance of addressing the disparities in patient-level characteristics prior to the implementation of such technologies. Determining the root causes of low adoption rates amongst the specified populations can help healthcare providers and patients receive the full benefit of patient engagement technology, leading to the desired surgical outcomes. 

New UAB Study Finds Use of Patient Engagement Technology Varies By Patient Demographics

Posted by:
seamless
on
July 27, 2021

This study on the “,” published in the Annals of Surgery by Lauren Theiss, M.D. discusses the association of patient-level characteristics on the use of patient engagement technology during the perioperative period. ֱ is an example of a digital patient engagement platform that guides patients from pre-surgery preparation through post-surgery recovery using their own devices (e.g. smartphone, tablet, computer). 

Here is an excerpt from summarizing UAB’s results examining disparities in perioperative use of ֱ:

As patient engagement technologies are increasingly used, it remains unclear who uses, and does not use, these technologies. So, the team of researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery who enrolled in a patient engagement technology at UAB. Ultimately, the study suggests that patient use of a patient engagement technology around surgery differs significantly by patient sex, race/ethnicity, and insurance status. Specifically, male patients, patients who are not privately insured, and Black patients were less likely to activate and use the technology.

These results reveal the importance of addressing the disparities in patient-level characteristics prior to the implementation of such technologies. Determining the root causes of low adoption rates amongst the specified populations can help healthcare providers and patients receive the full benefit of patient engagement technology, leading to the desired surgical outcomes. 

Recent news from ֱ

233: Northwestern's CMO, Pop Health Dr. Amish Desai: Making 2,500 AI Calls in 5 Days that Patients Loved,  The Scale-First Rule That Kills Pilotitus, and Why You Should Judge AI by the Alternative
July 23, 2026

233: Northwestern's CMO, Pop Health Dr. Amish Desai: Making 2,500 AI Calls in 5 Days that Patients Loved,  The Scale-First Rule That Kills Pilotitus, and Why You Should Judge AI by the Alternative

Learn More
232: AMDIS 2026 Recap: The Clinical Informatics Conference So Good Our Own Podcast Hosts Showed Up, Moving from AI Anxiety to AI Operations, and the Uber That Nearly Escaped Us at the Spa
July 10, 2026

232: AMDIS 2026 Recap: The Clinical Informatics Conference So Good Our Own Podcast Hosts Showed Up, Moving from AI Anxiety to AI Operations, and the Uber That Nearly Escaped Us at the Spa

Learn More
Innovation Spotlight: How North Bay Regional Health Centre and Timmins and District Hospital Built a Real-Time Dashboard to Measure the Impact of Digital Health
June 29, 2026

Innovation Spotlight: How North Bay Regional Health Centre and Timmins and District Hospital Built a Real-Time Dashboard to Measure the Impact of Digital Health

Learn More