Engaging Patients Who Struggle With Tech

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The digital healthcare revolution creates a significant divide as tech-savvy patients gain easier access while vulnerable populations face barriers. Voice-based solutions like Addison Care are bridging this gap by adapting to patients instead of forcing patients to adapt to technology.

• Digital health tools often exclude older adults, non-English speakers, and those without reliable internet
• Traditional health apps require smartphones, technical knowledge, and account creation
• Addison Care system uses natural conversation in English or Spanish without complicated interfaces
• Home Wi-Fi adoption is higher among seniors than smartphone ownership
• Voice commands remove hurdles for those uncomfortable with digital interfaces
• Minimal setup required by family members or caregivers
• Advanced technology can paradoxically lead to simpler user experiences
• True innovation might mean making technology disappear through simplicity

If this approach of adapting tech to users makes such a difference in healthcare, where else could we apply that same principle?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
We're looking at a reallysignificant challenge today, as
health care goes more digital.
Well, how do we make sureeveryone's included, especially
those not so comfortable withtechnology?

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Right and our sources .
They really highlight thisdigital divide where you know if
you're tech savvy you mightactually get well easier access
to care.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
And that gap hits certain groups harder, doesn't
it?
Older adults, people withlimited English.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Communities, maybe without great broadband access,
exactly.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
So our mission today is to explore how we can bridge
that, and we've got a reallyinteresting approach to focus on
.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
We do, and you know.
What's striking in the materialis how many digital health
tools, even with good intentions, end up creating new hurdles.
I hope so.
Well, think about all the apps,the patient portals.
They're convenient for some,sure.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
But they need smartphones.
Yeah, they need you to know howto use them.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
And reliable internet , so right away you're excluding
people.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
It's a strange situation, isn't it?
Like the very folks who couldgain so much from remote
monitoring.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Being able to connect with doctors from home, yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
They're often the ones least able to use the tech
required.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Precisely, and that's where this Addison Care system
mentioned in our sources.
It takes a different path.
Okay, how?
Instead of making the patientadapt to some, you know,
complicated interface?

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Which can be intimidating.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Totally.
The system adapts to thepatient.
It's designed around theircapabilities.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
So what does that look like in practice?

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, the key thing is accessibility.
It uses natural conversation.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Just talking to it.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yep In plain English or Spanish.
No need to download an app orcreate an account.
Navigate tricky touchscreens,none of that.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
Okay, so what do you need then?

Speaker 2 (01:43):
Basically just a home Wi-Fi connection.
That's it.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
And focusing on home Wi-Fi.
That's important right.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Our sources pointed that out it really is, because,
interestingly, home Wi-Fiadoption is actually higher
among older adults than, say,smartphone ownership or even
having a computer at home.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Huh, I wouldn't have necessarily guessed that.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
It suggests that maybe leveraging what people
already have like Wi-Fi is asmarter way to reach them than
expecting everyone to buy thelatest gadget.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
So by using just voice commands natural speech.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
It just removes that massive hurdle for people who
find digital interfacesconfusing or, frankly,
off-putting.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
It makes the tech kind of fade into the background
.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Exactly.
The focus is on the healthconversation, not figuring out
the device.
It's genuinely meeting patientswhere they are technologically
speaking.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
And what about family or caregivers?
Does it simplify things forthem too?

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, the sources suggest that too.
Their main job is really justthe initial Wi-Fi setup.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Getting it connected.
Right After that the system'smeant to be pretty
straightforward for the patientto use on their own.
That really brings home howvital thinking about
accessibility is when we talkabout fair or equitable health
care.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Absolutely, if a system needs you to be digitally
literate or own specificdevices.

Speaker 1 (03:03):
You're inevitably going to leave vulnerable people
behind.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
No question.

Speaker 1 (03:07):
And what I find fascinating, based on our
material about AddisonCare, isthis idea that really advanced
technology it doesn't have tomean a complex experience for
the user.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
No, quite the opposite.

Speaker 1 (03:19):
sometimes, Right, like the most sophisticated
engineering can actually lead tothe simplest, most intuitive
way to interact with something.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
That's a really powerful insight.
I think it flips the script onthe idea that cutting edge has
to equal complicated.
Yeah True, innovation mightjust be making the tech
disappear, empowering peoplethrough sheer simplicity.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
Okay.
So, wrapping up this deep dive,here's a thought to leave with
this deep dive, here's a thoughtto leave with.
If this approach adapting thetech to the user can make such a
difference in healthcare, whereelse could we apply that same
principle?
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