When people in healthcare use the phrase “patient engagement,” they mean involving patients more in their own care, perhaps urging them to be more responsible for their own health. Often, information technology is expected to be the magic bullet that makes engagement happen.
From a costs perspective, this makes sense. No one argues that the healthcare system is not rife with waste and duplication, and much of the treatment would be unnecessary if patients paid attention to their health well before dramatic efforts are the only remaining option.
