What is patient engagement in healthcare?

Using patient engagement metrics to drive better care

Patient engagement refers to how involved patients are involved in their own care. This involvement spans everything from scheduling appointments and accessing medical records to managing chronic conditions and communicating with care teams.

For patients, engagement empowers them to better understand their health and make informed decisions. For providers and staff, it improves efficiency, outcomes, and trust. When patients feel informed, heard, and supported, they are more likely to adhere to treatment plans and remain loyal to a practice.

athenahealth plays a dual role in this space, serving as both an educator on evolving patient expectations and a technology partner providing solutions that enable more connected, consumer-forward healthcare experiences.

Defining patient engagement

Patient engagement is the active participation of patients in their healthcare journey through ongoing communication, collaboration, and shared decision-making with providers.

Rather than being passive recipients of care, engaged patients take part in managing appointments, reviewing test results, asking questions, and following care plans.

Engagement can take many forms, including:

• Digital tools. Patient portals, mobile apps, online scheduling, and bill pay.
• Self-management. Educational resources, reminders, and care plans.
• Communication. Secure messaging, telehealth visits, and follow-up outreach.
• In-person care. Shared decision-making during office visits.

Importantly, patient engagement is not one-size-fits-all. Preferences vary by age, with some patients favoring digital tools while others prefer more traditional communication. Insights into patient engagement in the age of AI help practices adapt strategies to better meet individual needs — highlighting why flexibility is increasingly important.

Examples of patient engagement metrics

To understand how well engagement strategies are working, practices rely on measurable indicators. Common patient engagement metrics examples include:

• Patient portal log-ins and feature usage
• Appointment scheduling and adherence rates
• Follow-up completion and care gap closure
• Patient-reported outcomes and experience surveys

Tracking these metrics helps organizations identify barriers, optimize workflows, and tailor engagement efforts to patient needs.

Effective patient engagement bridges the gap between clinical care and patient experience, improving satisfaction and outcomes

Why patient engagement matters

Strong patient engagement is directly linked to better clinical and business outcomes. Research consistently shows that engaged patients experience better health outcomes, higher satisfaction, and stronger relationships with their providers.¹

Some of the most significant benefits can include:

• Reduced hospital readmissions and missed appointments
• Improved chronic disease management and preventive care
• Higher patient satisfaction and retention
• More efficient use of staff time and resources

Understanding why patient engagement matters is especially critical as healthcare becomes more consumer-driven. Patients now expect to book appointments online, receive digital reminders, pay bills electronically, and get timely responses — just as they do in other areas of life. Practices that fail to meet these expectations can risk frustration, disengagement, and lost revenue as patients seek more convenient experiences elsewhere.

Understanding why patient engagement matters is especially critical as healthcare becomes more consumer-driven. Patients now expect to book appointments online, receive digital reminders, pay bills electronically, and get timely responses, just as they do in other areas of life. Practices that fail to meet these expectations risk frustration, disengagement, and lost revenue. In fact, 70% of consumers who switched providers cite access as a key reason for their decision—often tied to convenient digital tools.²

For a deeper look at modern digital engagement strategies for patients, here's how some organizations are exploring ways technology can support more inclusive and personalized care.

Tracking patient satisfaction

A key component of engagement is understanding how patients feel about their care experience. Tracking patient satisfaction typically involves:

• Post-visit surveys and feedback forms
• Net promoter score (NPS) or CAHPS surveys
• Online reviews and patient comments

When analyzed consistently, this feedback reveals what's working and where engagement strategies may need refinement—whether that's improving communication, reducing wait times, or expanding digital access.

How athenahealth supports patient engagement

athenahealth offers a suite of tools designed to support engagement across the entire patient journey. As part of athenaOne®, these features help practices deliver the seamless, consumer-forward experiences patients now expect, without adding administrative burdens.

Key capabilities include:

• Digital patient portals for accessing records, test results, and care plans
• Mobile-friendly appointment scheduling and reminders
• Secure messaging between patients and care teams
• Digital self-check-in and online bill pay

Solutions focused on better patient connection with intelligent access solutions make it easier for patients to reach care while helping practices reduce friction and inefficiency. Patient engagement features within athenaOne improve digital self-check-in, streamline front-desk workflows, and enhance the arrival experience for patients.

Organizations looking to explore comprehensive patient engagement solutions can see how athenaOne adapts to practices of different sizes and specialties. Many also choose to improve patient satisfaction with athenaOne by unifying clinical and engagement workflows in one platform.

Learn how one practice uses athenahealth's solutions to stay in touch with their community and improve patient satisfaction.

Bridging clinical and operational perspectives

One of athenahealth's strengths is its ability to bridge clinical goals with operational realities. By integrating engagement tools directly into daily workflows, providers and staff can deliver better experiences without duplicating effort. This evidence-based, data-driven approach supports athenahealth's role as a thought leader, helping organizations continuously adapt to changing patient expectations.

Practical tips for practices

Healthcare organizations don't need to overhaul everything at once to improve engagement. Practical steps include:

• Communicate clearly and consistently before and after visits
• Collect and act on patient feedback regularly
• Offer both digital and human touchpoints
• Monitor engagement metrics and adjust strategies over time

A hybrid approach, combining technology with personal interaction, helps ensure all patients feel supported, regardless of their comfort level with digital tools.

Key takeaways for tracking patient satisfaction through patient engagement metrics

As patient expectations continue to change, engagement is no longer optional; it's foundational to the future of healthcare. It's essential to delivering high-quality, modern healthcare. Engaged patients generally experience:

• better outcomes.
• greater satisfaction.
• stronger trust in their providers.

By measuring and tracking engagement, practices can gain actionable insights to improve care delivery. With adaptable, consumer-forward tools, athenahealth helps organizations meet rising expectations while supporting both clinical excellence and operational efficiency.

Get to know athenaOne's patient engagement features.