Five tools to help you increase patient engagement

In 2026, three in four American adults have at least one chronic condition, and over half have two or more. Positive long-term outcomes depend on patients participating knowledgeably and actively in their care. This process is known as patient engagement.

As stated in the journal Patient Education and Counseling.

“People must make informed choices about insurance and clinicians, coordinate communications among providers and manage complex treatments on their own. Not doing so risks preventable illness, suboptimal outcomes, and wasted resources.”

There's no shortage of patient engagement tools for practices to implement across the care journey, from appointment booking to ongoing condition management.

The New England Journal of Medicine surveyed which ones practices found most valuable. Below, you'll find five tools to help physicians increase patient engagement in measurable ways based on the survey data.

1. Biometric wireless devices

In the NEJM survey, 85% of respondents reported that biometric wireless devices, such as scales and glucometers that collect patient health information and transmit it to an EHR, offered significant benefits for patient engagement, particularly in improving population health.

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2. Companion apps

75% of respondents reported that smartphone healthcare apps could offer significant benefits for patient engagement. The apps' uses vary based on the need and setting.

For instance, some aid patients in managing medications and accessing records, functions that support ongoing engagement outside clinical settings and help increase patient engagement between visits.

3. SMS appointment reminders

70% of overall respondents and 77% of executives indicated that SMS-based appointment reminder systems were identified as the most effective tool for patient engagement. Given the revenue drain that arises from patient no-shows, appointment reminders provide an easy way for patients to be reminded of their appointments.

4. Social media as a patient education tool

Connections fostered through social media can be used as a way to encourage patient engagement and improve health behaviors.

The survey confirms this among practices, with 99% of respondents acknowledging that social networks are potentially useful in healthcare delivery, especially for chronic disease management (named by 85% of respondents) and promotion of healthy behaviors such as weight loss, physical activity, and healthy eating (78%). As part of broader patient engagement strategies, social platforms can reinforce education and maintain regular communication.

5. Medication adherence

Despite the advancements in digital health tools, automatic refills, and patient education programs, recent data shows that medication adherence rates have barely changed and still hover around 50% globally.

The annual medical expenditure linked directly to non-adherence costs the United States $100 billion to $290 billion, and costs Europe roughly €125 billion.

Tools that remind patients to take medications offer significant benefits for improving overall patient health. As expected, respondents in the NEJM study confirmed this sentiment (66%) and identified medication adherence reminders that communicate with patients as well-suited to patient engagement technology. These tools address one of the most common gaps in care and directly increase patient engagement with treatment plans.

Final thoughts

As the range of patient engagement tools on the market and surveys like the one above suggest, simply offering a patient portal (the lowest-rated engagement tool in the survey) as the primary approach is unlikely to deliver strong results.

Instead, effective patient engagement strategies combine multiple tools tailored to patient needs, clinical goals, and communication preferences.