There is a growing concern that misinformation about COVID-19, vaccinations and the politics surrounding these issues negatively impact care outcomes today. To gain a deeper understanding, we spoke with Dr. Amanda Heidemann QliqSOFT CMIO. Dr. Heidemann explained that patients have been bombarded with scientifically inaccurate information on social media, which often keeps them from taking preventative measures.
"These choices have fueled surges in the utilization of hospital resources. They also negatively affect vaccinated patients when hospital and ICU beds aren't available for other urgent medical needs such as heart attacks, pneumonia, and strokes," said Dr. Heidemann.
When asked about what care teams can do to battle the infodemic moving forward, Dr. Heidemann shared that the most effective strategies begin with sharing personal experiences. She also shared the importance of building community partnerships.
"When patients understand that their trusted providers have been personally impacted or hear stories of people in their demographic group who have died of COVID-19, that can help move patients to accept vaccination. It's also important for organizations to work with community leaders and local faith-based organizations to meet patients where they are - not only logistically but psychologically and spiritually," she added.
She shared that these multidisciplinary approaches have been incredibly successful at improving vaccination rates by countering the misinformation patients may have encountered. To learn more about combating misinformation, check out this resource from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
