Health systems in Philadelphia are working together toward implementing systems and spreading education about why digital equity matters.  However, barriers like funding and buy-in from patients are holding back progress. The same socioeconomic challenges that digital equity efforts face — lack of access to internet, devices and digital literacy — also impact healthcare. Getting more patients to accept telehealth and helping individuals learn how to use it can lead to more positive health outcomes, according to stakeholders. Making those efforts work better in tandem begins by bridging the gap between hospitals and digital equity orgs, just like Jefferson Health and the Health Federation of Philadelphia are doing.“I’m definitely finding more healthcare institutions that are starting to have connections to digital inclusion organizations,” Amy Sheon, a former health subject matter expert for the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and president of Public Health Innovators told Technical.ly. “That’s great because the digital inclusion organizations are better equipped to manage those basic needs.”For example, healthcare providers use patient portal data to determine who uses the platform and engages in telehealth services and screens for digital readiness needs. Then, that information helps narrow down who needs help and find trends in populations, she said. Once those needs are determined, they can also refer patients to orgs that do digital inclusion work that will help them access resources like devices and digital literacy classes, she said. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, though. Everyone’s circumstances are unique, and many people make decisions about care modality based on limited understanding and access, Kristin Rising, an emergency medicine physician at Jefferson Health and director of the Jefferson Center for Connected Care, told Technical.ly. To help patients feel more confident about engaging with technology, healthcare stakeholders need to meet them where they are, according to Rising. “I really want to make sure that people are selecting what works for them based on what truly is best for them,” she said, “and that they understand the value and they feel competent and able to be engaging … via all means.” Jefferson builds digital skills into its treatment plansThe digital health challenges that Rising sees in her patients are usually related to one of the three branches of digital inclusion: access to affordable and reliable internet, access to devices and digital literacy skills. Many patients don’t have large-screen devices like laptops, instead, they may only have access to a smartphone or tablet. If a person only has a mobile device and has a limited amount of data on their phone, they might not want to use it for telehealth because they need it for school or work. Beyond lack of access, populations have lower trust in receiving quality care through technology or they don’t trust the tools as a safe place to provide personal information, Rising said

The Health Federation of Philadelphia will receive $250,000 over two years for a program that will partner with the city to bring behavioral health and other medical services to older adults in two area nursing homes.