The Digital Healthcare Divide: Why Clinicians Need to Go Digital to Catch Up With Patients

From smartphones and apps to wearables and smart home devices, the digital world has become an inseparable part of our daily lives. We can use apps to track our sleep patterns and see who’s ringing our doorbell while on vacation, but there is one industry where digital adoption is still lagging behind: healthcare.

Despite over 85 percent of U.S. adults owning smartphones, many clinical workflows still rely on paper home exercise printouts. It’s not that there is a lack of digital health tools on the market—many options exist, ranging from consumer-facing wearables to rehab apps and remote monitoring dashboards. These digital tools help clinicians provide more flexible care to their patients and meet them where they are. So why is so much clinical care still anchored to paper?

Patients Are Eager and Digital-Ready

When it comes to Home Exercise Programs (HEP), patients across demographics are embracing digital care. Based on Medbridge HEP data derived from over 15 million patient episodes, 43 percent of patients who receive digital shares log in within the first two hours, and 58 percent engage within the first two days. 

In contrast, only 9% of patients who receive printed materials ever log in, and the average log-in time for paper-based engagement is ten days later versus digital where most logins occur within the first two days.

This huge boost in initial responsiveness with HEPs shared digitally shows the importance of getting patients to view their programs while it is still top of mind. An additional benefit is that patients using digital therapy apps have perpetual access to their programs, unlike paper handouts that are easily lost and are more difficult to replace quickly.

But when it comes to patient preferences, it isn’t just about speed—patients now expect perpetual digital access to their programs. In an internal user study, one patient noted that using an app to track their rehab made them feel “in control” and “seen.” Many patients don’t feel confident remembering how their exercises should be performed, and find it reassuring to be able to rewatch demonstration videos on demand. These digital tools align with the way people live today—with instant access to what’s important to them on their phones, available on their schedule.

So why does paper persist?

Expensive office supply costs, frequently lost exercise sheets, static black-and-white images on crumpled paper—with all the disadvantages to paper HEP, why do we keep paper-based workflows? We know it’s not patient readiness—more often, it’s the weight of routine and resistance to change, tied to two common challenges:

Habit: “It’s how we’ve always done it.” Paper served therapists well for decades, but now there’s a better way. Digital HEP can’t be lost, and passwords can be easily recovered. Modifications can be made instantly as patients progress, instead of waiting for the next in-person session. Not to mention perpetual access for patients and far more visibility into patient behavior—there’s a lot that digital can do that paper simply can’t match.

Workflow Concerns: “What about onboarding, troubleshooting, or patient confusion?” All valid concerns, but these longstanding issues now have solutions. Platforms like Medbridge Pathways or Medbridge HEP have been designed with ease-of-use in mind, and for those who need a little extra help, we have our Digital Health Academy.

Designed and led by a wide-range of industry experts including JJ Mowder-Tinney, Craig Phifer and Jared Vagy, the curriculum is grounded in real-world experience and supports purpose-driven change by highlighting the evidence behind and value of digital/hybrid care for patients, providers, and organizations. 

Topics covered include:

• Introducing digital care to patients and increasing engagement between visits

• Overcoming common barriers to adoption and integration

• Enhancing care coordination within team-based models

• Building core skills in asynchronous communication and remote patient monitoring
  
  

Age Bias: “My older patients aren’t tech-savvy, and they won’t use an app.” There’s a widespread stereotype that older patients aren’t tech-savvy despite growing evidence to the contrary. Engagement data shows strong adoption across age groups, especially when the tech is intuitive and clinically relevant. Older adults using Pathways reported a 26.7 percent increase in activity, with 9 out of 10 saying they would recommend the program to someone else. One participant said, “It’s almost like you have a teacher in front of you. It’s much better than when a PT gives you a piece of paper when you leave and then you never look at it again.”

When Clinicians Go Digital—What Changes?

Clinics and providers who shift to digital-first workflows—especially through Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)—see measurable improvements:

• Faster feedback loops

• Higher patient adherence

• Greater ability to track and respond to patient needs

RTM programs, in particular, give clinicians insight into patient activity and open the door to meaningful contact throughout the care journey—not just at appointments.

As you can see in the chart, not only are we seeing higher engagement in the electronic group, we're also seeing higher engagement across the board in the 60-89 age groups! This runs counter to the common perception that older adults won’t engage in digital care—they just need to be given the right engagement tools and the opportunity.

So how can clinicians help? Clinicians who share care plans digitally tend to update and adjust them more frequently, improving personalization and patient trust. And patients say they notice—engagement is higher with more outreach, whereas many patients drop out of programs when they believe their clinician doesn’t ‘feel invested’ in their progress.

Now we know that therapists care deeply about helping their patients, but perception is powerful. Physical therapy can be painful, difficult, and frustrating for patients—if they don’t feel supported, why would they continue? Engagement tools like RTM can help patients feel supported by their therapists while avoiding the engagement cliff.

The Engagement Cliff: How to Sustain Momentum

While digital engagement starts strong, a common problem is the week-two drop-off, with as many as 20% of patients discontinuing after just three visits¹. Why? Because patients report their clinician never followed up or referenced their digital activity.

This is where the clinician’s role is crucial. Digital engagement isn’t just about assigning a tool—it’s about staying active within it. Without reinforcement, even highly motivated patients disengage. Some engagement strategies include:

• Messaging patients regularly: Text or e-mail will work, but in-app messaging is a great way to check in with patients, and has one bonus benefit: when they check your message, they’re already in their HEP platform! It can work as a nice subtle nudge to do their exercises, and it shows you’re invested.
  

• Acknowledging their progress: Most patients are receiving therapy because they’ve been injured. It can be painful, setbacks are frustrating, and progress can sometimes be slow. Acknowledging their progress helps patients remember how far they’ve come, and that their effort has been worth it.
  

• Using nudges and follow-ups: Nudges and follow-ups are a great way to keep patients on track and progressing through their care program.

Conclusion

Patient progress isn’t linear. Busy work schedules, vacations, events—life is going to continue to happen, regardless of your patient’s rehab schedule. That’s exactly why digital tools exist: to guide, remind, and support. But like any tool, they’re only as good as the expert using them. Digital platforms might help patients get where they need to in their care journey, but the patient won’t get far without their clinician in the driver’s seat.

Most importantly, digital care is no longer an extra—it’s now expected. Patients are looking for on-demand access, personalized care, and clinicians who meet them where they are. Your patients are already online. Will you meet them there?

1. _{https://medcitynews.com/2023/04/how-rehab-therapists-can-use-rtm-to-optimize-patient-care/}