Healthcare technology is typically depicted or perceived as sterile machines and detached algorithms, tools vital in creating an efficient system yet appearing distant from the perspective of human caregiving and social support. However, over the last few years in North Carolina, a shift towards the implementation of technology has emerged in the voices of patients, pharmacists, caregivers, and even educators. For many communities in North Carolina, especially rural neighborhoods and those dealing with inequities, technology serves as a bridge for care, not a barrier. Whether it is a traditional telehealth platform, patient tracking app, or even automated pharmaceutical technology, this technology is not just serving as an operational tool but as an emotional and relational tool as well. The systems serve as building blocks for connection, comfort, and even continuity, key qualities of any successful social support system.
This shift towards technology has played a pivotal role in reducing the burden of strenuous tasks, allowing healthcare professionals to become more patient-centric in their care. Ralph and Daphne Ashworth, pharmacists based in North Carolina, touched on how automation has revolutionized their industry. They mentioned how this automation has eased the long hours of paperwork and physical efforts. With new systems automatically refilling prescriptions and managing workflows in the pharmacy, the Ashworths stated they are now able to be more physically present. In the interview Ralph stated, “You can’t take care of people when you’re exhausted.” [1] In this lens, caregivers are more freed to be able to actively engage with the patients, not just purely in diagnosis but rather in serving as a vital source of comfort, listening, and being fully present in the patients treatment. This helps bolster that support system and reinforce to patients that they have a trusted and knowledgeable source when needed. In this manner, technology does not reduce social support; it instead creates a space for it.
However, the value of this technology is not limited to just providers; it has great implications for patients. For those historically distanced or marginalized from the healthcare system, new digital platforms offer a solution to these issues. Patient portals, health apps, and even remote monitoring allow individuals to proactively track their conditions, communicate with experts, and ultimately make an informed decision on their own terms. A teacher from Rocky Mount, Nathaniel Moses, compared this situation of technology to healthy lunches in schools. He stated, “At first, the kids hated it—but now it’s the norm.” [2] Technology, over a longer period of time, similar to education, changes the way of living and, if utilized properly, can oftentimes lead to new methods of empowerment. Even a small technological intervention could help a patient feel less like a number and more like a facilitator, leading to better patient outcomes and better perceived social support systems. Further studies have shown this empowerment resulting from technology on a tangible level. A meta-analysis demonstrated that patients who used a chronic disease management app were 67% more likely to follow a treatment plan in comparison to those without access to an app.[3] On the other hand, using a patient portal has been seen to improve communication between providers and patients and reduce hospitalization rates among those managing long-term conditions. [4] These findings help suggest that digital engagement and usage can not only serve as a new modern supporting system but also help strengthen preexisting systems. Ultimately, this leads to improvement in care, which is crucial for long-term well-being and successful patient outcomes.
This sense of collaboration is extremely significant, especially in a system where emotional needs are often overshadowed by procedural limitations. William Sessions, a patient using a health tracking portal, described how his experience with virtual care didn’t feel distant or impersonal at all; rather, it made him feel seen. In his words, “I didn’t just get a diagnosis… I felt heard.” [5] His testament towards the technology serves as a reflection of the idea that when virtual care helps foster intimacy rather than prevent it, it can build valuable connections and networks essential in positive patient outcomes. I believe this result is even further catalyzed when discussing mental health issues. Oftentimes, within the system, individuals dealing with mental health issues oftentimes feel unheard or unrepresented. This technology offers them a greater foundation of trust towards the system and allows them to feel closer to their treatment and the decisions being made. This was further supported quantitatively by a study by the National Institute of Health that stated that telehealth reduced missed appointments by 18% and significantly boosted satisfaction scores for patients dealing with chronic pain. [6] However, at their core these technologies are powerful not simply because of their efficiency but because of their ability to establish support systems no matter where an individual is geographically, emotionally, and even socially
Along the lines of how healthcare technology strengthens rather than replaces entire community-based support systems, an interview with Tammy Blackman provides valuable insights. She was seeking help for a family member through a group known as Living on the Edge; she described the technology as acting “like therapy.” [7] She said it wasn’t the technology itself that made her feel supported, but rather how it facilitated human and even informal interactions such as check-ins and group conversations. These community-online-driven platforms offer immediate comfort and support in a world where the current healthcare system feels slow or cold. Beyond clinical barriers to care, technology can be utilized to also remove logistical barriers. According to the American Hospital Association, more than 5.8 million Americans are not able to receive care in a timely manner due to a lack of transportation, leading to a lack of hope for recovery among many social support systems across the country. [8] Solutions as led by Ebony Talley-Brame, who introduced a tech-based transportation system in rural North Carolina, create a support system and a sense of relief among patients in knowing they will receive adequate care.
However, not every piece of healthcare technology is successful. Some pieces of technology typically fail when they employ a one-size-fits-all model across a diverse community. A study conducted in 2013 found that technology adversely affected social support systems and relationships when they did not account for local inputs, specifically culture, values, and heritage. [9] When machines are built to adapt to preexisting social ecosystems, this is referred to as “relational technology. If these technologies are developed and built with community instead of taking a top-down approach and being dropped in from above, they are able to enhance support systems on a broader scale.
In the end, these stories and interviews are not tied together by the technology or software; it’s the people. The pharmacists using automation to lower burnout, the teacher comparing tech usage to school lunches, and the patient who feels seen for the first time by a doctor behind a screen—these instances show us that healthcare isn’t simply about surviving, but it’s about being heard and seen. When utilized in connection with preexisting methods of social support, technology can enhance patient experience and boost overall patient outcomes.
Works Cited
- Ashworth, Ralph, and Daphne Ashworth. Interview by Katie Howell. Stories to Save Lives Oral History Collection, Southern Oral History Program, 19 July 2018 (Y-0024). Timestamp 00:14:22.
- Moses, Nathaniel. Interview by Robin Morris. Stories to Save Lives Oral History Collection, Southern Oral History Program, 10 July 2018 (Y-0016). Timestamp 00:12:34.
- Bashi, Nazli, et al. “Remote Monitoring of Patients with Heart Failure: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.” Journal of Medical Internet Research, vol. 19, no. 1, 2017, p. e18. https://www.jmir.org/2017/1/e18/.
- Graetz, Ilana, et al. “Association Between Use of a Patient Portal and Continuity of Care.” American Journal of Managed Care, vol. 24, no. 7, 2018, pp. 322–328.
- Sessions, William. Interview by Maddy Kameny. Stories to Save Lives Oral History Collection, Southern Oral History Program, 5 Aug. 2019 (Y-0089). Transcript, p. 5.
- National Institutes of Health. “Telehealth: Helping Patients and Providers Connect.” NIH, 2021, https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/telehealth-helping-patients-providers-connect.
- Blackman, Tammy. Interview by Christina Hartig. Stories to Save Lives Oral History Collection, Southern Oral History Program, 12 July 2018 (Y-0020). Timestamp 00:09:47.
- American Hospital Association. “Transportation and the Barrier to Care.” American Hospital Association, 2023, https://www.aha.org/.
- Gagnon, Marie-Pierre, et al. “Systematic Review of Factors Influencing the Adoption of Information and Communication Technologies by Healthcare Professionals.” BMC Health Services Research, vol. 13, no. 1, 2013, pp. 1–14.