Most people think of the medical and tech sectors as separate spaces. However, given that technology, particularly social media, has dramatically changed nearly every facet of our lives, it is not surprising that it is also transforming the field of medicine. With Looped, a new patient care app, Sam R. Patel aims to improve the world of patient care.
At first glance, Looped looks a lot like every other social media platform out there. Patients can swipe through pages, watch engaging videos, and even visit a built-in e-commerce platform. However, the app was created for a critically important purpose: to improve trust and communication between patients and providers.
Patel notes that 76% of patients prefer digital communications to print. Despite that fact, most clinics continue to rely on printed communication, particularly when providing important information on preparing for procedures or follow-up care.
“They’re outdated,” Patel says. “They’re just handing over printed PDFs, or they’re emailing at the very most, and we know that that doesn’t go anywhere. That loses trust with their clients.”
Instead of trying to engage with the provider or the material, many patients turn to social media. In some cases, this can be helpful, like when a patient seeks support from others with a similar diagnosis. However, when patients go to social media influencers for advice instead of their doctors, it can be dangerous.
That’s why Patel created Looped. The app effectively gamifies the doctor-patient relationship, incentivizing patients to take control of their own health.
“It’s a white-labeled product that the clinic owns,” Patel says of the app. “They have it, and they have the patients download the app that’s branded to them. The patient would then be able to follow their healthcare journey with engaging videos. It’s not boring. It’s not the regular ‘Here, read this PDF.’ It’s not that. No one likes to read anymore.”
“Social media is kind of the way of the world,” he continues. “And so we wanted to tie those two worlds together.”
While Looped closely mimics the look and feel of social media platforms, it works like a game. For instance, if a patient has an upcoming aesthetic procedure, the clinic may upload a set of preparation videos to their portal. These videos might include an overview of the procedure, how to prepare, and what to expect in terms of healing and aftercare.
This is where the gamification part comes in. Patients receive rewards for viewing content, whether it is geared toward their procedure or something else posted by one of the platform’s verified health experts. Those rewards can then help them further improve their health.
“They can buy things with their rewards because after they watch the videos, they get rewarded, and the rewards get them more treatments,” Patel says.
The app’s built-in e-commerce store allows patients to apply rewards to treatments they want in the future, and they can also finance those procedures. This is particularly useful for aesthetic clinics whose procedures aren’t generally covered by insurance. Will Looped help rebuild the eroded trust between patients and providers? That remains to be seen. But in an era when consumers are increasingly hesitant to trust and engage with their healthcare providers, it’s a step in the right direction.
