We’re bringing you the lowdown on YoMingo from Heather and Brandee – two of the brilliant minds behind our powerful new digital tool. They’re answering the most common questions we’ve heard from you, our educators and clients. Everything from “What exactly is YoMingo?” to “How will implementing this digital tool affect classroom attendance?”
Read on to find out how YoMingo can work for health systems large and small, enhance existing education programs, and offer your clients more options – not only for learning, but also for building a long-term relationship with your facility.
What exactly is YoMingo?
Heather: YoMingo is a learning, instruction and management platform or LIMP. What we created is a platform where a learner or patient can have access to educational/informational content as distributed by their healthcare provider. It’s an open platform, which means that a client can use pre-populated content or add their own.
Is it a website or an app?
Brandee: It’s both! Consumers want to use all of their devices depending on where they are in that moment, and not be limited because of the type of device they are using. YoMingo gives user the freedom to choose!
Heather: Think about it the same way you can use Facebook.
What are the 3 biggest benefits to going digital?
Heather: I think the biggest benefit for a healthcare provider is the ease in which content can be updated, added, deleted, etc. Text changes happen in real time, so once you make an update and save, the learner sees that update with their next login.
For a learner, it’s great that you can get to the content quickly and easily from any device. Sitting at your desk, log in from your computer. Running an errand, log in from your cell phone. It’s education at your fingertips from a trusted source.
Last, it’s technology and everyone wants technology. A learner is going to look for the information somewhere, so you can let them go to Google and hope for the best or you can give them access to accurate content through a controlled environment. Everyone is headed that direction, might as well get on bus.
Does this make books obsolete?
Brandee: Definitely not. People want options, and books are one of those options.
Digital just sounds expensive! Is this a tool only for the larger systems with deep pockets?
Heather: Not at all. One of the best things about this is the design of the platform and the structure of the cost. You can use it at it’s lowest level for a fraction of developing your own technology or you can add all the bells and whistles. It’s set up to meet the budgets of everyone.
Stacy: From the very beginning we knew we wanted to develop a digital education platform that could be used by any healthcare organization, no matter the size. We serve it up à la carte. It can be as simple or as robust as you want.
What would you say to educators who are concerned that going digital will confuse patients?
Brandee: I would say to the educators that I would be very surprised if the patients were confused – most of them are already using websites and apps daily.
Heather: I think the best way thing to do is market, market, market. Communicate, communicate, communicate. If you are positive and embrace it, then they will be positive and embrace it.
Some of our clients worry with digital and instructional content readily available they will see drastically reduce classroom attendance. Do you see this as an issue?
Heather: Across the board, there has been a steady decline in in-person classes. It’s really a combination of busy schedules and what is available for them outside of the hospital. YoMingo offers a lot of great options that can be used in the classroom. Bring the technology in the mix and it expands your reach and the dynamics. Offer it as a bonus for those who attend a class. I think healthcare providers have to get creative, it’s a competitive market.
What are the sources of accurate content on the platform?
Heather: We started the platform with content from Customized Communications, our parent company. From there, we are working with other local and national organizations to provide additional content in a variety of topics. We recommend that you review the content for accuracy before you decide what to purchase.
Will it be confusing to patients to see all this content from different sources?
Heather: Patients will see a branded environment for a healthcare providers organization. They trust you as a source and will follow your lead. But just like their Google search, they are very accustom to seeing multiple sources of information. No one is the expert on everything.
There is a perception that women are less interested in technology than men, do you feel this affects the usefulness of YoMingo® or other digital health tools?
Brandee: I think that is a misperception. If you look around anywhere you go, just as many women are using technology as men. I’d also add that women are the primary decision-makers for their family’s health. If they have a positive experience at the beginning of their family, they are likely to choose the same providers and hospitals for future services.
Thanks to Heather Noack, president of YoMingo, and Brandee Spoor, YoMingo’s sales manager for breaking it all down!
