The traditional model of healthcare delivery is giving way to a more collaborative and continuous paradigm. Patients today are active participants in their health journey, expecting personalized, accessible, and integrated care experiences. This evolution necessitates a fundamental shift in how providers connect with and empower their patient populations. Effective patient engagement strategies healthcare organizations implement are no longer a value-add, they are a core component of modern, high-quality care.
Building these proactive partnerships leads to demonstrably better clinical outcomes, enhanced operational efficiency, and higher levels of patient satisfaction and loyalty. True engagement transcends sporadic communication; it is a holistic approach that weaves technology, personalized communication, and robust education into the very fabric of the care delivery process. By fostering a culture of collaboration, healthcare systems can empower individuals to take ownership of their health, leading to improved adherence and better long-term wellness.
This comprehensive guide presents a detailed roundup of ten essential patient engagement strategies healthcare systems can deploy to cultivate stronger patient-provider relationships and navigate the complexities of value-based care. Each strategy is detailed with actionable insights, practical implementation examples, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to help you measure success and refine your approach. From integrating telehealth and remote monitoring to leveraging shared decision-making and patient feedback, you will gain the tools needed to build a more connected, responsive, and effective healthcare experience.
1. Telemedicine and Virtual Care Consultations
Telemedicine leverages technology to deliver healthcare services remotely, allowing patients to connect with providers through secure video consultations. This approach is a cornerstone of modern patient engagement strategies in healthcare, effectively removing geographical and logistical barriers to care. By enabling patients to receive medical advice, diagnoses, and prescriptions from the comfort of their homes, virtual care significantly improves access for rural populations, individuals with mobility challenges, and those with busy schedules.
Leading organizations like Teladoc Health, MDLIVE, and the Mayo Clinic have successfully integrated virtual visits into their core services, demonstrating the model's scalability and effectiveness. These platforms handle everything from urgent care needs to chronic disease management, proving that telehealth is a versatile tool for continuous patient engagement.
Key Implementation Steps
To effectively integrate telemedicine, focus on both technology and process. Your platform must be secure, user-friendly, and reliable. Proper training for both staff and patients is essential for a smooth transition and positive experience.
- Ensure HIPAA Compliance: Use a platform with end-to-end encryption and a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA). Security is non-negotiable for protecting patient health information. Explore the essentials of video conferencing for healthcare on aonmeetings.com to understand these requirements better.
- Streamline Scheduling: Integrate automated reminders via SMS or email with your scheduling system to reduce no-show rates. Allow patients to easily join a virtual waiting room with a single click.
- Train Your Team: Educate clinical staff on "webside manner," including professional conduct, background setup, and clear communication techniques for virtual environments.
- Support Your Patients: Provide patients with simple, step-by-step instructions and a technical support contact before their first appointment to minimize anxiety and technical difficulties.
- Prioritize Accessibility: Implement features like closed captioning to ensure your virtual care services are accessible to all patients, including those with hearing impairments.
2. Patient Education and Health Literacy Programs
Empowering patients with knowledge is a fundamental patient engagement strategy in healthcare. Structured educational content, delivered through various channels, helps individuals understand their health conditions, treatment options, and preventive care measures. This approach transforms patients from passive recipients into active participants in their healthcare journey, leading to better adherence, improved outcomes, and stronger patient-provider relationships.
Prominent organizations like Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medicine have developed extensive patient education programs that serve as models for the industry. Similarly, condition-specific groups such as the American Diabetes Association host webinars that provide crucial, timely information to their communities. These initiatives demonstrate that accessible, high-quality education is a powerful tool for building patient confidence and improving health literacy.
Key Implementation Steps
To launch an effective education program, focus on creating accessible, engaging, and diverse content. Your delivery method should be as carefully planned as the information itself to ensure maximum impact and retention.
- Host Live Educational Webinars: Regularly schedule live online sessions to discuss common conditions, new treatments, or wellness topics. Use interactive features to keep the audience engaged and answer questions in real time.
- Create On-Demand Resources: Record all live sessions and make them available in a patient portal or on your website. This allows patients to access valuable information at their convenience, reinforcing learning and extending the reach of your efforts.
- Leverage Interactive Tools: During live events, use features like live polling and Q&A sessions to gauge patient understanding and address specific concerns. This interaction makes the experience more personal and effective.
- Ensure Content Accessibility: Provide AI-generated transcripts and closed captioning for all video content. To build a truly effective program, discover more about online education best practices on aonmeetings.com to ensure your materials are inclusive.
- Segment Your Content: Develop materials tailored to different patient populations, considering factors like age, condition, and health literacy level. Personalized content is more likely to resonate and be understood.
3. Personalized Patient Portals and Digital Health Records
Patient portals are secure online websites that give patients convenient, 24/7 access to their personal health information. This direct line to their medical records, test results, appointment history, and medication lists empowers patients to take a more active role in managing their health. By providing transparency and control, these platforms are a fundamental component of modern patient engagement strategies in healthcare, fostering a stronger connection between patients and their care teams.
Industry-leading platforms like Epic's MyChart and Cerner's patient engagement solutions have become standard in many health systems, demonstrating their value and scalability. Organizations such as Kaiser Permanente with its "My Health Manager" and the Department of Veterans Affairs with its "My HealtheVet" portal show how integrated digital health records can improve care coordination and patient satisfaction by offering a single, reliable source of truth.
Key Implementation Steps
Successful portal implementation goes beyond just providing access; it requires thoughtful integration into clinical workflows and a focus on user experience. The goal is to make the portal an indispensable tool for both patients and providers, not an administrative burden.
- Integrate Communication Tools: Embed secure messaging and video consultation features directly within the portal. This allows patients to ask questions, request prescription refills, and schedule virtual follow-ups without leaving the platform.
- Provide Actionable Health Data: Don't just display lab results; provide context, normal ranges, and links to educational materials that help patients understand what their numbers mean.
- Offer Comprehensive Onboarding: Train patients on how to use the portal during their visits. Provide simple guides and video tutorials to help them navigate features like viewing results, messaging their doctor, and managing appointments.
- Promote Portal Features Regularly: Use email newsletters, in-office flyers, and appointment reminders to highlight new features or underutilized tools, encouraging continuous engagement.
- Ensure Accessibility for All: Design the portal with accessibility in mind. Offer multilingual support, compatibility with screen readers, and a mobile-responsive design to ensure every patient can use it effectively.
4. Remote Patient Monitoring and Wearable Technology Integration
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) utilizes connected devices and wearable technology to continuously track patient health metrics from a distance. This strategy involves tools like blood pressure cuffs, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, and smartwatches that securely transmit vital data to healthcare providers. As a proactive patient engagement strategy in healthcare, RPM allows clinical teams to monitor chronic conditions, track post-operative recovery, and intervene early when data indicates a potential health issue, significantly reducing hospital readmissions and emergency visits.
Industry leaders like Livongo (now part of Teladoc Health) and Philips HealthSuite have pioneered RPM platforms for chronic disease management, demonstrating how continuous data streams empower both patients and providers. By providing a real-time view of a patient’s health status, these systems foster a collaborative care model where adjustments can be made swiftly and effectively, keeping patients healthier and more engaged in managing their own well-being.
Key Implementation Steps
Successful RPM integration requires a robust technological framework and well-defined clinical workflows. The focus should be on seamless data collection, secure transmission, and actionable insights for the care team.
- Select User-Friendly Devices: Choose FDA-approved devices that are easy for patients to set up and use daily. Simplicity is key to ensuring consistent data collection and patient adherence.
- Establish Clear Clinical Protocols: Define specific parameters and thresholds for each patient. Create clear protocols for your clinical staff on how to respond to alerts and which data trends require immediate intervention versus routine follow-up.
- Integrate Data into the EHR: Ensure that incoming RPM data is integrated directly into the patient's Electronic Health Record (EHR). This provides a complete, unified view of their health and streamlines the provider's workflow.
- Educate Patients and Caregivers: Provide comprehensive training on how to use the devices, understand the data they are collecting, and know when to contact the care team. Ongoing education builds confidence and promotes active participation.
- Combine RPM with Virtual Check-Ins: Pair the continuous data from RPM with scheduled virtual visits to discuss trends, adjust care plans, and provide personalized coaching. This high-touch, high-tech approach reinforces the patient-provider relationship.
5. Group Medical Visits and Chronic Disease Management Programs
Group medical visits bring patients with similar health conditions together for shared medical appointments led by one or more healthcare providers. This innovative model is one of the most effective patient engagement strategies in healthcare for chronic disease management, as it blends clinical care with peer support and education. By facilitating a collaborative environment, providers can efficiently deliver care to multiple patients at once, while patients benefit from shared experiences and mutual encouragement.
Prominent examples include Kaiser Permanente's diabetes group visits, which have shown improved clinical outcomes, and the CenteringPregnancy model for group prenatal care. These programs demonstrate that shared appointments not only improve patient knowledge and self-management skills but also foster a strong sense of community, reducing feelings of isolation often associated with chronic illness.
Key Implementation Steps
Successful group visits require careful planning to balance individual clinical needs with group dynamics. The focus should be on creating a structured yet supportive atmosphere where patients feel comfortable sharing and learning.
- Select the Right Participants: Identify patients with the same chronic condition (e.g., diabetes, heart failure, asthma) who could benefit from a shared learning environment. Ensure the group size is manageable, typically 8-12 patients, to allow for meaningful interaction.
- Establish a Clear Agenda: Structure each session with a clear agenda that includes individual check-ins (e.g., blood pressure, weight), a group discussion topic, and time for questions. This ensures both clinical tasks and educational goals are met.
- Facilitate Peer Support: Actively encourage patients to share their experiences, challenges, and successes. The provider's role shifts from a sole expert to a facilitator of a group conversation, empowering patients to learn from one another.
- Leverage Virtual Platforms: Use a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform like AONMeetings to host virtual group visits. This overcomes geographical and mobility barriers, increasing accessibility. Features like screen sharing for educational materials and breakout rooms for smaller discussions can enhance the experience.
- Maintain Confidentiality: Begin each session by establishing clear ground rules for confidentiality and respectful communication. This builds trust and ensures the group visit remains a safe and private space for all participants.
6. Interactive Mobile Apps and SMS Engagement
Leveraging mobile applications and SMS (text messaging) allows healthcare organizations to maintain a continuous, direct line of communication with patients. These tools meet patients on the platforms they use most frequently, delivering timely appointment reminders, medication alerts, and personalized health tips. This strategy is a powerful component of modern patient engagement strategies in healthcare because it transforms the patient-provider relationship from episodic to ongoing, fostering a proactive approach to health management.
Prominent examples include the CVS Health and Walgreens mobile apps, which simplify prescription refills and medication management with automated reminders. Similarly, many health systems use SMS to significantly reduce no-show rates, with some reporting decreases of 30-40%. These platforms facilitate seamless two-way communication, making healthcare more accessible and integrated into patients' daily lives.
Key Implementation Steps
Successful mobile engagement requires a blend of user-friendly technology, relevant content, and strict adherence to communication regulations. The goal is to provide value without becoming intrusive, ensuring every message enhances the patient's care journey.
- Ensure HIPAA-Compliant Messaging: Use a secure messaging platform that protects patient health information. All communications, especially those containing sensitive details, must follow strict privacy and security protocols.
- Segment Your Audience: Personalize communication by segmenting patients based on their condition, treatment plan, or upcoming appointments. A diabetic patient might receive diet tips, while a post-surgical patient gets recovery milestone reminders.
- Integrate with Virtual Care: Use SMS to send pre-visit instructions and a direct link for joining an AONMeetings virtual appointment. Follow up after the visit with a text containing a summary of next steps or educational resources.
- Monitor Engagement Metrics: Track open rates, click-through rates, and response rates to understand what content resonates with your patients. Use this data to refine your messaging frequency and content strategy.
- Provide Clear Opt-Out Options: Every communication must include simple, clear instructions for how patients can opt out of receiving future messages to comply with regulations and respect patient preferences.
7. Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Frameworks
Shared Decision-Making is a collaborative process where clinicians and patients work together to make healthcare choices. This model moves beyond the traditional paternalistic approach, ensuring that treatment plans are based not only on clinical evidence but also on the patient's individual preferences, values, and goals. By integrating evidence-based decision aids and open dialogue, SDM empowers patients as active partners in their care, improving satisfaction and adherence.
Pioneering organizations like the Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making and Health Dialogue have developed extensive libraries of decision aids that present complex medical information in an understandable format. Similarly, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has successfully integrated patient decision aids for managing chronic conditions, demonstrating that this patient engagement strategy is effective in large-scale healthcare systems.
Key Implementation Steps
Implementing SDM requires a cultural shift supported by practical tools and training. The focus is on creating a structured environment where patients feel comfortable and equipped to participate in complex health discussions, making it a powerful patient engagement strategy in healthcare.
- Integrate Decision Aids: Embed evidence-based decision aids directly into the clinical workflow, both in-person and within virtual consultation platforms. These tools can include videos, pamphlets, or interactive web-based guides.
- Train Providers in Communication: Equip clinicians with specific communication skills needed for SDM, such as active listening, explaining risks and benefits clearly, and eliciting patient values and preferences.
- Empower Patients with Resources: Encourage patients to prepare for consultations by providing them with relevant information beforehand. For instance, guiding them on essential questions to ask your cardiologist can transform a routine visit into a productive, collaborative session.
- Use Collaborative Technology: During virtual visits, use features like screen sharing and digital whiteboards to visually map out treatment options, potential outcomes, and patient concerns.
- Document and Revisit Decisions: Record the agreed-upon plan and the rationale behind it in the patient's record. Schedule follow-up appointments to review the decision, assess progress, and make adjustments as needed.
8. Peer Support and Patient Advocacy Networks
Peer support and patient advocacy networks are structured programs that connect individuals with similar health conditions or experiences. This patient engagement strategy provides emotional support, shared knowledge, and practical advice that complements clinical care. By fostering a sense of community, these networks reduce feelings of isolation, empower patients to manage their conditions more effectively, and improve overall health outcomes.
Prominent examples include the American Cancer Society's peer mentoring programs, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) peer-led support groups, and diabetes coaching initiatives. These organizations demonstrate how connecting patients creates a powerful layer of support, helping individuals navigate complex treatment journeys and build resilience. This model turns shared experience into a valuable healthcare resource.
Key Implementation Steps
To launch an effective peer support network, focus on creating a safe, structured, and accessible environment. The right technology and clear moderation guidelines are crucial for building trust and encouraging participation.
- Establish Clear Guidelines: Create a charter that outlines the group's purpose, confidentiality rules, and expectations for respectful communication. Ensure a trained facilitator or moderator guides discussions.
- Host Virtual Meetings: Use a secure platform to host regular support group meetings. This removes transportation barriers and allows patients to join from a comfortable setting.
- Incorporate Educational Content: Invite clinicians, dietitians, or other experts to lead occasional sessions on relevant topics. Record these presentations so members can access them on demand.
- Facilitate Small Group Discussions: If using a virtual platform, leverage breakout room features to allow for more intimate conversations. This can help new members feel more comfortable sharing.
- Ensure Privacy and Security: Use a platform with secure registration, access controls, and a commitment to protecting participant data. Participant privacy is essential for fostering an environment of trust.
9. Care Coordination and Multidisciplinary Team Consultations
Care coordination involves a structured collaboration among multiple healthcare providers, such as primary care physicians, specialists, and behavioral health experts, using shared communication platforms. This integrated approach is a powerful patient engagement strategy in healthcare, ensuring a holistic view of the patient's needs, reducing service duplication, and ultimately improving health outcomes. By bringing diverse expertise together, care teams can create comprehensive treatment plans that address all facets of a patient’s well-being.
Leading healthcare systems utilize this model extensively. For example, integrated cancer care centers hold regular tumor board meetings where oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, and pathologists collaboratively review complex cases. Similarly, cardiovascular disease management teams and palliative care consultations rely on this multidisciplinary approach to align on care plans, ensuring the patient receives seamless, high-quality care at every stage.
Key Implementation Steps
Effective care coordination requires both a structured process and the right technology to facilitate seamless communication. The goal is to make collaborative decision-making efficient and well-documented.
- Schedule Regular Team Consultations: Use a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform to schedule and conduct regular multidisciplinary team meetings. This creates a dedicated time for providers to align on patient care plans.
- Use Collaborative Tools: Leverage features like screen sharing to review imaging, lab results, and patient charts together in real time. Use digital whiteboards to brainstorm and document decisions and next steps visually.
- Generate Comprehensive Documentation: Enable recording and transcription features for meetings. This ensures team members who cannot attend live can stay informed and provides a detailed record for clinical documentation.
- Integrate with EHR Systems: Connect your communication platform with your Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. This allows for real-time data access during meetings, ensuring decisions are based on the most current patient information.
- Define Clear Agendas and Roles: Set a clear agenda and assign roles (e.g., facilitator, scribe) before each meeting. This structure keeps discussions focused, productive, and respectful of everyone's time.
10. Patient Feedback Loops and Experience Co-Design
Creating patient feedback loops involves systematically collecting, analyzing, and acting on patient input to continuously refine care delivery. This strategy goes beyond simple satisfaction surveys by integrating co-design, a collaborative approach where patients become active partners in developing new services, processes, and tools. By treating patients as experts in their own experience, healthcare organizations can create solutions that are more intuitive, effective, and aligned with their needs.
This collaborative model transforms patient engagement from a passive activity into a dynamic partnership. When patients help design the care they receive, the result is higher satisfaction, improved outcomes, and stronger loyalty. This approach is a powerful patient engagement strategy in healthcare because it ensures that improvements are not just data-driven but also deeply human-centered.
Organizations like the Mayo Clinic and Intermountain Healthcare have pioneered this model through patient and family advisory councils and experience co-design programs. These initiatives bring patients, families, and clinical staff together to solve complex care delivery challenges, proving the model's value in real-world settings.
Key Implementation Steps
Successful co-design requires a structured, inclusive, and responsive process. The goal is to create a safe and productive environment where patient voices can genuinely influence organizational change.
- Establish a Patient Advisory Council (PAC): Create a formal group of diverse patients and family members who meet regularly to provide input on policies, facility design, and care processes. Host these meetings in accessible virtual environments to encourage broad participation.
- Utilize Virtual Collaboration Tools: Employ secure video conferencing platforms to conduct focus groups and co-design workshops. Use features like screen sharing to present prototypes or workflow diagrams and gather immediate reactions.
- Gather Real-Time Feedback: During virtual meetings, use interactive tools to gauge sentiment on proposed changes. Understanding how to create a poll on aonmeetings.com can help you collect structured, quantifiable data in real time.
- Document and Transcribe Sessions: Record meetings (with consent) and generate transcripts to ensure that no insights are lost. This creates a valuable repository of patient feedback for future analysis and organizational learning.
- Close the Loop: Regularly communicate back to participants how their feedback has been implemented. This critical step demonstrates that their contributions are valued and fosters a long-term commitment to engagement.
10-Point Comparison of Patient Engagement Strategies
| Strategy | Implementation complexity | Resource requirements | Expected outcomes | Ideal use cases | Key advantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telemedicine and Virtual Care Consultations | Medium – EHR integration and HIPAA setup | Reliable broadband, video platform, staff training | Increased access, better adherence, more efficient visits | Remote consults, follow-ups, rural/underserved patients | Removes geographic barriers; scalable; recordings/transcripts |
| Patient Education and Health Literacy Programs | Low–Medium – content and webinar workflows | Content creators, webinar tools, multilingual support | Improved health literacy, adherence, fewer ED visits | Chronic disease education, preventive webinars, large audiences | Scalable education; measurable engagement metrics |
| Personalized Patient Portals and Digital Health Records | High – complex EHR integration and security | IT integration, ongoing support, compliance resources | Greater patient autonomy, reduced admin burden, informed visits | 24/7 record access, messaging, prescription management | Secure centralized access to records and care tools |
| Remote Patient Monitoring and Wearable Integration | High – device/data integration and analytics | Devices, connectivity, analytics, clinical monitoring staff | Early intervention, reduced readmissions, better chronic control | Chronic disease management, post-discharge monitoring | Real-time vitals; proactive care; potential reimbursement |
| Group Medical Visits and Chronic Disease Programs | Medium – scheduling and skilled facilitation | Facilitators, scheduling tools, interactive platform features | Peer support, lower per-patient cost, improved outcomes | Diabetes groups, prenatal care, long-term condition cohorts | Efficiency gains; peer accountability and community |
| Interactive Mobile Apps and SMS Engagement | Low–Medium – consent and integration needed | App/SMS platform, developers, compliance processes | Reduced no-shows, better med adherence, timely nudges | Appointment reminders, adherence alerts, quick communications | High reach at low cost; real-time patient touchpoints |
| Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Frameworks | Medium–High – training and decision-aid integration | Decision aids, provider training, time for discussions | Greater alignment with patient values, higher satisfaction | Preference-sensitive choices, elective procedures, chronic care plans | Improves informed consent and reduces unnecessary care |
| Peer Support and Patient Advocacy Networks | Low–Medium – facilitation and moderation | Peer leaders, moderators, secure meeting/forum platforms | Reduced isolation, improved coping, higher engagement | Support groups, chronic illness communities, advocacy programs | Cost-effective emotional support and peer learning |
| Care Coordination & Multidisciplinary Team Consultations | High – cross-team scheduling and data sharing | Shared platforms, EHR access, time from multiple specialists | Fewer duplicative tests, improved outcomes, clearer accountability | Tumor boards, complex care plans, integrated clinics | Holistic care through real-time multidisciplinary collaboration |
| Patient Feedback Loops and Experience Co‑Design | Medium – process setup and follow-through | Survey/focus tools, facilitation, resources to implement changes | Service improvements, increased trust, actionable insights | Quality improvement, service design, advisory councils | Direct patient insight that guides meaningful improvements |
Putting It All Together: Building a Connected Care Ecosystem
Throughout this guide, we've explored a comprehensive array of patient engagement strategies healthcare organizations can leverage to transform care delivery. From the immediacy of telemedicine and the continuous data stream of remote patient monitoring to the collaborative power of shared decision-making and peer support networks, the path to a truly engaged patient population is multifaceted. It’s clear that a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer sufficient. The future belongs to providers who can skillfully weave these diverse strategies into a seamless, cohesive, and patient-centric ecosystem.
The core takeaway is this: effective patient engagement is not a checklist of technologies to implement. Instead, it is a fundamental shift in philosophy. It's about moving from a model of passive care delivery to one of active partnership, where patients are empowered, educated, and integrated into their own health journey. Implementing personalized patient portals, leveraging mobile apps, and establishing robust feedback loops are not just about modernizing workflows; they are about building trust, enhancing health literacy, and fostering a sense of shared ownership over clinical outcomes.
The Strategic Imperative: Beyond Individual Tools
Implementing these strategies requires a thoughtful, strategic approach rather than a piecemeal adoption of tools. The most successful organizations begin by deeply understanding the needs, challenges, and communication preferences of their specific patient populations. Are your patients more likely to engage via SMS reminders or a feature-rich mobile app? Do they need more support managing a specific chronic disease or navigating complex care coordination between specialists?
Answering these questions allows you to prioritize the initiatives that will deliver the greatest impact. This journey is a core component of a broader organizational shift. Building a truly connected care ecosystem relies heavily on understanding and implementing effective Digital Transformation in Healthcare, moving beyond traditional models to patient-centric digital solutions that support these new, collaborative workflows. It's about creating an infrastructure where technology serves the relationship, not the other way around.
Your Actionable Blueprint for a Connected Future
As you move forward, focus on integration and personalization. The goal is to create a unified experience where a patient can move effortlessly from a virtual consultation to reviewing their care plan in a portal, receiving educational content on their mobile device, and providing feedback on their experience. This interconnectedness is what turns individual tactics into a powerful, overarching strategy.
Ultimately, investing in robust patient engagement strategies healthcare providers can deploy is not just an operational upgrade; it is an investment in better health outcomes, increased patient loyalty, and a more sustainable, efficient, and compassionate healthcare system. By empowering patients as active partners, you are not only meeting the expectations of the modern consumer but also building a foundation for higher-quality care that benefits everyone involved. The time to build this connected ecosystem is now, and the tools to do so are more accessible than ever.
Ready to unify your patient engagement efforts on a single, secure platform? AONMeetings provides a HIPAA-compliant solution for virtual care, educational webinars, and multidisciplinary team collaboration. Discover how you can build a connected care ecosystem and enhance patient relationships by visiting AONMeetings today.
