From the September 2017 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
Health care IT solutions like electronic medical records have helped take data management to the next level, but there are still gaps that need to be filled. To address this issue, many organizations have adopted a hybrid system that includes paper filing.
According to ReferralMD, 30 percent of patient charts cannot be found during a patient visit. It’s one of the reasons facilities started implementing automation in the first place.
If your organization is still using paper filing systems (in addition to a health care IT solution), look for areas that can be easily automated. Some good places to start include patient acquisition, patient intake, incident reporting, patient referrals and record releases.
Miscommunication between patients and caregivers
The problems inherent in paper-based systems often lead to miscommunication — both with patients and among staff. The federal government enacted the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) in 2015. This changes the way participating providers are paid. Instead of focusing on patient volume, payment is now based on the quality and effectiveness of care provided. This means if you’re experiencing communication issues with patients, you’re going to see a major drop in profits.
The goal of MACRA is to put greater emphasis on value and get patients through the door faster, because the sooner your patients are healthy again, the better job you’ve done providing effective care. If your staff and patients are not communicating well, the time a patient spends in your care can be significantly prolonged.
If your facility often deals with communication issues, there are automation solutions that can help. An online form builder can improve patient care and communication by letting you safely collect patient data, store it, route it to the appropriate providers and send out email communications upon submission. Health care organizations are also starting to adopt mobile apps that allow patients to connect with doctors via live video for medical assessment, diagnosis and prescriptions. These apps provide patients with alternative options for participating in their care and communicating with providers.
Creating a more automated system for your health care facility will save time and effort while improving the quality of care for your patients. It’s time to embrace health care automation.
About the author: Chris Byers is the CEO of Formstack, an Indianapolis-based company offering an online form and data-collection platform. Prior to Formstack, Byers co-founded an international nonprofit that was built via remote relationships among partners in Europe, Africa and the U.S.Back to HCB News
