Many American’s are unhappy with the state of Healthcare in this country but more so they are unhappy with their personal experience with Healthcare in general. New political concerns only seem to worsen their fears and anxieties. Despite the political upheaval, the digital world is becoming more and more a part of daily life and there is no question that the success of Healthcare Provider’s will land greatly on their ability to integrate technology for the betterment of patient experience.
In an article from Healthcare IT News.com, Carole Faig discusses strategies for success in today’s Healthcare Industry, one of which is “IT and Consumerism.” Carole points out the fact that most Americans are “accustomed to technology making their lives easier, and demand a similar experience in their health and wellness with simple, coordinated interactions.” To go one step further by saying from scheduling to post-visit-overview, from doctor office to doctor office, the average patient knows the technology is available for their health to be managed competently, and they are more likely to become unsatisfied if the provider is unable to meet those expectations.
HIEs (Health Information Exchange), which allow “healthcare providers and patients to securely share vital medical information electronically”, offer one of the more appealing aspects of digital integration in the Healthcare industry called Consumer-mediated exchange. This aspect of HIEs allows the patient the ability to maintain their records, correct missing or inaccurate health and billing information, and allows them the ability to monitor and track their health.
Though HIEs are universally accessible, they are still not being utilized to their fullest potential by many Healthcare Providers. Integration of HIEs by the provider may not only improve the experience of the patient, but also improve the care of the patient, and ultimately reduce costs. In a study from April 2016 which found “significant cost reductions in healthcare markets that have established operational HIEs, with an average reduction in spending of $139 (1.4% decrease) per Medicare beneficiary per year,” it is hard to dispute the usefulness of the HIEs. A more recent study, from February 2017, found that the “results show that HIE access in [Emergency Departments] result in [a] reduction in length of stay and 30-day readmission rate, and reduce the likelihood that more than one doctor would be consulted.” The study also found the patient had a better experience with the attending physician in the Emergency Department.
The question for the provider then becomes, how do we integrate HIEs in a way that works for both our business and our patient’s? LibraIT offers a number of services to assist you in finding the right software and hardware distributor’s for your organization. LibraIT also offers custom website development and web-hosting capabilities to you and your practice. Together we can create a comprehensive plan to incorporate HIEs and other technologies in a way that works for you and your patients.
