With the emergence of technology in healthcare, it has become impossible to move with any procedure without using technology. Even the thought of having a blood test under your home roof was thought impossible a decade ago. For this and for many other reasons, the benefits of technology in the healthcare industry have turned the industry upside down. Let’s discuss a few of them and see the advantages they pose to the healthcare industry.
Benefits of technology in healthcare
Here are the five benefits of technology in the healthcare if they are utilized properly;
- Enhances experience in patient care
- Reduction in medical errors
- Improvement in patient care
- Ease of access to the medical records
- Cost-effective process
Easy access to patient medical records
In the healthcare field, one of the important factors involves access to medical records. Medical data is essential for doctors and other medical healthcare providers to know the medical history of the patients to prescribe the exact healthcare need and find the cure’s actual cause.
In the past, it creates a lot of delays in the process of healthcare as it involved a large amount of paperwork. Besides, keeping them updated with every patient visit took a lot of time. However, the emergence of technology has made it accessible through a cloud-based digitalized system with extraordinary ease of access. With this ease, billers, specialists, and patients can have the history with a click anywhere anytime.
The system through which the data is accessed is referred to as Electronic Health Record System (EHR) or Electric Medical Record System (EMR). It is a comprehensive system which maintains health information electronically.
Noticeable reduction in error
Healthcare billing errors are inevitable parts of the healthcare system as they are humanly provided at all levels of the healthcare processes. According to the American Institute of Medicine (IOM) and official Starfield, the annual average death count due to medical errors is about 98,000 and has become the third leading reason for death in the healthcare industry.
Luckily, technology in the healthcare industry has come up with a system development that has proven to save a significant number of patient’s lives. The Clinical Decision Support (CDS) system represents patient-centric information to professionals. This information is useful for the providers when it is filtered according to the needs and presented at specific times to provide evidence-based guidance and standards.
Enhances experience in patient care
Technology has the potential to greatly enhance the patient experience in healthcare by improving efficiency, accessibility, and quality of care. Here are some examples of how technology can help enhance the patient experience in healthcare:
Telemedicine: Telemedicine allows patients to access medical care remotely via videoconferencing or other electronic means. This can be especially helpful for patients in rural or underserved areas or for patients who have difficulty traveling to a healthcare facility. Telemedicine can also be used for follow-up appointments, mental health counseling, and other healthcare services.
Electronic health records (EHRs): EHRs provide healthcare providers with a comprehensive view of a patient’s medical history, test results, and other important information. This can help providers make more informed decisions about patient care and can also reduce the need for patients to repeat medical tests and procedures.
Wearable technology: Wearable technology, such as smartwatches or fitness trackers, can help patients monitor their health and track their progress towards health goals. This can encourage patients to take an active role in their own healthcare and can also provide healthcare providers with valuable data about a patient’s health.
Mobile apps: Mobile apps can be used to schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, and access medical information. Some apps also provide personalized health coaching or connect patients with healthcare providers for virtual consultations.
Patient portals: Patient portals provide patients with secure online access to their medical records, test results, and other important information. Patients can also use patient portals to communicate with their healthcare providers, schedule appointments, and refill prescriptions.
Cost-effective process
Technology has the potential to help healthcare promote cost-effective processes in a number of ways:
Automation: Automation can help reduce costs by streamlining repetitive tasks, such as appointment scheduling, prescription refills, and billing. This can reduce the need for manual labor and administrative overhead and can also reduce errors and improve efficiency.
Through electronic health records – EHRs can help reduce costs by improving the accuracy and accessibility of medical records. This can reduce the need for duplicate testing and procedures and can also help healthcare providers make more informed decisions about patient care.
Through telemedicine: Telemedicine can help reduce costs by eliminating the need for patients to travel to healthcare facilities for routine appointments or follow-up care. This can reduce transportation costs and can also improve access to care for patients in remote or underserved areas.
Data analytics: Data analytics can help healthcare providers identify trends and patterns in patient data, which can help them identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements.
For example, data analytics can help providers identify patients who are at risk for readmission and develop interventions to reduce readmission rates.
Preventive care: Technology can also help healthcare providers promote cost-effective preventive care by identifying patients who are at risk for chronic conditions and developing interventions to prevent or delay the onset of these conditions. This can reduce the need for costly medical interventions later on.
Improvement in patient care
There are many ways that healthcare technology can improve patient care. Here are a few examples:
Coordination of care: Health records when maintained using technology, provide a central location for patient information, which healthcare providers across different settings can access. This can improve the coordination of care and reduce errors that may occur due to incomplete or outdated patient information.
Remote care provision: Allows patients to receive care remotely, which can be especially beneficial for patients who live in rural or remote areas, or who have mobility issues. Technology can reduce the spread of infectious diseases by allowing patients to receive care from their homes.
Real-time care through instant access to information such as fitness trackers or heart rate monitors can provide patients and healthcare providers with real-time information about a patient’s health status. This information can be used to identify potential health issues before they become serious and to monitor chronic conditions more closely.
Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS): CDSS use algorithms and data analysis to provide healthcare providers with recommendations for diagnosis and treatment based on patient information. This can reduce errors and improve outcomes by providing providers with more comprehensive information and treatment options.
Health Information Exchange (HIE): HIE allows healthcare providers to securely share patient information across different healthcare systems. This can improve care coordination and reduce errors that may occur when patients receive care from multiple providers who do not have access to the same information.
Apart from the general benefits technology provides to the healthcare industry, it helps nurse practitioners deliver effective care remotely and in person to patients.
Here’re some viable benefits to consider;
Benefits of technology for Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
There are several benefits of technology for nurse practitioners (NPs). Here are a few examples:
- EHRs provide NPs with a centralized location for patient information, allowing them to access and update patient records easily. This can help NPs provide more efficient and effective care.
- Mobile Health (mHealth) technologies, such as mobile apps and text messaging services, can help NPs communicate with patients and provide education and support remotely. This can be especially beneficial for patients with limited healthcare access.
- Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) can help NPs make more informed decisions about patient care by providing recommendations based on patient data. This can help improve the accuracy and effectiveness of diagnoses and treatment plans.
Technology can help NPs provide more efficient, effective, and patient-centered care. By leveraging technology, NPs can improve access to care, enhance patient engagement and education, and reduce healthcare costs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, technology helps healthcare promote cost-effective processes by improving efficiency, reducing errors, and improving access to care. In addition, technology has the potential to greatly enhance the patient experience in healthcare by improving access to care, increasing patient engagement, and improving the quality and efficiency of care. However, it’s important to ensure that technology is used in a way that is safe and secure and protects patient privacy.