15/06/2020
Why healthcare integration is the future of hospital operation
By Cesilia Faustina
The healthcare industry is changing. As we are faced with more and more demands from patients and the healthcare environment itself, things are getting both complicated and difficult. How exactly is somebody supposed to manage different healthcare spending, limited resources and provide great patient care? The answer is, you can’t, not without some innovation at least.
With the talks of flying cars and robot assistants, it is no surprise that the next solution for many healthcare providers includes the use of hospital information systems.
According to Deloitte, per-person healthcare spending is expected to continue to vary widely, ranging from $11,674 in the United States to just $54 in Pakistan in 2022. Numbers like these are what make fulfilling healthcare needs all that more difficult. This is where HIS integration comes in.
An integrated HIS can be defined as a set of technological tools that help hospitals integrate with other existing internal and external systems, this may include systems for other departments, as well as other healthcare providers to create a fully conducive system.
An integrated HIS is truly important in today’s healthcare industry. This is because integration provides greater time efficiency and productivity, as well as limit any manual errors thanks to a fully automated process. I’m sure that sounds great, but let’s break down some of the main reasons why an integrated HIS is essential for hospitals today.
Keep things traceable
An integrated system means employees can easily track their workflow. From one department to the other, all records will be available for the employees’ full convenience. By creating a system that can record and track all activities, you can easily access a full database for retracing all steps, making sure everything is fully organized and managed efficiently.
Creating full optimization
Optimizing hospital workflow is essential in keeping things efficient. An integrated and automated system will produce a smooth process to maintain optimal results. This means one step to another can be done with full efficiency without any mishaps in between. The automation of a hospital operation can help to support better planning, communication and services amongst hospital staff and employees.
Fewer errors and redundancy
Why stop there though? You can easily reduce the number of errors produced by manual efforts thanks to an integrated HIS. This means when you need to transfer a patient’s records say from one department to another, it can be done directly without the risks of being mixed up or even forgotten. An automated system that is unified with all requirements of a hospital means minimalizing the possibility of errors, ensuring all aspects of healthcare services are taken care of.
Save some time and costs
Of course, a fully integrated electronic system means cutting work time by half. An integrated HIS creates direct transfer from one party to another, this means you do not need to take extra time finding data and running across the building for any relevant parties. The electronic aspect of everything also means less need to waste resources and cost.
The ideal user experience
Let’s be honest, the core of a hospital is its employees, therefore, providing a great user experience also essential. Through an integrated HIS, all employees can feel more comfortable in conducting and tracking their tasks, not to mention communicating amongst departments or external healthcare providers. Aside from the employees though, the patients are also a key factor to manage. HIS can help patients to access their information, book appointments and even provide feedback.
Seeing how an integrated HIS can truly help a hospital’s workflow, we are looking at the future of the healthcare industry. It is time for this sector to expand and look at different possibilities, especially when it comes to the use of technology. Overall, we are looking at a positive change for the benefits of hospital, across all sectors and departments, whether financial, HR, insurance or other healthcare providers, such as clinics, radiology centres, pharmacies and more. It is time to take a chance on integration and maximize patient satisfaction.
For more information about HIS integration, check out ESKADENIA's hospital information system, ESKA Carenet, and our whitepaper about its case study.