Mobile technology has completely transformed our personal and business lives. With instant access to information via smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, we quickly get what we need to make better, more informed decisions faster.
For the healthcare industry, mobility has enabled new ways for physicians to access their patients’ information and take action to improve patient care. As demand for instant access continues to grow and healthcare facilities strive to move to a mobile environment, they should consider maturing their mobile strategies by incorporating enterprise technologies, like enterprise content management (ECM). Many facilities are implementing ECM solutions to capture, manage, protect, store, access and share information to streamline processes, and become more efficient.
The following scenario depicts how mobile enterprise applications, connected with a mobile ECM solution, will help healthcare organizations reach efficiency goals and provide superior care.
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Patient check in
When a patient arrives for an appointment, registration hands them a tablet computer to sign in and review information. Instead of signing multiple paper forms and searching for IDs and insurance cards, the patient fills out their personal information and symptoms, then hands the tablet back to the front desk.
Because the health system has integrated its electronic medical record (EMR) with an ECM solution, registration can quickly pull up the patient’s entire medical record and check the patient in for their appointment. The ECM solution connects multiple systems throughout the facility so that registration securely views the patient’s insurance and billing information, recent visits, current medications and any other pertinent content located in the medical record. This single, central location simplifies compliance with HIPPA , by securing access to patient information with the ability to audit who viewed the information.
During the appointment
The physician is immediately alerted via mobile device that the patient has arrived, as well as the reason for the visit. They also have the ability to securely view past tests results and chart notes. The physician goes into the appointment, with a tablet in hand, with a better idea of what to look for and possible treatment options.
Once the exam is over, the physician can use a mobile device to securely send prescriptions to the pharmacy, follow-up with the patient and send educational material regarding the diagnosis.
Post appointment
When the patients leave the office, they can electronically sign paperwork on the tablet and leave just minutes after seeing the physician.
In other departments such as, coding and billing, employees can be alerted immediately about pending approvals, helping automate the reimbursement process to maximize collections.
Because enterprise applications are updated in real time, the physician can sign off on charts and other documents immediately following the appointment. If a discrepancy is found on a chart or patient file, the physician can alleviate deficiencies from anywhere, whether in the office or at home, translating into better patient care and faster payments for the hospital.
Patient follow ups
Whether on a mobile device or on a personal computer, when patients arrives home they can track progress and send updates on changes to the condition. In addition, as results from an appointment become available, the physician has the ability to quickly be notified of critical or abnormal updates on their mobile device. These updates can be checked immediately to determine if an alternative treatment or immediate care is needed.
If care is needed in a home health situation, the physician can use their mobile device to pull up patient information in real time. This removes the security risk of taking carrying hard copies of a patient’s record out of the healthcare environment. It also enables the physician to always have the correct documentation with them, never missing a form or having to make multiple trips for missing information.
As efforts are made toward a more mobile healthcare environment one thing is certain- the faster and more efficiently a physician accesses information, the better the quality of care and overall experience for the patient. Implementing mobile enterprise solutions, like ECM, with your organizations’ overall mobile strategy will connect systems to reach efficiency goals, streamline processes, make better decisions on patient care and positively impact revenue.
