Technology has made itself apparent in so many dimensions that it is only natural that one is likely to come across the many uses of information technology in healthcare. Over the years, the uses of healthcare technology have multiplied, and it has been single-handedly instrumental in saving millions of lives and introducing simplicity and greater accountability in hospital and general medical activities. Several verticals of medical professionals- doctors, nurses, chemists, and hospital management staff- can now operate on the same page sans the confusion and noisy feedback.
The trend of modernizing old, conventional, manually run systems is changing by the day, and its popularity can be estimated from its expanding market size. As per Grand View Research, the global IT healthcare industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29.3% between 2020-2030 and is currently valued at a whopping $135.6 billion.
Without further ado, let us dive into the importance of technology in healthcare, 1. Staff Management
Primarily, it aligns the goals and productivity tools for nurses, doctors, and the hospital management staff. Far too often, we can see that there are overwhelming communication gaps between different players situated at multiple locations. One of the many uses of technology in healthcare is that, sooner rather than later, their activities are monitored, calibrated to function in harmony with each other, and designed to prioritize the patient's health. 2. Patient Management
Patients and their kin often become the victims of a multi-pronged administrative process adopted in hospitals. From insurance papers to medical history to tapping into credit, a patient and his family are engulfed with endless requests from doctors and other medical staff. With healthcare technology in the picture, patient management has become more accessible and convenient. Medical and insurance papers are uploaded onto a shared database that permits doctors across hospitals and institutions to view the patient information. Moreover, healthcare institutions acquire a deeper insight into the patient's history and can leverage that data to provide comprehensive policies.
3. Lab Management
The likelihood of biological samples being misnamed and misidentified, leading to a flawed diagnosis and an incorrect course of remedy increases exponentially with every new player entering the value chain. One mistake across the pipeline can have unforeseen repercussions and could lead not just to a patient's death but can also hurt the medical organization of substantial medical negligence damages. Within its ample ambit, uses of health information technology include streamlining lab processes and ensuring that the pipeline runs error-free. 4. Equipment and Inventory Management
Unfortunately, many lives are lost for want of the right medicine, surgical device, or medical paraphernalia. Introducing healthcare technology within the system dynamics of a medical institution can lay the foundation for greater accountability and transparency. Administrative staff can keep a better watch on the kind of inventory that is in adequate quantity, and which is not. This can help them with the ability to raise an automated order for lifesaving equipment- like oxygen tanks- as soon as they reach critical levels.
5. Supply Chain Management
The pipeline of any medical institution needs to have end-to-end connectivity for reserves and inventory to be stocked. Administrative staff loses out on the larger picture when there is no transparency and clarity on how long it might take for a particular product to be sourced or deployed for use by the patient. Such a delay can turn out to be life-threatening. These failures and crises can be drastically reduced with a supply chain powered by information technology. 6. Customer Relationship Management
Unlike other sections of the economy, the health sector is deeply human-oriented. Managing customer queries, concerns, and expectations are integral to delivering premium services to customers and other stakeholders. Such complex tasks require a comprehensive and robust information technology system that can map out several commitments, goals, and objectives and must address the priorities of different players along the value chain. This system can catalyze the post-surgical customer relationship between the patient and the hospital and foster long-term loyalty, yielding a solution where everyone benefits - the doctor, the patient, and the hospital.
The use of information technology in healthcare enables us to revolutionize our archaic medical operations and usher in desperately needed path-breaking changes. These changes, even if cost accretive, in the short term will deliver enormous benefits to patients, nurses, doctors, lab technicians, and other industries that are connected to the medical field in an ancillary fashion.
We at Extentia have been at the forefront of providing transformative solutions in healthcare. Stay tuned for the next blog from the HealthTech series next week!
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Medical and insurance papers are uploaded onto a shared database that permits doctors across hospitals and geometry dash institutions to view the patient information.