IT Practice Consulting – Health IT Report – June 2016
“Medical Applications – the Future of Accessible Public Health Begins with Integrated EHRs”
Introduction
In an era of fitness apps, medical web forums, and holistic lifestyle blogs, technology is an exponential wealth of communication and information-sharing. Popular demand for electronically accessible medical records – including a movement towards cellular applications – is therefore unsurprising, but progression towards software actualization remains stunted. Software engineers and medical professionals alike consider the development of health IT applications as derivative of a larger, imminent goal: fluent data-sharing of EHRs (electronic health records). The Institute of Medicine, which spearheaded the Roundtable on Value and Science-Driven Healthcare, reports that health technology requires not only reliable data-sourcing and interoperability, “but also addressing the matter of individual data ownership and the extent to which data central to progress in health and health care should constitute a public good.” According to the Institute, medical businesses, practices, and associates can assist in the innovation of health IT by maintaining compatible, comprehensive EHRs.
Patients and Practitioners look towards Mobile Health Applications
A 2013 report, “Patient-Generated Health Data and Health IT,” collaborated the findings from a dozen medical research studies in order to analyze public and private receptivity to accessible health records. The report concluded that over 80% of medical practitioners agreed that mobile access was likely to improve patient care coordination and 60% of Americans wanted to communicate electronically with their healthcare providers. One particular study reviewed Kaiser Permanente’s HIPAA-compliant, physician-patient messaging system and found it was “associated with a decrease in unnecessary office visits, an increase in measurable quality outcomes, and excellent patient satisfaction.” Furthermore, Project Health Design, a study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, developed two successful medical mobile apps. “BreathEasy” and “Estrellita” offer real-time provider communication for patients suffering from asthma and caregivers of high-risk infants, respectively. A common theme among the hospitals and projects chosen for the report was the high-level of participation in Meaningful Use and EHRs.
Read the entire report from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology here:
Patient-Generated Health Data and Health IT
Why Comprehensive EHRs Matter
The Future Health Index (FHI), an extensive study commissioned by Royal Philips Healthcare, reviewed deviating levels of digital health preparedness among medical professionals and patients. According to its findings, 74% of patients reiterate personal information for their various providers, while 60% report repeatedly taking the same tests. These numbers seems abnormally high, considering more than two-thirds of the participating healthcare professionals and patients said they “believe integrated health systems and connected technologies can improve the quality of care for patients.” However, half of providers and patients (52% and 51%, respectively) admitted that ineffective implementation, costly training, and bureaucratic backlash were the largest roadblocks to furthering such technological applications. In conclusion, while the public and private sectors strongly agree that electronically accessible health records are the future of patient care, ongoing health IT programs require individual and communal improvements.
Read More on the Future Health Index (FHI) report here:
Breaking the cycle of reactive healthcare: Analysis of the U.S. Future Health Index results
Final Thoughts
As healthcare technology evolves into patient-friendly formats, practitioners can expect an increased demand in independently accessible records within the next few years. The foundation of these innovations, however, is transparency, interoperability, and reliable data-sharing between medical professionals. Most notably, the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) will host the 2016 Digital Health Conference this December, with over 500 senior-level health employers networking and collaborating on the latest health IT trends.
NYeC endeavours to transform healthcare businesses statewide by assisting in the successful integration of federal grants and incentive programs. Help support the future of health IT and patient care, by ensuring your practice has optimized its use of electronic health records (EHRs) and patient-accessible technologies. Contact IT Practice Consulting today to facilitate a consultation on your practice’s current healthcare systems, as well as emerging opportunities for greater efficiency, security and improved patient care.
Don’t Forget to Keep Updated on the New York eHealth Collaborative’s 2016 Digital Health Conference.