Last Updated | July 25, 2023
Overview – 7 Features of an Effective Healthcare Integration System
So what is a healthcare integration system?
Day by the day the pressure on the healthcare system intensifies. Whether it be a shortage of staff or rising costs this all contributes to the worsening situation.
Therefore, something must be done to somehow relieve the ever-mounting burden. Integrated healthcare systems do just that.
Not only do the integrated healthcare systems make use of already scarce resources efficiently but they also simultaneously ensure superior performance by incorporating standardized protocols and effective communication.
What is the purpose of integration in healthcare?
The main aim of an integrated healthcare system is to offer patients the best possible care while also making sure that the patient’s family is taken care of.
This in turn leads to an overall better experience. Due to the high quality of care provided better patient outcomes are observed.
Furthermore, an integrated healthcare system also ensures that there is a seamless transition of the patient through the healthcare system.
In short integrated healthcare systems were developed to facilitate affordable prices and access throughout a patient’s journey in each step of the healthcare system.
In behavioral health, EHR can be used by Healthcare professionals in order to systemize their operations.
Why is folio3 your custom healthcare, solution partner?
Folio3 is a preeminent technology solution provider. It has the relevant expertise and the resources to provide its clients with industry-leading, HIPAA compliant healthcare solutions to all of its customers.
Furthermore, Folio3 offers powerful software solutions that incorporate a wide range of HL7 data integration and Interfacing Services. These services ensure effective communication, secure EMR/EHR services while simultaneously reducing manual data transfer.
One of the main aims of folio3 is to provide a platform to all kinds of entrepreneurs so that their vision of digital products and medical solutions can come to life. The main areas of focus of such software are telemedicine solutions, Intelligence, and analytics, practice management, and software to be utilized as medical devices. To know more click here.
7 best features of an effective healthcare integration system
An effective healthcare integration system should have seven key features, including seamless healthcare systems integration, data security, scalability, and interoperability, to ensure that healthcare providers can effectively manage patient care across different systems and platforms.
Listed below are the seven best features of an effective healthcare integration system:
- Patient Focus:
Integrated health systems were designed so that patient care is the center of focus and that all the needs of the patients are met. Healthcare organizations that fail to do so are not at all likely to succeed.
To improve patient satisfaction, it is essential to have in-depth knowledge as to how the patient moves throughout the health and the social care system. Healthcare institutions that wish to do so must be ready to re-think and be ready to redesign the internal processes.
Integrated healthcare systems make it easier for those receiving care to navigate through the healthcare system. This process ensures that the patient receives the right care at the right moment.
- Performance management:
The best healthcare integrated systems make performance management a top priority. This includes monitoring of patient outcomes, analysis of issues related to performance, and how these issues might be resolved.
These procedures make sure that all processes are carried out efficiently so that services are improved. The continuous monitoring of such parameters is a vital component of upgrading the quality of care and promoting cost-effectiveness.
Additionally, some healthcare systems have certain procedures in place that integrate a reward-based system that provides incentives when certain organizational goals are accomplished.
- Information Systems:
To achieve the best possible outcomes and be effective, a healthcare integrated system must have access to a world-class information system.
The information system enables data management, tracking of patient outcomes improves communication capacity, and enhances the flow of information.
This is accomplished by the use of electronic health records that connect both patients and physicians while concurrently linking all the relevant stakeholders.
Moreover, the electronic health records can be accessed from virtually anywhere with aids with patient registration, management of clinical data, and scheduling.
- Integration of Physicians:
For any healthcare system to be efficacious healthcare providers must be integrated at every step of the way. This makes sure that healthcare integrated systems remain effective and are implemented every step of the way.
The integration of physicians within such systems have been observed to be vital for their success and bring an improvement in the quality of life.
- Management of finances:
One of the main reasons why several healthcare institutions opted for healthcare integrated systems is because of their ability to reduce costs and as a result improve profits.
An effective healthcare system makes sure that funds are allocated properly to each department within the institution and that all the resources are being used in such a manner that the best possible outcome is achieved every single time.
- Geographical Coverage:
Geographic coverage is provided by many health systems to ensure maximum patient access to the services provided by them and to minimize duplication. Rostering is typically utilized in combination with the geographical coverage.
This occurs when the health system takes authority for a specified population within a geographic area, and clients are allowed to exist if they wish to look for services from other various providers.
A minimum number of one million clients is needed to develop an efficient integrated delivery system. This type of integration is impossible to achieve in less populous areas, succeeding only in a country’s most populous ones. Moreover, this type of integration is difficult to achieve in rural areas as well, highlighting the importance of considering innovative approaches to extend the benefits of integrated delivery systems in healthcare to diverse settings
- Standardized delivery of care:
Progression of the care process is promoted by standardized care delivery by cross-industry or inter-professional teams. Within such a team, all members are considered equal. Professional autonomy is ensured and maintained. To ensure efficiency, incentives are provided as well.
To make sure that patients can smoothly transfer from one type of care to another, the responsibilities and roles of all the team members are distinguished. Lack of trust, lack of clarity in roles, and conflicting views on the interests of clients disrupt the collaboration and its process.
Therefore it is imperative to hold frequent team meetings and use electronic information systems to facilitate quick and easy communication in interprofessional collaboration. This ensures the efficient functioning of interprofessional teams and allows them to enhance the quality of care by standardizing care across services.
Last but not least, UX for healthcare devices and integration systems isn’t considered an essential feature, but it’s high time that it does. This is because all these features provide no value if the UX isn’t designed and implemented well. So, whenever you hire a vendor for a healthcare integration system, make sure to discuss the UX.
Conclusion – 7 Features of an Effective Healthcare Integration System
Healthcare integrated systems are revolutionizing the conventional approach towards healthcare but for these systems to be truly effective, it is important to invest the proper amount of time and resources.
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