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While the current pandemic exposes how such a limited system has its faults, the truth is that optimization of healthcare is a big part of what makes it accessible and affordable. At the heart of this optimization is the utilization of technology. Various forms of tech make it possible for hospitals to streamline the way they treat patients. The following represent the most significant examples:
Telemedicine
The greatest strain on most hospitals stems from their emergency room services. A tremendous amount of resources must be allocated to the ER, much of which gets used to treat patients with non-life threatening conditions. In short, the ER is often overwhelmed and treatment of patients suffers as a result. To remedy this, hospitals are embracing telemedicine. For example, in Louisiana, Our Lady of Lourdes ER wait times have been reduced due to the implementation of telemedicine options. People who would otherwise go to the ER can be seen by a doctor via video. In this instance, the utilization of technology results in hospitals providing more immediate and attentive treatment for ER patients.
Secure Database
Healthcare has become increasingly complex in recent years. Many people find themselves being referred to outside specialists and seeking treatment at a number of healthcare facilities beyond their primary care physician’s location. In order for such a scattered system to function successfully, patient data has to be safely transferred from one facility to another. There’s just one problem: HIPAA – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act – requires such data to be transferred securely among providers. To fulfill that requirement, hospitals have developed secure database systems for patient information. Such tech enables patients to see a number of doctors without the hassles of filling out forms over and over, while also ensuring providers treat them in compliance with federal regulations.
Software
Software drives the modern world. The world of healthcare is no exception. Whether it’s telemedicine, secure data transfer, research, or other, software drives the process. Long gone are the days when paperwork and hard copy documentation was the standard. Nowadays, digital records and information are essential. This requires software. Without software, hospitals would struggle to provide patients with an adequate level of care.
Medication Management
Every hospital has a depository of pharmaceutical drugs on-site for doctors and nurses to administer to patients as needed. Unfortunately, the lack of effective security has traditionally resulted in unreliable inventory. Simply put, patients could suffer because certain drugs are out of stock due to unchecked theft. The result is a diminished quality of treatment. This changed with the implementation of secure management of the medicinal inventory. To access these drugs, healthcare professionals must register their retrieval via digitized security. In other words, everything is tracked. This ensures the pharmaceuticals are there for patients and no one else.
Smart Triage
Much of healthcare revolves around the accurate assessment of patient needs. This is especially true in the ER. Medical professionals have to determine which cases are top priority and which can wait. It’s easier said than done at the moment. This is where smart triage comes into play. The ability to use artificial intelligence to determine which patients to treat in which order is a game-changer. Rather than spend precious time scrutinizing case by case, hospitals can use smart triage to correctly prioritize their approach to patient treatment. While this technology is in its infancy, hospitals across the world expect to implement smart triage systems in the coming years.
Medicine and technology have always gone hand in hand. Improved technology almost invariably leads to improvements in healthcare. The modern era is no exception. As always, healthcare providers are quick to utilize tech for the benefit of patients. This trend will continue.
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