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Tips for Maintaining Patient Health and Well-Being with Tech

Tips for Maintaining Patient Health and Well-Being with Tech

Tips for Maintaining Patient Health and Well-Being with Tech

Technological advances are creating seismic changes in virtually every industry, and healthcare is no exception. Providing effective patient care can present a number of significant challenges that have historically plagued the healthcare system at large.

These issues have incurred severe costs over time in the form of wasted resources, care failures, and even lives in many cases.

Tips for Maintaining Patient Health and Well-Being with Tech

Applying technology to solving these problems can fundamentally change the quality and effectiveness of the healthcare system. One area of healthcare that is experiencing particular innovation is that of patient health and well-being. Thanks to technological trends and advances over the past five years, our capabilities in this area have skyrocketed.

In this article, we’ll explore the top areas where tech is revolutionizing patient care.

Why Maintaining Patient Health and Well-Being is Vital

It could be argued that maintaining patient health and well-being is the single fundamental purpose of the healthcare system at large. However, there are several practical and operational ways of understanding this concept that help distinguish patient health and well-being from other systems within healthcare. Maintaining effective protocols for ensuring patient health and well-being is important in a few ways.

Patient health and well-being directly contribute not only to patient outcomes (e.g. the ultimate effectiveness of the treatment or care they receive) but to the patient’s experience and perception of the care they receive. Ultimately, not only the individual patients but healthcare providers, friends and family, and other stakeholders all benefit from favorable patient experiences.

Mitigating lawsuits, decreasing workplace stress for medical professionals, and increasing long-term engagement with healthcare are just some of the advantages the healthcare system can experience when it prioritizes patient health and well-being during the care process.

Top Technological Solutions Raising the Bar for Patient Health and Well-Being

Technology can be used to increase the average level of patient health and well-being in several ways. Here are a few of the top strategies for approaching this goal (though this is not an exhaustive list):

Leveraging the Power of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Patient Identification Tools

Having systems in place to better maintain and access patient records while providing care can create a number of benefits for both patients and medical professionals. Having a patient’s health history and profile information immediately available while providing care can help medical personnel avoid making costly mistakes or misdiagnoses.

A touchless patient identification platform like RightPatient helps prevent patient safety issues, misdiagnoses, and duplicate medical records. RightPatient utilizes biometrics to identify patient records accurately each time patients come in for visits (both physical and telehealth), preventing mix-ups, duplicate EHRs, and more.

It can also save time by mitigating redundant tests or procedures. This can improve patient outcomes and can also improve their experiences while receiving care.

Implementing Biotech Tools for Better Monitoring and Data Capture

The prevalence, quality, and availability of consumer-accessible biotech and medical monitoring tools have reached unprecedented levels. This makes self-monitoring and new approaches to instituting care possible that utilize more sustained, accurate, or multifaceted data.

Tools for tracking blood pressure, heart rate, stress levels, sleep quality, blood samples, and more can be used by patients at home and in their daily lives. The resulting insights can much improve diagnosis as well as the treatment plan development process.

Utilizing Highly Viable Telehealth Options

Telehealth capabilities have also experienced rapid improvements and scaling over the past 3-5 years. This was partly propelled by necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The quality of telehealth services has made telehealth care an accessible, understandable, and preferred option for many patients across the country.

While telehealth won’t completely replace in-person healthcare provision (at least for the foreseeable future), it provides a helpful option for many patients and healthcare entities that can make certain types of healthcare provision much more efficient and convenient for both patients and care professionals.

Telehealth will likely be implemented in increasing measures, both to complement and replace certain types of in-person care, as the healthcare system continues to evolve.

Increasing Medical Professionals’ Access to Databases and Resources

The internet and its organization of information into accessible, centralized places have changed the way medical professionals can access medical knowledge. This can change the process of healthcare provision as well as increase its quality.

Doctors can use a medical prescription database on their phones to check instantly for drug incompatibilities or allergy dangers when writing prescriptions. Nurses can pull up the latest research from a medical database to answer a patient’s questions on the spot. Medical journals can be instantly cross-referenced to provide helpful insights when diagnosing a difficult case.

The wealth and accessibility of medical information and data have fundamentally changed the game for the healthcare process.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics into Surgeries and Diagnoses

Emergent technologies are increasingly making a place for themselves in healthcare provision. Already, AI-capable software is being used to analyze large amounts of data for trends and insights. It can also be used to detect subtle nuances in test results and scans that are indiscernible to the human eye to help diagnose health conditions.

Robotic technology is being utilized in surgeries that require more precision or smaller movements than a human surgeon can perform. These technologies are rapidly expanding and iterating. Though many are still in the early stages of development and adoption, their use will continue to increase because of the clear benefits they present.

Tech Trends Continue for Patient Health and Well-Being

These technological trends and more will continue to develop and will be increasingly implemented to improve patient health and well-being in the coming years. Other technologies that are currently in embryonic or experimental stages will continue to emerge as well that will continue to shift the way tech is applied to healthcare.

It’s important to stay on top of technological solutions that are available now, as well as keep an eye on the technological horizons for significant developments that are sure to come.

4 Benefits Of Keeping Electronic Health Records

4 Benefits Of Keeping Electronic Health Records

4 Benefits Of Keeping Electronic Health Records

Keeping electronic health records can ensure timely and accurate exchange of vital information between providers. It can also enhance patient care through 24/7 access to a complete record. It also allows greater continuity of care by allowing access to patient records and lower error rates compared to paper-based systems.

What Are EHRS?

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are digital records of a patient’s health information. This includes their medical results and notes. EHRs are used to manage and track the medical history of patients electronically. This can be done by uploading a patient’s file to a server, where it is accessible by doctors who want to access the information they need. Most reputable doctors, including concierge MD Erin Reese, swear by this system.

4 Benefits Of Keeping Electronic Health Records

Benefits of Maintaining Electronic Health Records

Minimal Errors

Keeping electronic health records can help you avoid errors in patient care and save time by digitizing your records. When you use electronic health records, you can see all your patient’s health information in one place. This means you will not have to search through paper files or go back and forth between different locations to get all their information. In addition, these systems allow for faster communication between providers and patients. This is because they can electronically send information back and forth.

Better Access

Many doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals say that electronic health records (EHR) offer better access to patient information. This can be important for patients who find it difficult to get in touch with their doctor or cannot visit their primary care physician.

When EHRs are used properly, they allow medical professionals to keep track of a patient’s history. They can even watch any changes in their condition. This can help them make better decisions about treatment options for each patient.

Simplified Billing

Keeping your electronic health records up-to-date is important for several reasons. You may not have thought of the benefit it provides to your medical practice’s billing department.

As you know, keeping your EHRs up-to-date allows you to make sure that each patient has an accurate record. This can be especially important for patients who have recently moved and changed insurance plans. These patients will need their files transferred over to their new providers. You will also find that it makes it easier to provide services to your patients and bill their insurance companies.

In addition, by keeping your records up-to-date, you will find out which patients need follow-ups. You can also check who has upcoming appointments scheduled with other doctors.

Better Patient Medical History Record

Keeping electronic health records may seem like a hassle, but there are many benefits to it. One of the biggest is making your patient’s medical history much easier to keep track of.

When dealing with paper records, it’s easy to lose track of what has been done with them and where they are. With an electronic record system, though, you’ll always know where your files are. You can even set up alerts so that you’ll be notified of any changes that have been made or if new documents need your attention.

This can help prevent mistakes during treatment and ensure that the most up-to-date information is always available for doctors who are treating your patients.

However, many healthcare providers are using touchless patient identification platforms like RightPatient to ensure patient data integrity and reduce patient mix-ups. Not only does it help ensure that accurate data is being fed to EHRs but it also ensures patient safety as patients receive the appropriate treatment required. 

Conclusion

In the end, it is electronic health records that can benefit patients and doctors alike. Without them, there could be inevitable delays in care. We hope this has provided some insight into what electronic health records are and how it works to benefit all parties involved.

How-Advanced-Practice-Nursing-Impacts-Patient-Care

How Advanced Practice Nursing Impacts Patient Care

How-Advanced-Practice-Nursing-Impacts-Patient-Care

Nursing is no longer limited to merely a supporting role in healthcare. Nurses can chart a career path in many specialties and at different seniority levels. As a result, more nurses are completing advanced nursing degrees, such as a master’s or doctor of nursing practice (DNP).

How-Advanced-Practice-Nursing-Impacts-Patient-Care

This increase in advanced practice nursing benefits the sector in many ways. Here’s how advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) impact patient care.

Nurse practitioners can act independently

As nurses progress up the education ladder, they gain more skills. Nurse practitioners (you reach NP status when you have a master’s or doctor’s degree) can act with more autonomy than registered nurses who hold a bachelor’s degree. 

The scope of responsibilities differs from state to state. In states where nurses have full practice authority, they can:

  • conduct physical examinations
  • order diagnostic tests
  • make certain diagnoses
  • put together treatment plans
  • manage chronic conditions
  • prescribe certain medication

In reduced practice states, nurse practitioners can order tests and diagnose but may require physician oversight to prescribe medication. In restricted practice states, nurse practitioners must perform all tasks under physician supervision or with physician collaboration. 

They can provide greater support in emergency care

Emergency and critical care facilities are often under strain during times when there is an influx of patients. Because nurse practitioners have advanced medical training, they would be able to treat patients at low to mid triage levels, allowing doctors to focus on more urgent and life-threatening cases. 

They can fill the gap in the shortage of healthcare workers

Globally, the healthcare sector is facing a skills shortage crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there will be a shortage of 18 million healthcare workers by 2030 and an additional 9 million nurses and midwives will be needed to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3. 

Additionally, the Association of American Medical Colleges expects a shortage ranging between 46,900 and 121,900 physicians come 2032.

These stats are alarming and to make matters worse, many healthcare workers quit the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic or are planning to leave soon. Thus, there will be an urgent need for healthcare workers with advanced skills in the future. 

Nurses who complete a master’s or doctor’s in nursing practice program today can step into this vacuum so that patient care isn’t compromised in the future. 

They can open their independent nursing practice

In full-practice states, nurses can operate their independent nursing practice without physician oversight. This offers patients an alternative to seeing a doctor for preventive healthcare, to treat minor health issues, and manage chronic conditions. It also alleviates the caseload for physicians who are stretched to capacity. 

Nurse practitioners must meet the following educational and licensure requirements:

  • Have completed an advanced nursing degree program, such as a doctor of nursing practice program. 
  • Passed a national certification exam with a recognized certification board, such as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
  • Have a valid state license. 

To continue practicing, most states require that nurses renew their certification every five years and their license every 2 years. 

They can specialize

Nurses, just like doctors, have the option to specialize. Nurses who complete an accredited doctor of nursing online program can choose a concentration in pediatrics, adult-gerontology, midwifery, and mental health, to name a few. 

Nurses who specialize can act as a second set of eyes to the physician. Their focused training means they could spot changes in a patient’s physical or mental health or catch early symptoms that a doctor may have missed. 

They can influence policy

Nurse practitioners who wish to move into leadership roles in healthcare can complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree or a Ph.D. 

A DNP is more clinically focused while a Ph.D. is more research-focused. Both will allow a nurse to rise to a more prominent role, one in which they can influence policy, advocate for improvements in patient care, and champion patient safety rights. 

They can shape future nurses

Nurse educators are in big demand and are likely to become more sought after to help train a new generation of nurses. Training isn’t limited to clinical practice but also to new technology, techniques, global healthcare trends, and the policy environment. 

The healthcare industry is changing and so are patients’ expectations. Nurses will need an understanding of concepts such as health tech, telemedicine, data analytics, artificial intelligence, integrative medicine, and personalized medicine. 

In conclusion

A career in nursing no longer needs to follow one linear path. With the right training, there are hundreds of nursing specialties to pursue. Advanced practice registered nurses are at the forefront of serving the patients who require specialized care. 

How-Telehealth-Is-Helping-Seniors-After-The-Pandemic

How Telehealth Is Helping Seniors After The Pandemic

How-Telehealth-Is-Helping-Seniors-After-The-Pandemic

Telehealth is a far more flexible healthcare delivery service compared to traditional means and has been around for ages. However, it took an upward trajectory quickly during the pandemic, and little is known about how it is helping seniors after the pandemic.

Learn more about how telehealth is benefiting seniors and their families post-COVID.

How-Telehealth-Is-Helping-Seniors-After-The-Pandemic

6 Benefits Of Telehealth To Seniors

Telehealth allows seniors to consult with their doctors remotely using either live video, instant messaging, or audio via telemedicine apps. Let’s go over the benefits. 

Reduced hospital visits, hence saving time

Placing a loved one in a nursing home is costly for most families. They are therefore left with no choice but to move in with their loved ones to care for them. With responsibilities of their own like caring for their children and holding down a career, shuttling their loved ones to and from the hospital every so often can be a tall order. 

Telehealth, in this case, helps reduce the number of hospital visits to save time for their caregivers as well as reduce the strain on seniors of having to commute every so often.

Improved overall patient care

Senior patients tend to have a myriad of medical conditions that require them to visit different specialists constantly. This can become quite a burden to many aging patients, particularly those residing in the rural areas where access to healthcare is a challenge. 

With telehealth, these patients can get proper healthcare attention right from the comfort of their homes. This improves their general health, enabling them to live longer and improve their quality.

Less Exposure to Germs

Telehealth helps to minimize germ exposure to senior patients with compromised immune systems, therefore, eliminating more risky situations because the ‘hospital visit’ is done remotely.  

Real-Time Monitoring

With remote monitoring, seniors can get real-time updates on their health statuses. This is unlike when they have to anxiously wait for days before going back to the hospital to get their test results. Also, physicians are able to get real-time reports and similarly,  give feedback almost instantly.

Fewer emergency Situations

It is reported that more than 50% of seniors delay seeking medical care because they feel it is strenuous and too time-consuming to go to the hospital. 

Giving them a chance to still get medical care without leaving their house will significantly reduce this number. Most importantly, it will help lower the number of emergency situations because they are able to be attended to before their conditions escalate.

Reduced costs

Using technology to deliver healthcare to seniors has helped significantly reduce travel-related costs. 

How Can Seniors Use Telehealth?

Well, there are many ways that seniors and their caregivers can take advantage of telehealth. 

For palliative care, caregivers can use telehealth to update the progress of their loved ones to their healthcare providers, as well as seek advice and feedback on how best to care for their loved ones.

Telehealth can also be used in managing chronic illnesses and transitional care for conditions like heart failure. It can also be used for primary care for seniors who are unable or have difficulty moving out of the home. 

Doctors can dispense medication, give progress reports, offer dietary information, and even provide consultation services to senior patients via telehealth systems.

On the other hand, seniors can record and send measurements like their weight, blood pressure, heart rate, sugar levels, and food intake. They can also check their test results, schedule an appointment, and request their prescription refills as well as share their diagnoses and drug allergies.

While telehealth has been more than helpful to seniors even after the pandemic, it hasn’t been without challenges. One of the biggest challenges for seniors has been the ability to navigate technology to use the various telehealth systems properly. Even though only a small percentage have embraced telehealth, the good news is that many more are willing to try it out.

That said, we encourage that you still consider in-visits when necessary, particularly when you feel all is not well. 

Of course, you can use telehealth for regular checkups and even take the initiative to learn how to maintain your wheelchairs and other assistive aids to minimize your visits to the doctor.

Seven Ways Remote Patient Monitoring Solutions Give You the Upper Hand 

Seven Ways Remote Patient Monitoring Solutions Give You the Upper Hand 

Seven Ways Remote Patient Monitoring Solutions Give You the Upper Hand 

Healthcare is evolving.

Technology is changing the way we live and work, and that’s especially true in the medical field.

Remote patient monitoring devices and services make it easier than ever for patients to care for themselves while still getting the support they need from healthcare professionals.

Here are seven benefits of using remote patient monitoring devices and services.

Seven Ways Remote Patient Monitoring Solutions Give You the Upper Hand 

What is Remote Patient Monitoring?

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is the process of remotely monitoring a patient’s health status and collecting health data from them. 

This can be achieved in various methods, such as using sensors to track vital signs or having patients report their symptoms.

Remote patient monitoring can be used to enhance patient care by providing clinicians with timely information about their patients’ health, which can help them make better treatment decisions.

It can also help patients stay healthy by allowing them to monitor their own health and receive feedback from clinicians.

How Does Remote Patient Monitoring Work?

There are various ways that remote patient monitoring can be used to collect data about a patient’s health.

One common method is using sensors to track vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation levels.

Other methods include having patients report their own symptoms, using remote video consultations, or collecting data from devices that patients are already using, such as activity trackers or smartwatches.

Clinicians can access the remote patient monitoring data in various ways, including through secure websites, mobile apps, or dedicated remote patient monitoring devices.

Seven Ways Remote Patient Monitoring Solutions Give You the Upper Hand

Now that we know what remote patient monitoring is and how it works, let’s look at seven benefits of using remote patient monitoring devices and services.

Increased Patient Safety

One of the most essential benefits of remote patient monitoring is that it can help improve patient safety.

Remote patient monitoring devices and services allow clinicians to more quickly identify and address patient issues, which can help prevent serious health complications.

For example, if a patient’s vital signs suddenly start to fluctuate, remote patient monitoring can help alert clinicians so they can take action before the situation becomes worse.

Improved Clinician Efficiency

Another great benefit of remote patient monitoring is that it can help improve clinician efficiency.

Remote patient monitoring services and devices allow clinicians to see all of a patient’s health data in one place, making it easier to detect issues and make treatment decisions.

This can help clinicians save time by not having to track down information from multiple sources.

It can also help them provide better care for their patients by allowing them to focus on the individual instead of trying to manage a large number of patients at once.

Faster Treatment Decisions

Remote patient monitoring can help healthcare providers make treatment decisions more quickly.

This is because it allows them to get a real-time view of the patient’s health data, which can help them identify problems early on.

It also enables healthcare providers to develop a more detailed understanding of the patient’s condition, which can help them choose the most effective course of treatment.

Better Patient Engagement

When it comes to taking care of their health, many patients find it difficult to stay motivated. This is where remote patient monitoring devices and services can help.

Remote patient monitoring devices and services allow patients to track their own health data and see how they’re doing over time.

This can help patients stay engaged in their care and motivated to make healthy decisions and more easily communicate with clinicians about any issues they’re having.

Reduced Costs

Nowadays, healthcare is expensive, and not everyone can afford to see a doctor every time they need one.

Remote patient monitoring devices and services can help reduce costs by allowing patients to care for themselves.

This can save patients money by not having to go to the doctor as often, and it can also help healthcare providers save money by reducing the need for in-person visits.

Improved Care Coordination

Care coordination ensures that all the different parts of a patient’s care work together seamlessly.

This is especially important for patients with chronic conditions, who often see multiple specialists and require medication from different pharmacies.

Remote patient monitoring can help improve care coordination by giving healthcare providers real-time access to the patient’s health data.

This allows them to identify potential problems early and intervene before the patient’s condition deteriorates.

Improved Quality of Life

Remote patient monitoring can also improve the quality of life for patients with chronic conditions.

It allows them to stay connected to their healthcare providers, receive regular updates on their health status, and get access to educational materials and support groups that can help them cope with their illness.

In addition, remote patient monitoring can provide patients with more independence by allowing them to manage their own care.

Improve Your Health by Using Remote Patient Monitoring Devices and Services

Remote patient monitoring companies are changing the lives of patients and healthcare providers around the world.

By using remote patient monitoring devices and services, patients can get the care they need while staying comfortable in their own homes.

5 Types of Business Software Every Physician Could Benefit From

5 Types of Business Software Every Physician Could Benefit From

5 Types of Business Software Every Physician Could Benefit From

As a doctor, your focus should be on your patients and giving them the best possible treatment. However, managing a practice can take up a lot of a physician’s time and energy that could be instead dedicated to patients. Fortunately, there are software platforms available that can help you more easily manage the business aspects of your clinic. 

When it comes to choosing the best business software for your practice, there are a lot of factors to consider. The most important thing is to find software that will meet the specific needs of your practice. Use the following considerations to help you select the best software options for your practice.

5 Types of Business Software Every Physician Could Benefit From

1. Consider the size of your practice

Not all software is created equal. Some programs are designed for small businesses, while others are better suited for large enterprises. Make sure to select software that is appropriate for the size of your practice.

2. Consider your budget

Business software can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Consider contacting the company directly to determine if there are any plans that can be customized to your specific financial needs. There are a variety of affordable options available, so there is no need to break the bank.

3. Consider your needs

Not all software is created for every business. Make sure to select software that meets the specific needs of your practice. For example, if you need a program to manage patient appointments, then you should select an appointment software program.

4. Consider your staff

Some software is designed for use by a single user, while other programs are intended for use by a team of users. Make sure to select software that is appropriate for the number of staff and level of computer literacy of your staff.

5. Consider your time constraints

Not all software is easy to use out of the box. Make sure to select software that is user-friendly and easy to learn. You don’t want to spend hours on training yourself and your staff to use a new system.

Types of Business Software All Physicians Should Consider

Now that you know what to consider when selecting business software, let’s take a look at five types of business software that every physician should consider using in their practice.

1. Patient Billing Software

Billing is a necessary part of keeping your practice running smoothly. Billing software can help you to ensure that patients are billed promptly and accurately. Patients are also more able to understand the billing statements they receive from software. This can help patients to better understand what they owe and enable them to more easily pay on time. Plus, the software helps your practice maintain a professional image throughout the entire billing process.

2. Scheduling Software

Scheduling is vital to any medical practice. Not only do you have to accurately keep track of patient appointments, you also have to schedule employee shifts. This can become even more complex if there is more than one doctor working in your practice, especially if they have different schedules. Scheduling software can help you to ensure that all shifts are fully covered and that no one is double-booked for patient appointments. 

3. Patient Portal

Having a patient portal can go a long way toward improving the patient experience. Patients can log in to the portal securely to access their health records, view and make appointments, check medications, and more. It’s extremely convenient for patients to be able to access their information all in one location. Many patient portals also allow patients to contact their doctors via a messaging feature as well as pay their bills.

4. Medical Records Database

Digital medical records are so much more convenient and easy to access for both physicians and for patients than paper records are. Plus, paper records can take up a lot of space that you don’t have to spare in your practice’s office space. Medical records software can give doctors a secure way to store patient medical records digitally. This will also make records easier to send to other medical professionals or to the patient when necessary. Medical record software can typically include a lot of information about patients, including their insurance information.

5. Appointment Reminders

Patients lead busy lives. It may be easy for some of them to forget about appointments that they have made. Appointment reminder software can help ensure that patients are able to keep their appointments and arrive on time. Reminders can be sent to patients at certain intervals before an appointment begins. Typically they can also be sent via different methods, such as e-mail or text messages so that patients can receive them in the method that works best for them. Plus, this frees up staff time because they don’t have to take the time to call patients to remind them.

Selecting the Best Business Software for Your Practice

Physicians are under a lot of pressure to see more patients, keep up with new medical technology, and manage their businesses. But there is some good news! There are a variety of software programs on the market that can make your life easier. We’ve listed five types of business software that every physician could benefit from, but this is just the beginning. With the help of the right tools, you can focus on what you do best: providing quality care for your patients.

Nursing Leader's Role in Patient Safety & Satisfaction

Nursing Leader’s Role in Patient Safety & Satisfaction

Nursing Leader's Role in Patient Safety & Satisfaction

Nurses play a critical role in patient care and outcomes. While physicians make diagnoses and provide treatment, nurses are responsible for a wide range of essential tasks, including monitoring patients’ conditions, dispensing medication, and assisting with personal care tasks. Nursing leaders have the additional responsibility of overseeing other nurses to help ensure quality patient care

Although nursing leaders may have less direct contact with patients on a daily basis, their role is incredibly important for creating high levels of safety and satisfaction among patients. Many of a nursing leader’s duties affect the way the nursing staff as a whole provides care. Here’s how a nursing leader can affect these important factors. 

Nursing Leader's Role in Patient Safety & Satisfaction

Staffing Decisions 

Nursing leaders are typically in charge of hiring and firing new nursing staff. Making staffing decisions is a difficult balancing act for nurse leaders. They have a budget they must stick to, but they also have to hire enough staff to meet the needs of the organization. 

Making good hiring decisions can also be challenging when it comes to finding the right people for the job. There may be many applicants, but if only a handful are qualified or experienced enough, there might be a shortfall. Inexperienced nurses will need to be paired with more experienced professionals while they gain knowledge and confidence on the job, while others may simply lack the dedication and skills needed to be successful. 

However, staffing shortfalls can lead to issues with patient safety and affect the patient’s overall experience. An experienced nursing leader must balance all of these factors when making hiring and firing decisions to ensure a high level of care. 

Training Protocols 

Adequate staffing alone isn’t enough to ensure that patients are well-cared for. A nursing leader should emphasize ongoing training for their nursing staff so that they continue to build new skills and reinforce their current training. 

Professional development is important as the field of medicine evolves. Nursing leaders who look ahead to the future can improve patient care and safety by ensuring that nurses receive ongoing training. 

In addition to creating a more skilled workforce, ongoing training and development can help nurses feel more invested and engaged in their work. This is essential for preventing burnout and offers a win-win for both nurses and patients. 

Clear Standards of Care 

An effective nursing leader must insist that their staff maintain high standards for safety and patient care. While every RN should know and follow the basic ethical and care standards of the profession, every organization sets its own tone and standards as well. 

In order to maintain these standards, a nursing leader must highlight and emphasize them, enforcing compliance when needed. By making standards of care clear and concise, with no gray areas for interpretation, the nursing staff will all be expected to follow and maintain the same protocols, resulting in more consistent patient care.  

Emphasizing Communication & Preventing Errors

Nurses spend a lot of time communicating with patients and their families. Many errors that occur are the result of poor communication, even when there is no language barrier affecting understanding. 

A nurse leader should emphasize the importance of clear communication, even in difficult situations. Preventing errors is a top priority within the field of nursing, as they can be a matter of life and death. In fact, around 2.6 million people die every year due to safety issues in hospitals. 

Since some errors can be prevented simply by asking questions and having conversations, nursing leaders must be mindful of how proper communication affects patient outcomes. Just a few clarifying questions can sometimes make a critical difference. 

Morale Impact 

There are a lot of people in leadership positions across industries who shouldn’t be holding these roles. Unfortunately, poor leadership is not only common, but it also has a massive impact on employee morale. 

Leaders can fail their teams in a variety of ways, but it’s not all bad news. Effective nursing leaders can inspire their teams and boost morale by providing a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment. 

People do their best work when they’re happy. A good nursing leader knows how to maintain harmony within a team, push people when appropriate, and give them support when necessary. In this kind of environment, everyone knows where they stand and can honor their responsibilities with confidence. 

Cultural Competence

Nursing isn’t just about healing physical illness and wounds. The profession involves connecting with patients and giving them a safe space to recover. As diversity grows in the United States, however, many patients find that they do not get the sensitivity and communication they need to feel safe in the hospital. 

Cultural competence is critical in nursing to ensure that patients are given dignity and respect. Trust is an important component in helping patients to recover and preventing errors, so every nursing leader should help to facilitate this trust by teaching their nursing staff how to provide culturally competent care. 

Nursing Leaders Set the Example 

A nurse leader doesn’t have to be doing all of the day-to-day work to make a positive impact on patient care and safety. Instead, nursing leaders set the standards and example for the entire nursing staff. A nursing leader who takes steps to ensure that all nurses are providing top-notch care will see a strong, positive impact on their department’s safety record, patient satisfaction, and overall happiness among both patients and nurses. 

RightPatient-combats-denials-in-healthcare-facilities

Dealing with Claim Denials in Healthcare Facilities

RightPatient-combats-denials-in-healthcare-facilities

Healthcare providers have always been under a lot of pressure. Patient mix-ups, identity theft cases, denied claims, medical record errors, data breaches, and patient safety incidents are just a few examples of the challenges. However, all of these issues were more visible than ever with COVID-19. Claim denials were one of the most difficult challenges, as there were more patients in need of healthcare services during the pandemic’s peak. Both healthcare providers and payers were (and still be) at odds over denied claims, and the situation will only worsen as rules and regulations change. While hospitals are already suffering from massive losses, refused claims exacerbate the situation. That being said, let’s take a look at a few strategies for dealing with claim denials in healthcare facilities.

RightPatient-combats-denials-in-healthcare-facilities

Strategies that can help reduce claim denials in healthcare

Provide training to the coding team

Coding errors are one of the most regular reasons for claim denials in healthcare facilities. For example, suppose a patient came in and requested healthcare services; the latter has a unique code. However, the coding team utilized the incorrect code, and when the payer inspects the claim, it is classified as denial because the incorrect code was used.

To avoid such errors, healthcare providers must train the coding team on topics such as common coding errors, coding do’s and don’ts, recent updates, and so on.

Ensure that physicians record information correctly

A lack of proper clinical documentation is another factor that contributes to claim denials in healthcare. The coding team is not responsible for every denied claim. When clinical documentation problems occur, wrong codes are almost always selected, resulting in denied claims.

As a result, healthcare providers must guarantee that physicians properly and timely record all paperwork in suitable medical records. RightPatient can aid in the proper identification of medical records and the reduction of denied claims.

Ensure that claims are submitted timely

Another reason contributing to denied claims is the failure to submit them on time, which can be easily rectified. Healthcare providers should set goals for their coding teams in order for them to process claims in a fast and accurate manner. They should, for example, categorize which batch of claims will be delivered and when they should be sent and check for errors.

While this does not always succeed, detecting the issues that cause late submissions can assist providers in addressing the issue and reducing future claim denials.

Ensure accurate patient identification to reduce denials in healthcare

One common cause of denials in healthcare facilities is medical record errors such as duplication and overlays, the majority of which result in mix-ups, improper treatment, and, predictably, billing and coding issues. The majority of medical record errors arise because there is no standardized patient identification in the US healthcare system.

While many healthcare providers waited for a standardized and effective patient identifier while dealing with duplication and denied claims, forward-thinking health systems already prevent them with RightPatient.

RightPatient is a touchless biometric patient identification platform used by top healthcare organizations such as Terrebonne General Medical Center, Duke Health, Community Medical Centers, and University Hospital. RightPatient uses one of the most secure, sanitary, and non-transferable properties of patients: their faces.

During registration, patients must look at the camera; RightPatient takes a snapshot and compares it to existing medical information to identify duplication. If no matches are identified, a new EHR is created with the patient’s photo attached. Whenever the patient comes to the hospital for additional healthcare services, they only need to look at the camera, And RightPatient generates the necessary medical record in seconds.

RightPatient isn’t just for registration; healthcare providers can use the platform throughout the care continuum. After scheduling sessions, remote patients can send selfie photographs as well as a photo of their ID card. RightPatient examines the photographs for a match, then searches to see if there are any existing records, and either produces new credentials for new patients or sends the proper EHR to the hospital for existing patients.

RightPatient not only makes accurate patient identification simple, but it’s also safe, secure, clean, and seamless. Healthcare providers may smoothly link RightPatient with their EHR systems, making the latter part of the EHR workflow.

Using RightPatient, some prominent healthcare providers reduce patient misidentification, eliminate duplicate medical records, minimize denied claims, and enhance patient safety and quality.

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Common Reasons for Patient Identification Errors in Hospitals and How to Solve Them

RightPatient-prevents-patient-identification-errors-in-hospitals

Positive patient identification is an important but underappreciated component of the US healthcare system. Healthcare providers maintain patient safety, appropriate medical treatment, and good healthcare results by precisely identifying patients and using their relevant electronic health information. For instance, the physicians know of the patient’s comprehensive medical history, the revenue cycle team knows which claims to submit to the insurer, and the hospital records the patient’s information in the appropriate EHR. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case; patient identification errors in hospitals are all too common and can generate a slew of issues for healthcare providers, patients, and insurance companies.

RightPatient-prevents-patient-identification-errors-in-hospitals

Patient identification errors in hospitals generate a variety of issues, including:

  • Patient safety issues
  • Patient data integrity failure
  • Patient mix-ups
  • Medical record errors like duplicates and overlays
  • Denied claims
  • Detrimental patient experience 
  • Medication administration errors
  • Financial and legal issues

While those are some of the issues created by patient misidentification, let’s look at some of the common reasons why they happen in the first place, as well as how a touchless biometric patient identification platform like RightPatient ensures positive patient identification.

Common reasons for patient identification errors in hospitals

Patient misidentification during registration

In hospitals, patient misidentification is most common during registration. Patients are wrongly identified and linked to the incorrect EHRs from the start during the registration procedure. As a result, the patient will receive ineffective care because the physicians will be relying on someone else’s medical history.

The patient’s EHR is difficult to find

The registration areas are arguably high-pressure situations, as patients are constantly arriving, and a limited number of workers are required to process them for treatment. However, when the registrar examines the EHR system, they may discover that no medical records match the patient. At times, registrars may detect that too many EHRs correspond to the patient. In these instances, registrars must select an EHR, and the chances are that they will select the erroneous one, resulting in improper patient identification.

Reducing patient waiting times

As previously said, any given healthcare provider’s registration area is quite hectic. Patients are begging for treatment, and registrars are under intense pressure to shorten patient wait times. Because there is no standardized precise patient identifier in place, searching for the relevant medical records can take a long time. Because the EHR system contains tens of thousands of medical records, the registrar may wind up picking the incorrect medical record.

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Existing duplicate medical records 

This may appear perplexing, but patient identification errors in hospitals and medical record errors are inextricably linked; the other will follow naturally if one occurs.

Patient identification, for example, occurs when an incorrect medical record is picked. When the registrar searches the EHR system and finds no EHRs with the patient’s name, they create a new medical record. However, due to a lack of definite patient identification, the patient’s genuine medical record could not be identified, resulting in a new duplicate medical record.

Similarly, duplicate medical records within the EHR system are bound to induce patient misidentification because all of the records are inconsistent and fragmented, resulting in patient safety issues, incorrect treatment, and worse.

Human errors

Human error is another prominent cause of patient misidentification in hospitals. While registrars, nurses, and other healthcare workers already work in a high-stress environment, a single typing error can force them to select the wrong EHR.

Patients themselves submit false, wrong, or incomplete

Patient misidentification in hospitals happens when patients offer insufficient or incorrect information to medical employees. For example, a patient’s medical record is maintained with the name “William Smith,” yet he gives the registrar the name “Bill Smith.” The registrar will search for his medical record using the keyword “Bill Smith,” which will not yield the genuine EHR.

On the other hand, patients falsify information to obtain treatment in the name of someone else. It’s nearly impossible to identify the falsehood because healthcare providers don’t employ a reliable patient identification system throughout the states.

RightPatient can prevent all of the above and more.

RightPatient prevents patient identification errors in hospitals

RightPatient is a touchless biometric patient identification platform that accurately identifies patients across the treatment continuum. During the registration process, the platform captures patients’ photographs and ties them to the proper EHRs, effectively locking the medical records. When the patients return, the platform must authenticate their identities – the patients only need to glance at the camera – it’s that simple!

RightPatient enhances patient safety, minimizes denied claims, strengthens patient data integrity, and ensures that the proper patient is receiving the right treatment at all times.

Latest Telehealth Trends That Will Fuel Your Practice in 2022

Latest Telehealth Trends That Will Fuel Your Practice in 2022

Latest Telehealth Trends That Will Fuel Your Practice in 2022

In March 2020, the telehealth utilization rates grew by 154% compared to the same time in 2019. While the COVID-19 outbreak gave us a glimpse of the true potential of Telehealth technology, we cannot help but wonder – is the telehealth growth trend going to persist moving into 2022? 

Latest Telehealth Trends That Will Fuel Your Practice in 2022

Getting a custom telehealth solution can help you retain more patients, optimize your workflows, and ease your doctors’ jobs. But it’s also quite expensive, and the industry is not without its challenges. Curious to see if Telehealth is the way to go in 2022? You first need to understand the recent trends and challenges in the remote health sector. So, buckle up and read on to learn about the telehealth industry’s major benefits and challenges in 2022.

7+ Emerging Telehealth Trends & Statistics to Keep in Mind 

Telehealth is a technology that enables medical practices worldwide to provide their services remotely using video and audio-conferencing technology.

In a modern climate, getting help remotely became essential. With that being said, the industry is still in its infancy, and we can only predict how it will develop down the line. Here’s a quick overview of all the latest telehealth trends and statistics shaping the industry to this day:

#1. Increased Usage and Stabilized Growth

The number of telehealth visits increased by 50% in 2020 compared to 2019. At the same time, the industry size is expected to grow from $50 billion to $194 billion by 2023. You might be thinking that the industry is booming solely because of the COVID outbreak, and things will slow down shortly. However,  the growth has only stabilized and become more prevalent since the initial COVID-19 craze cooled down. Right now, the telehealth software utilization levels are 38X times those of 2019.

This means that while the industry is not growing as fast as it did in 2020, telehealth technology is here to stay for the long term. 

#2 Increased Patient Satisfaction & Cost Savings

85% of telehealth patients in the USA reported higher satisfaction with telehealth services and $19 to $121 in cost savings than in-person visits. Telehealth services help patients save money and time, so if your practice still does not offer remote doctor visits – you are likely missing out on a good number of patients. When it comes to getting drug prescriptions or managing appointments with the doctor – over 90% of users reported that they would keep using telehealth technology instead of in-person visits in the USA. 

#3. 360-Degree Care Provision

Gone are the days when patients would have to visit 4-5 professionals in person to get a full picture of their state of health and all their prescriptions. HIPAA-compliant telehealth software ensures the safe storage of patients’ data, which enables doctors to get a full picture of their state in a matter of seconds, fully remotely. With the ability to view the information about all previous patient visits and other doctors’ notes, caregivers spend less time on creating diagnoses. This saves time getting to know the patient’s case and enables doctors to provide a more rounded conclusion in less time. 

#4. Improved User Experience is a Must-Have 

As Telehealth is expanding, the quality standards for telehealth applications are also rising. Older telehealth software had simple, secure video-calling features with limited booking functionality. Nowadays, patients want much more than that. Here are a few important qualities of a successful modern telehealth application that you need to keep in mind:

  • Cross-platform functionality 
  • HIPAA-compliance
  • Integrated booking system
  • Secure file storage for all medical imaging
  • Ratings and review mechanisms
  • Integrated automated chatbot support 

The point here is that standing out from the crowd with your telehealth application is getting more challenging (yet more rewarding), so make sure that you partner with the HIPAA-compliant software developers you can trust.

#5: AI in Telehealth: Automating Prescriptions & Intelligent Diagnoses

When you marry artificial intelligence and healthcare, good things happen. Using machine learning algorithms, modern healthcare solutions will be able to do any of the following: 

  • Calculate the required dosage of patients’ prescriptions automatically
  • Read medical images and highlight any pathologies, making medical imaging analysis a swift process
  • Provide intelligent diagnoses for doctor’s review, based on the information provided on the patients’ file

The advent of AI technology in Telehealth will ease the lives of many patients and medical professionals worldwide. Some modern enterprise-scale businesses already use AI modeling to analyze the patient’s state over time to achieve higher workflow efficiency. 

#6 The Advent of Wearables and IoT in Telehealth

Internet of things is a term used to describe the usage of any physical device to accommodate a software program. In medicine, wearables like fitness trackers and biosensors track patients’ states and metrics in real-time, keeping the doctors aware of prescriptions’ effects on patients’ health. If doctors can monitor your health in real-time – they can devise a better treatment for you down the line.

Moving forward, one of the biggest telehealth trends would be to “marry” the telehealth software with the most popular devices (smartwatches, heart monitors, fit bands, etc.) on a global scale. Therefore, modern telehealth solutions will be built with the most popular wearable platforms in mind. 

#7: Rise of Mental and Chronic Disease Treatment Through Telehealth

Whether it’s diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or cancer – 1 out of 3 adults worldwide suffers from some chronic condition. Despite such high numbers, a large portion of patients worldwide never show up to their follow-up appointments with doctors (most of the time – because it’s inconvenient or they find it pointless). This makes the cost of average health insurance much higher than it has to be. 

At the same time, 21% of USA adults are suffering from mental problems, while the pandemic has disrupted the operations of 93% of mental health centers in the country. 

The problem here is two-fold: 

  1. Pandemic made it harder for care providers to offer their services in-person
  2. Patients do not attend in-person meetings because they are resource-consuming

Telehealth can fix both of these problems by providing timely and cost-efficient appointments for chronic disease and mental health patients. The chances are that both of these sectors will thrive in the modern telehealth landscape for years to come. 

So, What Does it Mean for Your Medical Practice?

You cannot execute a good portion of different clinical procedures without the patient being on-site in the hospital. With that being said, telehealth offers a much better quality of service and price/quality ratio compared to in-person meetings when it comes to simple medical checkups, appointment scheduling, prescription adjustment, and monitoring of patients’ health. It also boosts patient engagement, increases retention, lowers operational costs, and organizes things for your doctors, making their life easier. 

One concern many experts have is that some of the problems of in-person visits will bleed over to telehealth – some of them are medical identity theft and duplicate medical records. Fortunately, touchless biometric patient identification platforms like RightPatient ensure that patients are identified accurately even when they are availing remote healthcare services. When patients schedule remote appointments, they receive a message with a link – all they need to provide is a selfie photo and a photo of their driver’s license or a similar photo ID. RightPatient automatically compares the photos for a match and verifies the patient’s identity – ensuring positive patient identification, preventing medical identity theft, and protecting patient data.

Coming back to the point, if some 10 years ago, telehealth software would have been a nice addition to in-person visits in your hospital, today it became an essential part of any modern medical practice. If you still have not implemented a telehealth solution at your business – then you are likely missing out.