What is Your Practice’s Digital Footprint?
Research and clinical trials have historically led to medical advances, but innovative medical digital technologies that examine and affect how people live their daily lives are advancing at an explosive and unexpected rate.
Medicine always appears to be slower to catch up to tech in the past. Progress is often slowed by safety issues, and research takes time. As a result of the pandemic and the subsequent digital push, the practice of medicine is changing daily.
Operating a medical practice in the digital age requires comprehensive knowledge of the technology landscape to find the solutions that will improve your practice without wasting valuable time and resources on trial and error.
Medical Economics and the Digital Age
Patient engagement can benefit from improvement. Practices can utilize digital advancements to easily schedule appointments, adopt more efficient EHRs, and implement better RCM tools for improved fiscal health. From practice growth to improved patient care and satisfaction, digital solutions including automation reduce staffing and compliance issues. Technology-based billing and front desk services, back-end billing, and patient form compliance improve financial metrics. While it makes sense for doctors to adopt technologies that make everyday transactions easier, these tools must be vetted to ensure the security and confidentiality of protected patient information.
Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Patient Care
Physicians are no longer the sole source of medical information. The digital age has given patients access to massive amounts of healthcare information. Many doctors are not in favor of patients who use the internet to research their symptoms and diseases, but it is not going away, the change is permanent. Doctors have also switched to online information sources. Piles of medical journals and paper charts on a physician’s desk are largely in the rear-view mirror.
Practices that include digital-age technologies and accept the fact that most patients have access to information are generally more successful. Still, most people and even AI generated content do not possess the clinical judgment to use the information effectively. That requires a doctor.
The digital age means physicians must get comfortable with the constant changes and the fact that most of their patients will Google their symptoms. Medical practices must now be a patient-centric partnership.
Medical information is being produced and changed so quickly that much of it is not regulated and can be completely incorrect. Years of training and clinical experience can never be replaced by AI generated medical blogs.
Still, patient knowledge is not limited to what their doctor knows in today’s age. Particularly with the rarer diseases, it is not uncommon for a physician to have results of a trial or medical information brought to them by a patient, it is time to end the physician centric practice.
Doctors Welcome Improved Efficiency
Doctors want the same things from technology as we all do. The main advantage of technology for practices is improved efficiency. Physicians currently spend two hours of administrative and EHR work hours for every hour they spend practicing medicine with real patients. Technology can improve practice efficiency and change the ratio of patient time to administrative time. Doctors welcome that.
In today’s digital explosion, there seems to be as many new tech offerings as there are practices, and ascertaining which technologies offer the solutions that work for your practice instead of making it more complex is a task. Usability is a key component to making digital solutions work. Your practice system needs to be productive with an eye on regulations but must also make operational usability a priority.
Physicians also want technology to improve the patient experience. Medical technology will continue to advance the business of patient care. Physician practices must do the work to research which technologies will make a real difference and are worth the investment.
Digital tools are most attractive to administrators when they increase patient safety, improve diagnostic capabilities, revamp the physician-patient relationship, and help reduce staff burnout.
Medical Technologies in the Digital Age
Electronic Health Records have been available for decades, but it has been a long road to the implementation of computer-based practices. In 1991 the Institute of Medicine set an end date for every physician practice to incorporate computers by Y2K. Adoption of EHRs has increased, just not at the speed expected. Today, nearly 90% of practices use an EHR, an increase from 18% in 2001. Although many doctors still prefer the paper chart, Medicare and Medicaid have begun imposing rising penalties on practices that don’t use EHRs. Going digital is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity.
Advanced technologies are relied upon more often in the digital age. Telemedicine, health apps, remote patient monitoring and wearable devices include everything from CPAP to blood sugar and cardiac monitoring.
Remote patient care is only slowed by state laws that regulate solutions like telemedicine that keep the technology from becoming a more significant part of a medical practice.
Technology Solutions Doctors Like
There is no specific digital technology solution for everyone. Practices just want technologies that work and that are user friendly. Time is the largest commodity today for practices. Remote monitoring of patients who suffer from chronic illnesses can now help reduce hospitalizations and readmissions. Insurers are in favor, and so are doctors. Win-win solutions are what practices need.
Doctors are also leaning into technology doctor-patient engagement improvement. Patients who agree to use remote technology that helps them manage chronic diseases, helps doctors and patients alike.
Digital technology now affects how physician practices are run, and how they are staffed. The use of digital technology, including mobile applications in recruiting has exploded in popularity in recent years.
Doctors are taking charge and are shifting their careers to meet their personal needs to better balance work and life, and new employment models have emerged. Simply graduating, joining a practice, or hanging a sole practice sign and opening for business is over. Physicians want to differentiate themselves and offer their own unique career platform and practice with some doctors choosing to remain in private practice rather than signing on with a large group.
Staffing Solutions
Medical technology is working for both employers and employees. Digital technology makes it easier for employers and employees to find potential work and most recruiting now happens remotely. Credentialing checks are nearly instant, and doctors looking for jobs can quickly research potential employers.
How to Find Your Practice Solutions
The digital medical revolution has affected everything, but most lifesaving is the changes in medical practices. Novel therapeutics continue to come to market at rapid fire rate, and technology now is the key figure in the operational efficiency of most medical practices. Physicians of every specialty and age are eager to adopt technology, if they deliver what they promise. AdvancedMD offered by Virtual OfficeWare Healthcare Solutions works with practices to produce efficiency gains, protect healthcare information, and create better practice and patient outcomes. We’ll provide the solutions that make digital advancement the best part of your practice. Contact us today to learn how we can design the solutions that work for your practice. With trusted technology and comprehensive pricing, we make digital decisions easy.
Nothing can replace experience and an experienced medical professional when it comes to diagnosing and caring for patients, and that will always be true. But tech can make it easier. Let us show you how, with our no cost consultation. www.vowhs.com
