3 Technologies That Integrate And Support Value-Based Transitions

A new category of tools is gaining traction as providers transition to value-based care in 2016. They integrate into existing platforms, prevent IT restructure, and make EMR and patient portal data easier to access and use in care delivery.

Care Management Platform
Because they integrate with patient portals, EMR, s and other disparate systems, care management platforms are able to centralize information. The entire care team works within the same tool so they can share information, understand the direction for treatment, and monitor patient progress.

Care management platforms form a cohesive view of the patient by combining care coordination, patient engagement, and clinician and analytics data. As a result, patient data is actionable for clinicians and workflow is more cost and time efficient — especially when treatment involves multiple stages.

Consider the cost of miscommunication: a surgery is cancelled shortly after the patient is admitted, because he is battling an infection. If his specialists had been in communication, or at least have been able to see the patient’s status leading up to the surgery date, the hospital could have rescheduled to a more viable date and reallocated the time of the surgical team and the equipment. It would have been better able to manage its resources and reduce lag time for treatment.

Care management platforms really shine when facilitating treatment for complex, chronic conditions like diabetes and cancer. Physicians are better able to track patient progress, engage the care team, and spot and address gaps in care. While the conditions may be complex, care teams experience simplicity executing treatment using a care management system because they can access relevant information and understand how to best use it for patients.  

Analytics
Without data, it is difficult for healthcare providers to improve patient outcomes. But appropriate analytics help providers spot population trends so they can better forecast and refocus practice operations for optimal care execution. With effective crowdsourcing, they can proactively treat conditions affecting a population and lower admission rates which decreases readmission costs.

When providers are able to see trends, like high incidence of ER use, they are also able to approach patients with less costly, targeted options. Outbreaks of viruses are easier to track and treat as well. 

Analytics need to be integrated into internal and third party platforms, like payers and EMRs, in order for providers to realize these benefits. Being able to cull data from a variety of sources gives providers the ability to analyze financial trends.

Telemedicine
Physicians are able to gather information and communicate with patients across a variety of channels including wireless devices, nursing call centers, and patient portals using telemedicine. It is well-liked practice among patients — they feel connected to the physician and are more likely to understand the steps involved in treatment.  

Telemedicine platforms have been integrated into the operations of various providers, including hospitals, specialist practices, and home health agencies. But these platforms provide greater value when integrated into technology platforms used by care teams, particularly EMRs. Here, too, the result is centralized information, the ability to coordinate and engage patients more effectively, and the reduction of redundancies — all of which help improve outcomes.

Healthcare facilities can increase their rate of patient engagement and response time due to the collaboration telemedicine affords. Providers may even be able to establish an additional and/or more substantive revenue stream focused on chronic disease.

We’ve made great inroads exploring how technology can support healthcare processes. In 2016 and beyond, the industry should be focused on integration to connect the pieces and move forward in a more holistic way.