What has COVID-19 taught us?
We need to wash our hands more often and not stand so close to each other.
We need to be empathetic to others.
We need to realize how fragile our infrastructure is in terms of our healthcare systems.
Our healthcare systems in the United States are world class – there is no doubt. The fragility is based on the foundation – humanity.
Our providers are human. Our administrators are human. Our patients are human. To quote an old quiz show – Humans are the weakest link.
How do we overcome the fragility in our healthcare systems? The short answer is to support the weakest link. The actual answer is a bit more complex.
In the United States, we have legislation to protect patient privacy. HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - is the recognized legal obligation for healthcare providers to protect the information they gather from their patients. Sophisticated software systems streamline record keeping, enable information sharing among providers and allow patients to access their own records easily within cloud-based portals. The information sharing relies on real time updates by healthcare providers.
Picture the traditional hospital room – the information sharing device is typically – a whiteboard.
Each provider updates the whiteboard in the room, and the patient’s EMR (electronic medical record) at the nurses’ station, or perhaps by tablet. That’s a streamlined process. Medical orders, test results, future procedures and more need to be added to the patient’s EMR by various providers when the system can be accessed.
Centralizing the information updates is key to providing a seamless, accurate, and immediate access experience for the provider and patient alike.
Consider how digital paper signage can blend the disparate actions of information sharing. The Digital Paper in Smart Hopsitals: Upgrading the Patient Experience white paper explains more on the critical role of data in patient care.
For the provider perspective, check these videos - Healthcare Signage Solutions with E Ink and E ink Digital Paper Solutions for Healthcare with Landmark & DCI.
What experiences have you had in today’s healthcare environment? How have you been impacted by information sharing and accurate – or inaccurate – data in your medical records? Start the dialog at social_media@eink.com. Please do not share any personal details of your medical history.
E Ink Digital Paper improves workflow efficiency, enhances the accuracy of communications, mitigates risk and improves safety for the benefit of patients. Learn more at the healthcare technology page at eink.com.