The AndPlus Software Development Blog

Mention the EHR adoption process to a physician and you’re likely to hear a groan. After spending much of the past five years implementing the electronic medical health records software, many will say it’s still not living up to its goals.

The push to adopt EHRs is being driven by the U.S. government in an effort to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of patient care. By implementing an approved EHR, hospitals and physicians will increase care coordination, protect patient privacy and improve the overall health of the community, according to an article on HealthIT.gov.

Faced with a barrage of regulations, a growing case load and a lack of effective technology, even the most dedicated physician can feel like they’re not able to deliver the quality of patient care they’d like.

Medicare’s readmission penalties are hitting a new high over the next year, according to an article on Kaiser Health News. More than half of the hospitals in the U.S. are facing Medicare penalties, making monitoring patients and improving their compliance with medication and other treatments more important than ever.

Couple this potential loss of Medicare payments and a hospital’s already tight budget, and physicians are feeling the pressure to not only quickly diagnose and treat patients, but also to ensure they follow their care plans.

One of the most important tools for any healthcare provider isn’t his or her knowledge of the latest medical breakthrough - it’s their ability to listen and communicate effectively with their patients.

While it seems like a simple skill, communication (and the lack thereof) is at the core of many serious patient care issues.

Poor doctor-patient communication has been linked to increased malpractice risk, lack of patient compliance with treatment plans, poor health outcomes and dissatisfaction for both patients and their healthcare providers, according to an article on the Institute for Healthcare Communication’s website.

Few healthcare providers are receiving training on effective communication, making it clear why this remains an issue in healthcare.

Read on to learn more about improving communication  and the benefits healthcare providers can realize by strengthening their communication skills.

The global medical device market is booming, with sales reaching $381 billion in 2015, according to Kalorama Information.

Many companies are jumping into the market, creating software and mobile apps for use with the wide variety of devices on the market. Mobile apps and software are changing the face of healthcare, putting more information and control into the hands of users.

Popular medical apps such as MyChart and ZocDoc are driving demand for innovative ways to manage healthcare needsand the market is only expected to grow.

There’s a growing divide between technology that enables healthcare providers to do their jobs better and technology that creates an obstacle between a physician and great patient care.

Healthcare technology has gotten a lot of attention in recent years with the mandated use of electronic medical records. Add this to the growing app culture and you can see how important it is to introduce the right technology that helps - not hinders - physicians looking to deliver a higher quality of care.

Hospitals and healthcare groups are rolling out hospital information systems in an attempt to streamline every facet of their operations, from medical to administrative. But too often these systems are contributing to the problems they’re supposed to be addressing.

Implementing the right medical technology platform can dramatically improve not only a hospital’s internal operations, it can also streamline patient care and improve patient satisfaction.

Clinical decision-making has changed drastically in recent years. An influx of information, available to patients via the web, mobile apps, and distributed information, has made it crucial for HCPs to adopt modern ways to service their customers that are seeking better quality care from their physicians.