The impact of evolving technology has been a fact of life for healthcare practitioners since the invention of the stethoscope. But it does seem that the pace of change has increased noticeably in recent years. For years the focus was on improving methods for diagnosing and treating patients, and the result has been improved outcomes, longer life expectancy and a general improvement in quality of life.
Now the focus of technological innovation has shifted to improving the quality of life for the healthcare practitioners themselves. The quest for ever-improving care has led practitioners to confront the same data overload that is swamping nearly every profession and just about every aspect of modern life.
Our company, which develops the little blue book, a practice referral reference, spent the summer of 2011 talking to physicians about the challenges they face, and the biggest issue we found (after the volume of patients they need to see) was managing the avalanche of information that comes with 21st century healthcare. One physician even went so far as to say, "First, I’m a data manager." Clearly, the volume of data that they are forced to deal with, both clinical and clerical, has become burdensome. Add to that the escalating adoption of electronic medical records, and we are clearly in a time of massive transition as nearly every aspect of care moves into the digital realm.
The promise for practitioners at the end of this transition is a sane, efficient practice that maximizes the their face-to-face time with patients. For anyone developing the new generation of digital tools that should be kept in mind as the ultimate end goal. The key challenge facing all practitioners now is managing this data in a seamless, secure, end-to-end way.
Currently, providers are struggling as they move from a world where everything is done on paper, to one where it's all done digitally. Most of the providers we talked to are excited about the promise of mobile technology to make the delivery of care more effective, but right now they are caught between two worlds, with some things still done the old way, and others moving into the digital sphere. So while the promise of a technological revolution is appealing, the reality is a lot more daunting.
The EMR offers a lot of promise for managing the clinical side of things. The transition of existing records and the training of providers is a big hurdle, and there seem to be few easy answers. Practices and hospitals simply have to invest the time and money in making the transition. With the EMR as the central point in a digital practice, the next challenge will be all the ancillary data management issues. This includes things like referrals, patient education, e-prescribing, drug and formulary information, scheduling, etc. Currently, there are many apps that perform one or more of these functions. Getting them all to work well together will be the hard part.
Data standards are going to be crucial. The source of these standards is unclear right now, but will almost certainly come from a combination of government and industry that will require a level of cooperation that won't be easy to muster.
The final challenge is to make as much of this process as possible portable. Today's healthcare providers are almost constantly on the go. They rarely sit at desks, which makes traditional desktop computers a less-than-perfect solution. New mobile solutions including smartphones and tablets will be far better suited to the typical workflow. The new app ecosystem that has emerged has put a lot of power into the hands of providers. Even now, however, early tests of tablets and mobile devices have produced decidedly mixed results.
This is to be expected, as any technological transformation is going to take a few tries to execute well. The disruption caused by any transition is always a source of tension, but providers need to remember that the pain is temporary. In a few years as EMRs become established and standards for data management solidify, these days will become a rapidly fading memory, and everyone, patients and providers, will reap the benefits of the information revolution.
Before joining little blue book, Mr. Kernen spent over 20 years being a thought leader and innovator in digital and traditional media. As associate vice president - product for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Mr. Kernen oversaw daily production of a website generating 35 million monthly page views and created the product roadmap for all of the company's interactive products.
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Now the focus of technological innovation has shifted to improving the quality of life for the healthcare practitioners themselves. The quest for ever-improving care has led practitioners to confront the same data overload that is swamping nearly every profession and just about every aspect of modern life.
Our company, which develops the little blue book, a practice referral reference, spent the summer of 2011 talking to physicians about the challenges they face, and the biggest issue we found (after the volume of patients they need to see) was managing the avalanche of information that comes with 21st century healthcare. One physician even went so far as to say, "First, I’m a data manager." Clearly, the volume of data that they are forced to deal with, both clinical and clerical, has become burdensome. Add to that the escalating adoption of electronic medical records, and we are clearly in a time of massive transition as nearly every aspect of care moves into the digital realm.
The promise for practitioners at the end of this transition is a sane, efficient practice that maximizes the their face-to-face time with patients. For anyone developing the new generation of digital tools that should be kept in mind as the ultimate end goal. The key challenge facing all practitioners now is managing this data in a seamless, secure, end-to-end way.
Currently, providers are struggling as they move from a world where everything is done on paper, to one where it's all done digitally. Most of the providers we talked to are excited about the promise of mobile technology to make the delivery of care more effective, but right now they are caught between two worlds, with some things still done the old way, and others moving into the digital sphere. So while the promise of a technological revolution is appealing, the reality is a lot more daunting.
The EMR offers a lot of promise for managing the clinical side of things. The transition of existing records and the training of providers is a big hurdle, and there seem to be few easy answers. Practices and hospitals simply have to invest the time and money in making the transition. With the EMR as the central point in a digital practice, the next challenge will be all the ancillary data management issues. This includes things like referrals, patient education, e-prescribing, drug and formulary information, scheduling, etc. Currently, there are many apps that perform one or more of these functions. Getting them all to work well together will be the hard part.
Data standards are going to be crucial. The source of these standards is unclear right now, but will almost certainly come from a combination of government and industry that will require a level of cooperation that won't be easy to muster.
The final challenge is to make as much of this process as possible portable. Today's healthcare providers are almost constantly on the go. They rarely sit at desks, which makes traditional desktop computers a less-than-perfect solution. New mobile solutions including smartphones and tablets will be far better suited to the typical workflow. The new app ecosystem that has emerged has put a lot of power into the hands of providers. Even now, however, early tests of tablets and mobile devices have produced decidedly mixed results.
This is to be expected, as any technological transformation is going to take a few tries to execute well. The disruption caused by any transition is always a source of tension, but providers need to remember that the pain is temporary. In a few years as EMRs become established and standards for data management solidify, these days will become a rapidly fading memory, and everyone, patients and providers, will reap the benefits of the information revolution.
Before joining little blue book, Mr. Kernen spent over 20 years being a thought leader and innovator in digital and traditional media. As associate vice president - product for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Mr. Kernen oversaw daily production of a website generating 35 million monthly page views and created the product roadmap for all of the company's interactive products.
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