It’s no secret: the healthcare industry is exceedingly complex. According to Definitive, in 2021, the average hospital used about three methods to receive summary of care records electronically, and 3.8 methods to send them. With so many disparate systems, a connective force is imperative. Time is a scarce resource in healthcare, and there is no way to add more hours into the day to handle the complexity of these systems. So, EHR efficiency is a must. Prioritizing efficiency in health IT systems can help address some of the biggest challenges organizations are facing, such as interoperability, user burnout and financial challenges.
Getting the right data at the right time may seem like a simple concept, but providers everywhere still face burnout due to complicated solutions and organizations struggle to get the funding they need to thrive. Seamless data exchange is essential for a highly usable experience, but few organizations can steadily rely on their EHRs to provide a great experience. While burnout runs rampant in the healthcare industry, we must address the points where providers face the most struggle. One of them is the technology they use. A burned out staff leads to expensive personnel turnover, which in turn takes attention and finances away from where organizations need them most. Organizations need comprehensive, organized and actionable data so users are not wasting time combing through the record for the necessary information. Organizations urgently need a better way forward.
So, what does a highly interoperable EHR look like?
At a glance: these are EHRs that bring exceedingly relevant data to the forefront, which provides a highly usable experience for every user. As the health IT industry progresses, this will improve how each patient’s data can follow them wherever they choose to receive care. This will help both the patients’ and the providers’ experiences, as accurate diagnoses and effective care plans continually drive better outcomes and higher levels of patient safety. However, currently, according to ASTP/ONC data, 30% of hospitals are currently unable to engage in all four domains of interoperability (these include sending, receiving, finding and integrating data), so there must be focus on ensuring all organizations have the right solutions, at the right times, for their patients and staff to provide exceptional and accessible care.
Therefore, when staff members have an EHR that does not work for them, the consequences fall on those members and the organization as a whole. The effects of burnout touch many areas of an organization, from staff turnover to, unfortunately, the patient experience. An organization must prioritize patient care, and by doing so, the perspectives and abilities of their staff to work within an EHR. When organizations have an EHR that’s pulling the right data, at the right time, their workloads can be more homed in on providing excellent care.
Lastly, organizations need to keep control of their funding, and that funding is only improved through happy clinicians and safe and healthy patients. Revenue outcomes are tied into patient experience, and patient experience is tied into how an EHR functions for staff. Presenting real-time data in a logical, visual manner makes it easier for people to identify trends and find impactful opportunities for improvement. Combining information from multiple systems also reduces the amount of reporting duties staff members need to execute before they can get the insights they need.
To truly enhance an organization, the first step is getting an EHR that works for the people in it. Technology is built to support the human element of healthcare, so building an EHR specifically for the people using it is an important way to contextualize the healthcare ecosystem.
Looking for a highly interoperable EHR? Learn more about how Sunrise™ is the alternative you need for the outcomes you want.