Business intelligence (BI) has fueled the growth of many businesses through the years, especially in the finance and manufacturing industries. Today, BI and big data also benefit healthcare businesses that are aiming to improve their processes and lower their readmission rates.

At its core, BI software is all about data analytics. BI software is capable of accepting staggering amounts of data in short periods of time. It uses advanced analysis algorithms to search for trends in the data that even the most experienced statistician cannot find. Because BI can quickly provide deep insights, businesses across industries have utilized different BI software to gain competitive advantages and streamline their workflows. For instance, healthcare organizations use BI to manage their readmission rates.

What is readmission?

Readmission refers to the instance a healthcare institution admits a patient within 30 days of that patient’s previous hospital stay. Readmissions usually occur because of:

• Complications arising from the preceding treatment
• Errors committed by hospital staff (e.g., leaving a sponge in the patient’s body after surgery)
• Patients not following their doctors’ recommendations
• Insufficient access to proper medical services and medications in the patient’s community

Why should hospitals want to reduce their readmission rate?

There are three main reasons why hospitals must strive to keep patients from returning for additional treatments:

1. Readmissions are financially crippling and more medically risky for patients
   Medical care in America is one of the most expensive in the world. While the degree of how much medical expenses affect people’s decisions to file for bankruptcy is up for debate, such expenses are nevertheless a contributing factor. Having to be treated more than once is therefore backbreaking for Americans, especially for those who are living paycheck to paycheck. Not only that, but the likelihood of getting hospital-acquired infection also increases the more one visits and/or the longer one stays in a healthcare facility. This results in a costly downward spiral no one wants to be in.
2. Medicare and Medicaid won’t pay for complete coverage
   Readmissions also take a toll on Medicare and Medicaid. This is why the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) impose a payment reduction penalty of up to 3% upon hospitals that exceed certain thresholds for readmission rates. That is, CMS only pays 97% of covered medical costs instead of the entire 100%. The penalty is arguably also a tool to keep hospitals from profiteering.
3. Having a high readmission rate can reduce a hospital’s reputation
   Once people find out that your hospital has a high readmission rate, they may begin to avoid your institution, thinking it provides poor-quality care.

How can business intelligence help hospitals with readmission rate reduction?

BI can help reduce readmission rates in several ways. For instance, by using patient-centric data points such as income level, English proficiency, housing conditions, and community resources, hospital administrators will have greater insight into the welfare of their patients. This knowledge will enable healthcare professionals to factor in their patients’ circumstances, create special care plans to increase the likelihood that their patients will abide by their medical recommendations, and help them prevent expensive readmissions.

Furthermore, by using BI software to merge socioeconomic data with electronic medical records, medical professionals can easily create individual profiles that will predict how likely a patient is going to require readmission, even before care is provided. Predictive analytics allows doctors to adjust the initial care they provide certain types of patients so that the likelihood of readmitting such patients is dramatically reduced.

In addition to helping you lower readmission rates, BI software can also provide your practice with unprecedented levels of care and efficiency. Call us today to get started with proven IT experts.

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Medical records are private and their exposure could lead to negative consequences such as social stigma and job discrimination. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects these data and grants patients the right to view their own health information so that they can enjoy more control over their care. Healthcare practices must therefore make sure that they have all their bases covered when it comes to HIPAA compliance. Below are four of the most important factors to consider.

1. Whether it be on-premises, on the cloud, or both, data storage must be HIPAA-compliant

Electronic protected health information (ePHI) and any sensitive documents like billing records, appointment information, and test results must be stored in HIPAA-compliant devices and servers. More specifically, your devices and services should have multiple layers of security, including endpoint protection software, encryption systems, and strict access controls.

Healthcare providers tend to prefer building their own data centers since they won’t require internet connectivity to access on-premises data storage. However, storage space may be limited, so the cloud is viable, especially for less sensitive ePHI. When choosing cloud-based storage for your EHRs, make sure that you and your service provider meet HIPAA requirements.

2. Data must be secured while providing telehealth and mHealth services

If your practice has invested in or is thinking about investing in telehealth or mobile health (mHealth), then you need to make sure that the tech you utilize is HIPAA-compliant. While most telehealth technologies are HIPAA-approved, one or two additional measures may be required for complete compliance. For example, you may need to utilize encryption in transit to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks during virtual consultations. An IT specialist should have no problem making sure your telehealth solution is up to code.

On the other hand, mHealth may be a little more problematic, as it is a new and constantly changing field. Your best bet is to consult with an expert to make sure that you’re following all the necessary regulations when providing mHealth services.

3. Healthcare business associates must also be HIPAA-compliant

Conforming to HIPAA regulations is not just limited to medical practices, healthcare clearinghouses, and health plan organizations. Any business that has access, electronic or otherwise, to PHI is also required by law to be HIPAA-compliant. This includes any accounting or law firms you work with that may already be accessing your files electronically to carry out work.

To avoid any potential trouble for your practice or its partners, it is best to ask them if they are HIPAA-compliant before partnering with them. If they aren’t, do not grant them data access privileges.

4. Your protected health information (PHI) notice must be available online

If your practice has a website, HIPAA rules dictate that your website must contain a copy of your updated PHI notice for patients to access. This notice informs patients of their rights with regard to their health information. If this information is not currently posted on your website, rectify this as soon as possible to avoid any problems.

Still not sure if you’re 100% HIPAA-compliant? Our team of experts can run the necessary risk analysis and identify areas of your technology that may not be in line with current regulations. Just give us a call today.

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Telemedicine means exactly as it sounds — a medical service delivered via telephone or any communications platform. Nearly one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has proven itself to be viable and valuable for patients and caregivers alike. This is because it allows care to be provided while avoiding the physical proximity that heightens the risk of spreading or getting infected with the disease.

Making telemedicine work

Key elements in making telemedicine work are video teleconferencing equipment, a fast and stable internet connection, and advanced telemedicine hardware and software. These elements are indispensable because telemedicine now requires highly visual interactions and access to pertinent medical information.

In particular, internet of medical things (IoMT) devices such as wearable heart rate monitors and sudden fall detectors help push the field of telemedicine further because of how these collect data and update caregivers in real time. When the vital signs of device wearers drop to critical levels, ambulatory services may be called upon automatically to check on patients and provide treatment quickly. Additionally, these machines create a compendium of health information that grant physicians a clearer picture of how their patients are doing come their next virtual consultation.

Healthcare businesses and individual medical practices with telemedical capability also need to comply with the regulations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), and other healthcare legislation. Mostly, these regulations involve compliance with the handling and storage of personally identifiable patient information.

Benefits of telemedicine

• Easy access – Telemedicine solves the basic problem of access to medical expertise. For example, if a patient in a far-flung town in Wyoming needs to see a cancer specialist in California, telemedicine can make that possible. In a less complicated medical situation, telemedicine solves the problems of mobility. Without having to go to the hospital for treatment, a patient can conveniently dial or log in to an online portal to consult a doctor.
• Efficiency – One of the more problematic aspects of a doctor’s visit is the long wait. Often, wait times take much longer than the actual consultation. Patients with minor illnesses would rather self-medicate than visit a hospital and suffer a long queue. With telemedicine, a patient can wait in the comfort of their own home. Furthermore, IoMT devices constantly relay health information, often granting physicians more details than most on-the-spot queries and physical examinations.
• Avoidance of contagion hotspots – At the height of the pandemic, visiting a hospital meant potential exposure to the novel coronavirus. And there wasn’t any assurance that hospitals could take patients in because COVID-19 cases were being prioritized. Therefore, telemedicine helped reduce the spread of the disease and relieved some pressure off of these institutions.
• Better healthcare – Consulting your physician online doesn’t mean diminished quality of care — provided, of course, that all devices, telemedicine software, and other technical aspects work seamlessly. In some instances, remote medical care enhances the patient’s experience because they get to relax at home instead of going through the stress of commuting and rushing to make an appointment. Follow-ups, post-operation check-ups, and quick consultations can be done using a desktop computer, laptop, or smartphone, thereby reducing the possibility of missing an appointment.
• Lower healthcare costs – Beyond having to spend on one’s commute to the doctor’s, the actual cost of an in-person visit is much higher than the cost of a virtual one. For minor ailments like the common cold and the flu, a physical visit to the clinic might set you back as much as $100, whereas a virtual one would cost considerably less.

Telemedicine is not meant to take over conventional medical care, but rather supplement it. Patients can expect an expansion of this practice among many medical providers, while healthcare providers can expect rapid growth in telemedicine technology, especially as IoMT devices proliferate and healthcare compliance requirements evolve.

We stand at the forefront of technological innovations that will continue to define an industry as dynamic as healthcare. If you need industry-based knowledge, contact us today.

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Innovations in digital healthcare technologies are significantly changing the way healthcare providers deliver services to patients. Healthcare businesses are now able to address several key industry challenges, including improving healthcare accessibility and revolutionizing drug development. Here’s how three of the latest technologies are shaping the future of healthcare.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining the field of healthcare and all its functions by simplifying the analysis of complex medical data. With AI algorithms and software, healthcare professionals can fast-track medical records processing, treatment planning, and drug development, among other laborious tasks.

When the Ebola virus disease ravaged three nations in West Africa, Atomwise partnered with the University of Toronto and IBM to find a treatment for the virus. The drug discovery company applied AI to a complete database of existing drugs and their side effects to look for one that could be repurposed. The AI tech was able to predict two that could significantly reduce the Ebola virus’s infectivity.

More recently, Google’s DeepMind developed an AI tool capable of spotting breast cancer with as much accuracy as a human radiologist. Google Health and researchers from Imperial College London “trained” a computer to detect abnormalities on nearly 29,000 mammograms of women. The AI then outperformed six human radiologists in a screening trial, suggesting the tool’s potential to improve breast cancer diagnosis at an early stage.

The use of AI is also permeating the pharmaceutical industry, with companies using AI technologies to discover new drug candidates and novel therapeutic solutions. These are only a few of the many instances of companies using AI to automate and expedite highly elaborate processes and ultimately improve the delivery of healthcare solutions.

Augmented reality and virtual reality

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are immersive technologies that allow users to take in information and content visually. While AR pertains to the use of cameras, sensors, and displays to superimpose digital and real-world elements, VR lets users experience and explore entirely simulated environments.

New AR technologies help doctors and surgeons diagnose, treat, and perform surgery on their patients more precisely by providing them with access to real-time data and patient information. For instance, medical practitioners at Imperial College and St. Mary’s Hospital in London are using Microsoft’s HoloLens AR glasses during reconstructive surgery on patients with severe injuries.

Traditionally, surgeons located major blood vessels near wounds using a handheld scanner. With HoloLens, they can overlay 3D digital models of a patient’s CT scans onto their body parts during surgery to spot key blood vessels, bones, and muscles.

Meanwhile, a recent Harvard Business Review study found that surgeons who have undergone VR-based training performed 230% better compared to their traditionally trained counterparts. In the study, the VR-trained participants finished a surgical procedure 20% faster and completed 38% more steps correctly.

Medical institutions are also using AR/VR technologies to provide students and trainees with hands-on learning experiences, enabling them to better visualize diverse health issues and scenarios. Using immersive technologies can help them accurately learn and practice procedures without the risk of harming real patients if they make mistakes. What’s more, these can allow educators to constantly monitor and give feedback to their students during their education.

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is the field of research and innovation concerned with the creation of materials and devices on an extremely small scale. Advancements in this field can pave the way for more effective treatments, rapid diagnosis of diseases, and easier delivery of vaccines through aerosols and patches.

As early as 2014, researchers from the Max Planck Institute designed micro-robots that can swim through bodily fluids and potentially be used to deliver drugs or other medical relief precisely to a target location.

In 2018, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital designed an electronic pill that can be controlled via Bluetooth. The ingestible capsules can be customized to dispatch medicine and transmit diagnostic information back to a smartphone.

More recently, medical technology company Grapheal developed a wearable patch that can help chronic wounds heal more quickly using electrostimulation. This patch would also allow healthcare providers to remotely monitor the condition of a wound using biosensors, or devices that send out signals when they detect the presence or concentration of a specific biological substance.

Future technological innovations are bound to transform the healthcare industry, and it’s our job to make sure it does so for the better.

Call us today and we’ll help you leverage technology to boost your business and help you deliver superior healthcare products and services.

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With the coronavirus disease or COVID-19 spreading around the globe at alarming levels, companies are opting to let their employees work remotely to reduce their risk of getting infected by the deadly virus. Remote working can help your employees cut down on commuting expenses and be more productive. However, it can also lead to loneliness and burnout. These tips can help your employees maintain a healthy balance while working at home.

#1 Dress up for work

Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you don’t have to look professional. As strange as it may sound, planning what you’ll wear while working remotely can help you be more productive and take out the rut from wearing sweatpants and hoodies every day.

#2 Motivate your brain

Before you start your workday at home, you need to get your brain moving in the right direction. Author Ayn Rand suggests doing something that involves judgment, discrimination, and awareness, such as walking your dog, meditating, reading a good book, or trying out a new recipe. Keep routine chores and choices to a minimum, as they can lead to decision fatigue.

#3 Go outside

This may seem like it defeats the purpose of working remotely, but going out at least once every 24 hours can help you avoid developing the hermit habit. You don’t have to go somewhere far. Take a morning walk and get some fresh air. Performing moderate exercises regularly can help improve productivity and can lead to a better work-life balance. If certain restrictions such as a lockdown or quarantine are implemented, you can take short walks around your house as an alternative. If you have your own exercise equipment, take the time for short workouts so you can insert some physical activity into your workday.

#4 Listen to new music

People often underestimate the power of music. Studies have shown that listening to new music is beneficial for your brain. Discovering new music helps activate the part of your brain responsible for making you feel excited and rewarded. The same study shows that people who listen to new music are more receptive to learning new things.

#5 Don’t skip your breaks

A key part of being productive while working remotely is remembering to take breaks. However, this is easy to forget, especially if you’re too focused on your work. To ensure you don’t skip out on your breaks, place the things you need out of reach. One example is keeping your phone in another room, forcing you to get up and check it when it rings.

Keep snacks and drinks away from your work area. This will help prevent you from bonding too much with your home office chair. If you find it hard to take periodic breaks, create reminders that tell you to get up and do a certain task that will break your concentration for a few minutes.

#6 Watch your favorite shows

If remote work is making you feel lonely, try watching some of your favorite shows. Studies have shown that watching shows you love promotes a feeling of social surrogacy. It simply means that watching an episode of The Big Bang Theory, Friends, or whatever your preferred show is can help you experience a feeling of belonging and make you feel less lonely.

#7 No one’s watching

If remote work is burning you out or making you feel like you’re in a rut, remember, no one is watching you. Try dancing by yourself or playing an instrument if you have one. This can help you loosen up and take the edge away.

These tips are just some of the ways you can create a daily routine that will prevent you from developing the hermit habit. If you want to learn more about working effectively at home, give us a call today.

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Top-notch care is no longer the sole criterion patients have for choosing which healthcare facility to go to. They now also look for the convenience that online scheduling delivers.

Even if the use of smartphones, tablets, and other internet-connected devices has already permeated society, many healthcare facilities have trouble keeping up with the times. But those that have kept up with tech trends have seen an uptick in both the number of patients they take in and the quality of care they are able to provide, while facilities relying on the old ways continue to remain stagnant in both areas.

Online scheduling is one of the simplest and most popular technologies used by forward-thinking health clinics and hospitals. It allows patients to see when a doctor is available and schedule an appointment on your website. Practices that use online scheduling are able to reap the following benefits. 

More potential new patients

Today, people are less inclined to make phone calls, especially if it involves ringing up someone they don’t know. For many people looking for a new doctor or specialist, they will simply keep looking for one that has online scheduling to avoid calling. 

More time for your staff, better care for your patients

Think about how much time your staff spend each day answering phone calls from people making an appointment. It’s probably a lot if you have a busy practice. Online scheduling lessens phone time required so that your staff can better focus and care for patients at your facility. As a result, patients will feel truly cared for and will more likely return to the healthcare facility in the future.

Setting appointments beyond clinic hours 

In the past, patients had to wait for the clinic to open just to make an appointment. With online scheduling, patients can simply log in to your website and see when you are available so they can plan their schedule accordingly around their visit.

Still unsure whether you need online scheduling?

Sure, you probably can get away with not having it at the moment, but eventually, most patients will expect this technology from you. And the sooner you roll out online scheduling, the sooner your staff will get the hang of it, and the sooner your patients can enjoy its benefits. 

Need help setting up online scheduling for your practice? Talk to our IT experts today and we’ll make sure this technology will make things easier for your patients.

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ESPN recently reported that a laptop containing the medical records of thousands of NFL players was stolen from the car of a Washington Redskins’ trainer. And while the team released a statement saying no health information protected under HIPAA guidelines was at risk, the incident shows that EMRs are vulnerable no matter the size of your company. That’s why you need to have all medical records completely protected no matter where they are being stored.

And while the Redskins’ situation was bad, an NFL spokesperson did state that the NFL EMR system was not compromised and the league believes the thief was unable to gain access to the intercepted computer or its files. However, this does not mean the situation is resolved and the team is now in the process of informing every person who could be affected.

Not only is this embarrassing but the Redskins could also be vulnerable to civil lawsuits from players affected even if no HIPAA protected information was accessed. If this sensitive data had been breached the team would have faced a significant fine from the federal government in addition to these lawsuits.

According to Bloomberg Business News, a Massachusetts hospital was required to pay the federal government $850,000 for HIPAA violations last year after a laptop containing private health information was stolen. This event triggered a system-wide analysis which revealed several other areas of non-compliance. Not only was the hospital required to pay the fine, but it also had to invest heavily to upgrade their technology systems.

These two stories can serve as a valuable learning tool for any organization that stores documents or files that are regulated under HIPAA guidelines. For starters, it is important to understand that while email threats like phishing are very real and dangerous, the easiest way for a person to gain access to medical records is to simply take the device they are physically stored on.

That is why it is absolutely vital to have any device, be it a smartphone, a computer or tablet, password protected and encrypted should it store or transmit medical information of any sort. This, however, is simply the bare minimum and you might want to consider additional security measures such as two-factor authentication to add an extra level of protection to your devices.

Another thing to consider is storing your EMR using the cloud. When files are stored on the cloud, it means you have complete control over who is able to access these documents and where they can be accessed from. In the case of a missing laptop, once it has been reported as lost, you can immediately block it from retrieving any files and perform a remote wipe which will erase anything currently stored on it.

It is important to remember that every device, even those at companies that use the cloud for document access and storage, still need to have strong passwords and encryption in place. Also, it should be noted that transferring HIPAA-protected data to the cloud is a process that must be handled with care. There are several things which must be addressed to ensure your data is protected in line with all government regulations. Bringing in a cloud service provider who specializes in HIPAA storage can make this process a smooth one for you, your staff, and your patients.

Need help protecting your EMR? Interested in learning more about utilizing the cloud to store your documents? Contact us today. We’re experts in HIPAA-related matters and will guarantee your information remains safe and compliant.

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While HIPPA’s implementation in relation to technology has been problematic to say the least, things have become much clearer over the course of the past year. However, there are still a few areas in which your office might not be compliant. This isn’t necessarily through negligence on your part, but rather simply a lack of understanding as to the requirements. We look at four facts your practice should know about HIPAA and your IT.

If you’re still confused about which parts of your IT are HIPAA-compliant and which parts need to be addressed, don’t panic. You’re not the only practice still struggling to figure out just what exactly is and isn’t compliant. Here are four important things you should know about the technology your office uses and its relationship with HIPAA.

Telehealth and mHealth are not always compliant

If your practice has invested or is thinking about investing in telehealth or mHealth, you need to make sure it is HIPAA-compliant. While most telehealth technology is HIPAA-approved, you might be required to enact one or two measures to make it compliant. An IT specialist should have no problem making sure your telehealth is up to code.

On the other hand, mHealth might be a little more problematic. While a lot of hardware and apps, including Fitbit and the Apple Watch, are HIPAA-compliant, it is a field that is still very new and constantly changing. Your best bet is to consult regularly with an expert to make sure your mHealth is following all the necessary regulations.

All info, not just EHRs, needs to be HIPAA-compliant

If your office has individually identifiable ePHI data sets on-site, including information like billing records, appointment information and test results, they must be kept on HIPAA-compliant devices and servers. A lot of medical practices that use cloud-based storage for their EHRs overlook this fact. While it’s good to have your EHRs ready to go on the cloud, make sure the rest of your ePHI data is protected as well. If it isn’t, you could be facing a fine.

Your protected health information notice must be available online

If your practice has a website, HIPAA’s rules dictate that it must contain a copy of your updated protected health information notice for patients to access. If you have a website and this information is not currently posted, you might consider getting this done in the near future in order to avoid any problems.

Healthcare business associates must also be HIPAA-compliant

It is not just medical practices, healthcare clearinghouses, and health plan organizations that are required to be HIPAA-compliant. Any other business that has access, electronic or otherwise, to protected health information is also required by law to be HIPAA-compliant. This includes any accounting or law firms you work with that may already be accessing your files electronically to carry out work. In order to avoid any potential trouble for your practice or its partners, it best to ask them if they are HIPAA-compliant. If they aren’t, cease all access to files, and make sure they take action to correct this issue immediately.

Still not sure if you’re 100% HIPAA-compliant? Our team of experts can run the necessary risk analysis, and assist in correcting any areas of your technology that may not be in line with current regulations.

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