With each passing day, technology is becoming a more integral part of the way we conduct our lives, and medical practices are no exception to this rule. Whether it's the emergence of more intricate and user-friendly EHR systems, practice management software, data reports from wearable technology or new patient portal solutions, our practices are more technologically involved than they've ever been before. While all of this technology is aimed at simplifying life, it can actually complicate things a great deal if managed improperly. Take a minute and check out these tips for managing technology in your practice to keep things running smoothly, seamlessly and effectively.
Ensure that your data is protected
The amount of large-scale data breaches has been on the rise the past three years, particularly in the healthcare industry, however most of these breaches could have been prevented by implementing secure data practices. Reinforce your practice's data security by ensuring passwords are unique and changed often, educate staff on common spear-phishing practices and how to avoid them, and encrypt anything containing PHI data, including mobile devices. As the use of mobile devices in healthcare increases, implementing a solid, HIPAA compliant BYOD policy can also help prevent security breaches in your practice.
Never underestimate interoperability
Perhaps more than in any other field, healthcare requires clear communication with other members of the professional community. While you can strive for this through a number of more traditional methods (networking, etc.), it may be best to think about ways you can optimize interoperability.
"Interconnectivity can heighten communication among medical practices."
Many medical practices, particularly those within the same specialty, use EHR and practice management solutions provided by the same vendor. If you find that this is the case with a neighboring practice with whom you share referrals or patients, you may want to consider arranging for interconnected data access. According to Physician's Practice, this sort of solution can result in patient data being automatically pushed to other doctors that individual shares in the event of a record update. With this sort of information sharing, you can rest assured that you'll always have the most reliable data possible.
Utilize a patient portal
According to Medical Economics, setting up and maintaining a patient portal can be extremely beneficial to your practice. This will allow your patients to gain access to their information whenever they need it, boosting their view of your practice. Additionally, providing this sort of option to your patients should reduce the amount of time you spend responding to calls and emails requesting medical records. With that in mind, managing your technology effectively in this way may lead to having more time to focus on other, day to day aspects of the business.
