Integrating medical devices through EHR connectivity applications boosts provider productivity. It also eliminates errors in patient information.
Quick access to accurate patient data is essential for treating patients efficiently. When clinicians have lab and radiology test results, they can make more effective diagnosis and treatment plans.
Unfortunately, the best test results or patient assessments are of little use to clinicians when they are poorly documented.
In many departments, information is still written on tissue, scraps of paper, and the palm of one’s hand. This leads to inaccurate and delayed documentation. It also hinders the quality of diagnosis.
However, connecting medical devices in the lab and radiology department directly to an EHR offers healthcare professionals instant access to all the vital data required to assess and treat patients.
Let’s take a look at other benefits of EHR connectivity.
Elimination of Transcription Errors
When documenting patient information manually, transcription errors can occur. The error margin could be between 10 to 25 percent.
The consequences of data entry errors can be grave. For instance, an inaccurate blood pressure recording can cause a doctor to prescribe the wrong medication and endanger the patient’s health.
Linking medical devices like vital sign monitors to the medical records database eliminates manual data entry. As a result, data transmission through automated workflows prevents transcription errors.
Effective Remote Patient Monitoring
Device and EMR connectivity enable providers to monitor patients with chronic diseases remotely. People with conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes are usually on permanent medication. While they may prefer to stay at home, they need to be monitored regularly.
Wearable medical devices may be used to provide a real-time assessment of the patient’s condition at any time of the day. This will boost the outcome of the treatment.
A well-designed monitoring system with a connectivity solution can give an accurate chart of diastolic and systolic blood pressure as well as heart rate with attractive data graphics.
Lower Cost of Treatment
With the rising cost of healthcare in the U.S., device connectivity can be a source of savings for providers and patients. Patients can also avoid unnecessary appointments through remote monitoring.
This will save them money on transportation, medical tests, and hospital admissions. Providers will also cut costs by allocating time and resources to treat more patients per day.
Improved Provider Productivity
Connectivity automates data entry for clinicians. Healthcare professionals don’t have to enter data manually into a data screen or paper chart. This boosts their productivity, allowing them to spend more time interacting with patients. It also allows clinicians to attend to more patients during normal consulting hours.
For example, implementing a vital signs documentation system can save nursing staff thousands of hours annually. This will allow them to spend more time taking care of patients.
Want to Learn More About EHR Connectivity?
For over 20 years, Lifepoint Informatics has been delivering excellent custom software development and support services to our clients. We have successfully completed over 20,000 projects for more than 500 entities. Call Lifepoint Informatics at 877.522.8378 to learn more and schedule a free demonstration of EHR connectivity today.