From Tiffin to Coldwater, from Pauling to Upper Sandusky, orthopedic patients in Northwest Ohio are never far from one of the offices of the Orthopaedic Institute of Ohio (OIO). But the more important point is this: No matter which office provides care, the distance between the patient and that patient’s records is essentially zero.
Every driver has had that experience of going to make a lane change only to realize that there is a vehicle in their blind spot, forcing them to make an abrupt course correction. Something like that also happens in healthcare.
Since ancient times, humans have used silos for the storage of crops. Efficient and sometimes elegant, such silos have helped sustain and advance human civilization. In the last century or so, however, humans have begun putting data into silos, with decidedly mixed results.
During this year’s virtual eClinicalWorks® and healow® National Conference, CEO Girish Navani cited technology pioneer John Gage’s phrase, “The network is the computer.”
Why? Simply because the phrase Gage coined in 1984 is truer today than it was back then.
You need only a few minutes to read this blog, but there are even faster ways to transform your front office. We’d love for you to keep reading, but you could just give us a call right now.
In 1969, microbiologist René Dubos won the Pulitzer Prize for “So Human an Animal,” an eloquent exploration of how technology must respect the uniqueness and value of human lives.
“Like the evolutionary development of mankind, the experiential development of each individual person consists in an integrated series of responses to environmental stimuli,” Dubos wrote. “In most situations, the effects of the total environment on the body and the mind must therefore be interrelated.”
Without effective interoperability, practices can be stuck in the past. Today, health information needs to move quickly among physicians' offices and hospitals. The goal of interoperability is to allow this health information to flow securely among practices and facilities nationwide.
Maybe you’ve heard of Marvel’s Avengers film series? Even if you haven’t watched them, we promise, no spoilers! To power the Infinity Gauntlet and change the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the supervillain Thanos needed to place the Infinity Stones into their proper places. Interoperability is as multifaceted as the Infinity Gauntlet – requiring multiple attributes that, when put together, have the power to change healthcare.
In less than a generation, there has been a dramatic transformation in interoperability, the sharing of clinical patient data among providers and facilities.
For many years, the standard for interoperability could best be described as “Try to remember.” Physicians relied upon in-house records, questionnaires, and information gathered during patient visits.
Your providers thrive when they have access to the latest information on health, illness, and treatments. A 2006 study by the American Medical Informatics Association concluded that when physicians need good information they seek out gold-standard sources, including high-quality medical journals and reputable websites that specialize in their area of expertise.
With healthcare data constantly flowing in from multiple sources, how are providers supposed to best organize patient information within their EHR? Truly knowing your patient population starts by finding a means of aggregating scattered data and then funneling it into a convenient and organized system.
People everywhere will turn to online marketplaces like Amazon® or eBay® to purchase gifts for friends and family. Now, imagine the frustration that would ensue if these companies made a decision to only allow access through a single browser and on a specific type of mobile device.
Users want the freedom to be able to access a website from any browser, on any device, and any operating system. This same need for independence and ease of use carries over when providers need to access healthcare data between EHRs. FHIR is the means of achieving this.
There are few things as satisfying as placing the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle in the correct spot.
January 29, 2021, is National Puzzle Day and even though finishing a jigsaw puzzle may be satisfying, solving unique problems specific to healthcare is another area worth celebrating.
You’re walking on a dirt path – medium-length prairie grass rustles next to you as you look over at the angular red rock formations. You hear a faint sound – like someone rolling a set of dice in a plastic cup – and keep moving forward. The sound stops. You scan the area, squinting and listening for something, anything, to attach to the sound.
Once upon a time, you dreamed of medical school. You knew that would be hard to achieve. And it was. But you being you, there was always another dream — that of opening your own medical practice.
The right hands include authorized providers, for whom access to the most up-to-date patient data is essential for informed decision-making and better and safer medicine. Ensuring patients also enjoy on-demand access to their own medical records is critical for making them full partners in their healthcare.