Why Healthcare Systems Need Health IT To Alleviate Staffing Shortages
A report by Mercer reveals the demand for healthcare will quickly outrun the number of recruits within five years. To put this in perspective, U.S. healthcare will see a shortage of about 3.2 million workers during this time. Another recent report from the American College of Healthcare Executives found “the shortage of personnel” to be the biggest concern within the healthcare industry.
What does this alarming data mean for your organization? Most healthcare institutes are still coping with the ripples left behind by the pandemic. Over two years of working extended shifts and witnessing several patients battle the pandemic have pushed healthcare staff to the point of severe burnout. So, not surprisingly, labor shortages have now plagued the corridors of most hospitals. While staffing shortages persisted before the onset of COVID-19, the pandemic played a monumental role in exacerbating these issues in recent times.
With heavy erosion of the financial performance and patient welfare, how exactly can hospitals stay afloat alongside timely catering to everyone in need?
Optimizing the EMR System and Focusing on Health IT Is the Answer
Technology is evolving at an incredible rate. It seems to be a dedicated “right-hand man” for most industries including healthcare. An optimized Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and effective patient self-services are critical to slash staffing shortages, lower turnover rates, and fully support the staff. Here are a few of the many ways health IT can boost the efficiency of hospitals despite a very limited staff:
Providing valuable customer experiences such as sharing appointments directly to the patients’ digital calendars and sending them fasting reminders.
Providing patients access to patient portals, and enabling online self-registration. Through these services, patients can upload their IDs and insurance cards online and fill out their signing forms digitally.
Furnishing patients with online, out-of-pocket cost estimates.
Facilitating faster check-ins through QR codes.
Access to healthcare must be as effortless as buying your favorite products online. When you move the process like patient registration, check-in, and billing services online, your staff will no longer be burdened with excessive administrative work. For instance, if there is a shortage of staff at the check-in desk, it can help if patients can take care of these processes on their own – thanks to the convenience and shorter wait times they come with.
How Technology Can Revolutionalize Healthcare Systems
Billing services, online forms, self-check-ins, patient portals, and more contactless patient experiences embedded in EMR systems can revolutionalize healthcare industries. Healthcare IT boosts improved patient care, leaves a positive impact on practice management, and helps organizations increase productivity within the workforce. With the right EMR system, hospitals can experience a streamlined workflow where the staff focuses more on the patients rather than trying to catch up with administrative tasks.
At Quality Informatics Consulting, we deeply understand the overwhelming impact understaffing can trigger. With our world-class EMR solutions, your healthcare staff can now work smarter and put their talents to better use while we handle the burden of administrative tasks for you. Connect with us to know how our technology can help you push past the hurdles of labor shortages so you can switch your entire focus on delivering exceptional patient care.
