The pandemic has brought challenges as well as opportunities for diverse sectors, including healthcare. We’re now stepping into an era of digital transformation that will significantly impact healthcare.
According to the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare Index, the US healthcare industry is missing out on billions of dollars in potential annual savings due to inadequate workflow automation for common business transactions. Apart from the $122 billion already saved through automation, an additional $16.3 billion could be saved by fully adopting nine common transactions.
The CAQH stated, “For example, each fully automated claims status inquiry costs $11.71 less than the same transaction conducted manually for the medical industry, and $10.92 less for the dental industry. Similarly, every eligibility and benefit verification converted from manual to electronic saves the medical industry $8.64 and the dental industry $8.75. Considering the millions of times these transactions occur every day, the savings potential across the healthcare economy is significant.”
The healthcare sector is now more focused than ever on simplifying workflows and reducing the burden of administrative tasks, with automation leading the way. Here are the top 7 trends in healthcare IT services that highlight the role of automation in creating patient-centered, outcome-based systems.
1. API-Enabled EHRs to Improve Interoperability
Application Programming Interface (API)-enabled EHRs allow patients to access data and manage their care using smartphones or computers. API adoption enhances interoperability and data sharing between providers, reducing clinical burdens and improving care coordination. When deployed correctly, next-gen APIs create secure, compliant integrations to provide actionable data and advanced care through multiple channels.
Ben Moscovitch, project director of Health Information Technology at Pew Charitable Trusts, states, “If standard APIs were broadly adopted in health care, patients could access and compile their data from multiple providers while clinicians could process complicated information and make care recommendations. APIs would also offer other benefits, such as facilitating the exchange of clinical data among health care providers.”
2. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for Scaling Operational Efficiency
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has emerged as a powerful tool for healthcare IT service providers. RPA enables organizations to scale operational efficiency, particularly by reducing administrative costs and manual labor. According to Gartner, 50% of healthcare providers in the U.S. will invest in RPA in the next three years to optimize costs and healthcare resources.
Dr. Anurag Gupta, research vice president at Gartner, explains, “Cost optimization is a consistently recurring theme among healthcare providers. The money that RPA saves by not having to spend as much on an unreformed process translates into cash that is available for front-end clinical functions, which is especially important while healthcare organizations combat the COVID-19 crisis.”
3. Telehealth for Remote Care
Telehealth has been instrumental in providing virtual care during the pandemic, which required social distancing. It quickly demonstrated its immense potential and is now becoming a preferred form of medical care. Jack Williams, President of VirtualMed Staff, explains, “When patients feel their care is as good or better than a routine visit in person, all from the comfort of home, those same patients will no longer endure long wait times when it is avoidable.”
Using technologies like streaming media and video conferencing, telehealth eliminates patient no-shows, travel time, and wait times, improving efficiency and revenue for medical practitioners. It also plays a critical role in disaster emergency response services by streamlining volunteer registration, biological surveillance, hospital bed tracking, and patient record management.
Even as the pandemic subsides, telehealth will remain a cornerstone of long-term healthcare plans. A hybrid model combining telehealth and in-person visits has emerged, offering effective management for everything from routine follow-ups to critical care.
4. Cloud-Based LIMS to Ensure Continuous Data Access
The global Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.1% from 2019 to $2.21 billion by 2026. What was once a tool for recording test samples has now evolved into a next-gen healthcare solution leveraging cloud technology.
Cloud-based LIMS connects multiple stakeholders, enabling sample tracking, processing, and delivery while providing scalability. Patients can also track their records and maintain personal health data efficiently. Modern LIMS software serves as an interface between lab equipment and devices in real-time, supporting better coordination and data management.
5. Salesforce Health Cloud for Enhanced Patient Experience
Salesforce Health Cloud provides a comprehensive view of patients through dashboards that integrate data from multiple sources. This unified approach helps healthcare providers map the entire patient journey and understand their relationships with specialists.
Data from EHRs, wearable activity trackers, and medical devices contribute to patient histories that include details such as medical conditions, lab results, and more. With built-in security features, Salesforce Health Cloud ensures compliance and offers an omnichannel experience, allowing patients to reach out through their preferred platform.
6. AI and Integrated Wearable Technology for Better Health Management
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a game-changer in healthcare, improving clinical, operational, and financial outcomes. Machine learning enables healthcare providers to segregate data, understand patients’ conditions, and make informed decisions. Predictive models powered by AI are also helping track viruses and assess risks during pandemics.
Wearable technology is transforming clinical research and treatment protocols by recording metrics such as steps, heart rate, and blood pressure. The global wearable market, valued at USD 32.63 billion in 2019, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.9% through 2027. Combined with AI, wearables are set to revolutionize healthcare by providing data-driven insights and enabling better outcomes.
7. A Digital Front Door for Personalized Care
Social distancing highlighted the need for healthcare providers to ramp up digital capabilities. A digital front door provides patients with convenient, timely access to healthcare IT services. Bruce Orcutt, Vice President of Marketing at ABBYY, states, “Patients need healthcare services that can meet them where they are: in their own homes.”
Video platforms, native apps, and personalized web portals support this concept, creating seamless patient experiences. By analyzing operational processes and identifying bottlenecks, providers can enhance workflows, reduce patient wait times, and ensure an efficient system.
Wrapping Up Leverage Trigent’s Healthcare IT Services
The healthcare industry is poised to achieve new frontiers with transformative technologies at its helm. At Trigent, we help healthcare organizations deploy future-ready technologies to gain a 360-degree view of their people, processes, and data. Connected healthcare is the key to improving patient engagement and delivering quality care.
As part of our healthcare IT services, we guide organizations in adopting advanced IT solutions to enhance patient care, optimize operational efficiency, and reduce costs. With healthcare IT services at the forefront of transformation, we are prepared to help you unlock the full potential of digital solutions.