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Healthcare informatics is all around us, but sometimes we don't realize it.

Currently, working in home care, we use data points to create a plan of care for each patient with an end goal to decrease patient rehospitalizations. We look at our OASIS scores to look at patient outcomes, with goals of increasing patient independence and promoting safety.

I live in North Carolina, close to Charlotte, and we are currently having a major change to a local hospital systems EMR. One hospital system is converting to another hospital systems current EMR. This change will allow better access to data between systems. This will allow for better management of data and increased patient outcomes.

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It was interesting to learn about the TIGER initiative, as I had never heard of it. End goals of the initiative were to engage nurses in digital records, identify best practices, and create plans that could be easily duplicated in all healthcare settings. I believe we still have a long way to go in healthcare to meet these goals.

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Currently none of the local healthcare systems have charting systems that "talk" to each other. When a patient has multiple doctors it is hard for them to get their updated healthcare information to each of the doctors. This increases the risk of medication duplications, duplicate testing, and fragmented patient care. It would be of great benefit to healthcare for interoperability to occur nation wide.

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Sharing patient clinical information is not new. Before health information networks, health care providers and health plans exchanged information directly by hand, fax, telephone or e-mail. These methods are more expensive, time consuming and not secure. In other words, communication was at the center, not the patient.

Most health care providers are now using electronic health records (EHR). However, when a patient goes from one provider to another (i.e. Primary Care Physician referral to a Specialist), these EHRs are not the same. Health information networks allows these providers to share information, essentially allowing their EHRs to "talk to one another." Communication is much more efficient this way so your physician can put the patient the center.
Health care providers can submit a single request through a health information network, such as the Tiger Institute Health Alliance, to obtain electronic records from other members. The provider must have sufficient personal information about a patient to prove they have a treatment relationship before the network will allow access to patient information

This brief video provides an overview of the interoperability challenges facing the healthcare industry.

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Interoperability - Tiger Institute for Health Innovation

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Sharing patient clinical information is not new. Before health information networks, health care providers and health plans exchanged information directly by hand, fax, telephone or e-mail. These methods are more expensive, time consuming and not secure. In other words, communication was at the center, not the patient.

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Transforming Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom- Week 4

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Transforming Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom- Week 4

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I have never thought about how data, information, knowledge, and wisdom are interrelated. We use data points, information, knowledge, and wisdom in our daily care of patients. We use past history (data, knowledge, and information) to make future outcomes occur (wisdom).

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Developing Understanding using the DIKW Pyramid

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Meaningful use goals: data capture and sharing; advanced clinical processes; and improved outcomes.

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What is Meaningful Use? It's a program enacted by the US Federal Government in 2009 to incentivize eligible medical professionals with payments to use a certified electronic health record (EHR), according to HealthIT.gov. The Meaningful Use program was designed to improve health care for patients by making it safer and more efficient. It's separated into three stages that we'll go over in a bit.

How does a clinic or clinician qualify for Meaningful Use? In order to become eligible, you need to show that you are meaningfully using it to improve the care your patients receive. Your hospital has to show the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that it has adopted, upgraded, and implemented certified EHR technology.

Participation in the Meaningful Use program comes with definite financial incentives. If you're looking for a certified EHR, you can learn more about how to choose an EHR here.

How does Meaningful Use improve quality of care?

The program is dependent on five priorities of health care policy, according to the CDC including:

1. Reducing health care disparity by improving efficiency, safety, and quality

2. Engaging with patients and their families in their health care

3. Improving health care coordination

4. Improving public health

5. Protecting patients personal health information (you can read more about how to do this here in our post on HIPAA violations and how to avoid them)

How much are payments and fines?

Your health care facility can get a lot of money for working toward these goals through an EHR. In fact, incentive payments start at $44,000 over a five-year period for Medicare Providers. Medicaid providers can get $63,750 in incentives over a six-year period. Those amounts are nothing to scoff at. However, keep in mind that these amounts depend on when a facility starts meeting the requirements.

Participation in the program started out as voluntary but that has since changed. It started out by simply giving incentives to physicians that participated. Now, providers who don't participate will be penalized with reduced Medicare reimbursements. So, not only does it pay to get in on the Meaningful Use program, but it also hurts you if you don't.

A really good EHR will also help you avoid HIPAA violations. And those can cost up you up to $5k per violation depending on the state you're in. All the more reason to have a really good EHR.

How many Meaningful Use stages are there?

There are three stages to this program and the stages build on each other over time.

Stage 1

Stage 1, launched in 2011, focuses on proper electronic data sharing through an EHR. The criteria for stage 1 consists of 15 core requirements and 10 menu requirements. Providers must meet all of the core requirements but only five of the menu requirements are needed to complete this stage.

If you want to get 100% of the incentive, you have to meet the standards of meaningful use for a minimum of 90 days.

Stage 2

The emphasis here is on properly exchanging patient information and care coordination. In order to meet the requirements for stage 2, you must continue meeting the requirements of stage 1. Stage 2 launched in 2014 and requires health care professionals to reach a larger number of their patient populations through their EHR.

To qualify for payment in stage 2, Eligible Professionals (EPs) need to qualify for 17 core objectives and 3 out of 6 menu objectives. Eligible Hospitals (EHs) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) need to qualify for 16 core objectives and 3 out of 6 menu objectives.

One of the core requirements for EPs is to have the capability to submit electronic data for immunizations. For EHs, one of their core objectives is to be able to submit electronic data for immunizations, Reportable Laboratory Results, and Syndromic Surveillance.

Stage 3

The third and final stage of Meaningful Use is all about improving patient outcomes. But remember, you have to continue stages 1 and 2 in order to receive payment for stage 3.

Stage 3 has eight required objectives for clinicians to meet in order to avoid penalties and receive incentives. The eight objectives are as follows:

1. Protected Health Information: Also known as PHI, physicians have to conduct a "security risk analysis" to prevent patient PHI data leaks. This is also a HIPAA requirement, which, if violated, can result in huge fines

2. Electronic Prescribing: You need to send at least 80% of your permissible prescriptions to pharmacies electronically

3. Clinical Decision Support (CDS): This is a two-part objective. The first requires implementing five CDS interventions and the second requires active checks on drug and drug-allergy interaction

4. Computerized Provider Order Entry: EPs need to meet the following three standards: medication, lab, and diagnostic imaging orders

5. Patient Engagement: At least 80% of patients need to be able to view and download their health records through your EHR. You must also provide educational information to at least 35% of your patients

6. Coordination of Care: This is meant to increase patient engagement through three processes. 1) Have at least 25% of patients use your EHR. 2) A minimum of 35% of your patients must obtain secure digital information from a health care provider. 3) You need to get data from a minimum of 15% of patients through fitness trackers/wearable devices. EPs need to shoot for all three standards but only meet the requirements for two

7. Health Information Exchange: The focus here is twofold. 1) At least 50% of care record-transition must be done electronically. 2) When seeing a patient for the first time, you must receive health records electronically no less than 40% of the time

8. Public Health Data Reporting: Here, you need to choose three of five EHR destinations to submit data. The options include a public health registry, clinical data registry, syndromic surveillance, cases, and an immunization registry.

MACRA and Meaningful Use

What is MACRA?

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, or MACRA, gives EPs and EHs more tools to provide patients with better care. MACRA created the Quality Payment Program (QPP), which is designed to benefit providers that provide great health care. QPP gives you various payment options as well.

The QPP is designed to do the following according to CMS.gov:

Repeals Sustainable Growth Rate formula. This was predicted to make cuts of 25-30% each year for the services you and other clinicians make to Medicare beneficiaries

Gives bonus payments to participating providers with alternative payment models (APMs)

Makes multiple quality programs faster and more efficient under the new Merit-Based Incentive Payments System (MIPS)

Requires all Social Security Numbers be removed from Medicare cards by April 2019

Changes how clinicians are rewarded for value and volume by Medicare

You can participate based on the following factors:

Size of your practice

Specialty

Patient population

Specialty

In short, MACRA created a way for health care providers to be paid for Medicare beneficiaries. It also set rules for data sharing.

What are MACRA's data sharing rules?

The CMS's Qualified Entity (QE) program helps your organization get Medicare claims data and this can be used to determine the performance of the provider. If your organization is or has been approved as a QE then you're required to produce and publically provide reports approved by the CMS.

QEs are also allowed to make non-public analyses and sell it to users that have been authorized, and you're also allowed to give out or sell combined data/information, including Medicare data at no cost to authorized users. The CMS certifies and monitors QEs that receive this data. You can see which QEs the CMS has certified, the region they're in, and the date of certification here.

How Meaningful Use and MACRA work together

When MACRA came out, Meaningful Use turned into part of MIPS, another part of MACRA. If you're a clinician, you won't participate in the Meaningful Use program for Medicare Eligible Professionals. Instead, QPP has incentives for clinicians to use certified EHR technology and includes categories based on performance like Advancing Care Information and Quality Measures Reporting in MIPS.

MACRA's new payment system aims to make it easier for your organization to simplify payment models and value-based health care delivery. Starting in 2019, if you treat Medicare patients, you will most-likely have to choose between using MIPS or APMs as your payment track. I say "most likely" because not clinicians will have to choose between these two tracks.

Under the new rule, you will get reimbursed based on a performance score on the following four factors:

1. Quality measures (30%)

2. Resource use (30%)

3. Meaningful Use (25%)

4. Clinical practice improvement activities (15%)

MACRA provides a path for you and your clinic, if eligible, to receive reimbursements through APMs or MIPS. But this isn't all new. Health care providers have been reporting on quality measures for a long time now under different programs, including Meaningful Use, Physician Quality Reporting System, Value-Based Payment Modifier program, and e-prescribing.

Are MACRA and Meaningful Use good for health care providers?

There have been a lot of reactions to MACRA and Meaningful Use, as is the case with any government regulation. Some health care professionals and clinics have lost money as a result while others have seen significant gains.

But are these programs good for health care? I believe they are. Obviously, I'm a huge fan of doing things that help hospitals be more efficient and help more people get treatment. I strongly believe that a great way to improve health care and get people the treatment they need is through having a really good EHR.

While I believe EHRs are a great way to improve health care, I also strongly believe that you have to use the EHR that's right for you and you need buy-in from everyone who will be working with it. If you're looking for a substance abuse or mental health EHR, you can also get a free demo of ours here.

How has Meaningful Use affected you?

We want to know what your thoughts are on the effects of Meaningful Use. Has it been positive or negative? If you think it's been good, comment with the word "good" below. If you think it's been bad, comment with the word "bad" below. I'm just curious about how many of you approve or disapprove of it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Meaningful Use is a program created by the Federal Government with the purpose of incentivizing clinicians and health care providers to improve health care by using a certified EHR. It has three stages, each of which builds upon the previous stage. and has seen some significant changes since its inception in 2009.

Even if hospitals and clinicians weren't incentivized by the government to use an EHR, I'd still strongly recommend using one as I've seen providers increase their revenue by as much as 30% after switching from a paper to a digital EHR.

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What is Meaningful Use in Healthcare? What is MACRA? | Alleva

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What is Meaningful Use? It's a program enacted by the US Federal Government in 2009 to incentivize eligible medical professionals with payments to use a certified electronic health record (EHR), according to HealthIT.gov. The Meaningful Use program was designed to improve health care for patients by making it safer and more efficient.

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EHR and Clinical Decision Report- Week 6

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EHR and Clinical Decision Report- Week 6

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Although I do like the ease of and effectiveness of EHR charting, I have heard patients state multiple times that we are on the computer more than taking care of the patient. I do feel like this is an accurate statement. In both my home health role, and my new transition to the ER, I feel like I am more worried about appropriate documentation than I am about actually caring for the patient. In home care I would say 80% of my job was paperwork. We need to find a more appropriate balance that enables us to put the patient at our focus, instead of documentation.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are computer-based programs that analyze data within EHRs to provide prompts and reminders to assist health care providers in implementing evidence-based clinical guidelines at the point of care. Applied to cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, this Domain 3 strategy can be used to facilitate care in various ways-for example, by reminding providers to screen for CVD risk factors, flagging cases of hypertension or hyperlipidemia, providing information on treatment protocols, prompting questions on medication adherence, and providing tailored recommendations for health behavior changes.

The evidence base demonstrating the effectiveness of CDSS is very strong. Research studies that examined CDSS had strong internal and external validity, the Community Preventive Services Task Force concluded that CDSS is effective, and CDSS trials have been replicated with positive results. Implementation guidance on CDSS is available from several sources.

Health Impact
A review by the Community Preventive Services Task Force found that CDSS leads to significant improvements in the following three quality-of-care practices for CVD prevention delivered by health care providers: 1,2

- Recommendations for screening (e.g., for blood pressure or cholesterol) and other preventive care (e.g., smoking cessation).

- Evidence-based clinical tests related to CVD.

- CVD-related treatments prescribed.

Evidence shows that CDSS can be tied to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but the findings on this association are inconsistent.
Health Disparity Impact
The ability of CDSS to reduce health disparities is understudied, and several researchers have suggested that further work is needed to directly examine this issue. Some have noted that providers working with underserved communities typically lag behind in the uptake of electronic health records (EHRs) and CDSS, and evidence exists that CDSS leads to successful health outcomes when used in underserved communities. 3,4 Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that CDSS has the potential to eliminate barriers and reduce disparities in hypertension-related care.
Economic Impact
Economic factors related to the implementation and maintenance of CDSS have not been well-documented. A review by the Community Preventive Services Task Force was inconclusive because of a lack of available data. The Task Force found that current studies are extremely heterogeneous in the range of CDSS functions and CVD risk factors studied and in the completeness or inclusion of major cost factors. Thus, the ability to determine an overall estimate of the cost or economic benefit of CDSS is limited. Of the studies available, health care costs appear to be more likely to decrease than increase after CDSS implementation, but the usefulness of this evidence is limited by incomplete and inconsistent data. ⁵ More data on the complete costs of developing, implementing, and operating CDSS systems are needed to fully assess its cost-effectiveness or return on investment.

1. Settings
Although CDSS has been implemented in a wide variety of health care settings, most published research has been within the context of primary outpatient care.

2. Policy and Law-Related Considerations
Legal considerations for CDSS begin with the vendors who interpret and translate guidelines into algorithms used by these systems. Vendors must fully disclose the sources used to build the knowledge base for their software and any limitations or weaknesses of the software. Providers must ensure that CDSS programming is updated regularly to account for changes in evidence and guidelines, and that EHRs associated with CDSS include complete and up-to-date information about patients' medical histories and allergies.1,8,13 Provider fatigue or avoidance of CDSS guidance has been raised as a barrier to successful outcomes, leading to suggestions that initial and repeat trainings be a mandatory part of CDSS implementation.

3. Implementation Guidance
Implementation guidance for CDSS is available from various sources. The following resources may be particularly useful:

Resources
CDSS is supported and promoted by many federal initiatives and agencies, including the following:

CDSS at South Omaha Medical Associates

South Omaha Medical Associates (SOMA) is a family-owned, family-operated clinic that is centrally located in South Omaha, Nebraska. It has a higher percentage of low-income patients than clinics in surrounding areas. SOMA collaborated with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Douglas County Health Department, and Wide River Health Information Technology to assess its technology needs and make plans to implement CDSS. As a result of this assessment, the clinic increased its use of EHRs and implemented systems to better identify patients with undiagnosed hypertension, increase use and monitoring of clinical quality measures, and increase use of clinically supported self-measured blood pressure monitoring. These changes improved workflow at the clinic and led to a 25% increase in patient visits since the start of the collaboration. In addition, Blue Cross Blue Shield awarded SOMA its Blue Distinction Award for meeting overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes.

For more information:
Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Program
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
301 Centennial Mall South
Lincoln, NE 68509
Email: DHHS.CDPCProgram@nebraska.gov

1. Community Preventive Services Task Force. The Guide to Community Preventive Services. Cardiovascular Disease: Clinical Decision-Support Systems (CDSS). https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/cardiovascular-disease-clinical-decision-support-systems-cdssexternal icon . Accessed August 17, 2017.

2. Njie GJ, Proia KK, Thota AB, et al. Clinical decision support systems and prevention: a Community Guide cardiovascular disease systematic review. Am J Prev Med. 2015;49(5): 784-795.

3. NORC at the University of Chicago. Understanding the Impact of Health IT in Underserved Communities and Those with Health Disparities. https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/hit-underserved-communities-health-disparities.pdf pdf icon [PDF-929 KB] external icon . Accessed February 9, 2017.

4. Mitchell J, Probst J, Brock-Martin A, Bennett K, Glover S, Hardin J. Association between clinical decision support system use and rural quality disparities in the treatment of pneumonia. J Rural Health. 2014;30(2):186-195.

5. Jacob V, Thota AB, Chattopadhyay SK, et al. Cost and economic benefit of clinical decision support systems for cardiovascular disease prevention: a Community Guide systematic review. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2017;24(3): 669-676.

6. American Medical Group Foundation. Measure Up Pressure Down: Provider Toolkit to Improve Hypertension Control. Alexandria, VA: American Medical Group Foundation; 2013.

7. Optimizing Strategies for Clinical Decision Support. https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/page/2018-04/Optimizing_Strategies_508.pdf pdf icon [PDF - 1.4 MB] external icon . Accessed June 24, 2020

8. Kilsdonk E, Peute LW, Jaspers MWM. Factors influencing implementation success of guideline-based clinical decision support systems: A systematic review and gaps analysis. International Journal of Medical Informatics. 2017;98:56-64.

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hypertension Control Change Package for Clinicians. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services; 2015.

10. gov. Policymaking, Regulation, & Strategy. Clinical Decision Support (CDS). https://www.healthit.gov/policy-researchers-implementers/clinical-decision-support-cdsexternal icon . Accessed April 12, 2017.

11. Merit-Based Incentive Payment System: Advancing Care Information. https://qpp.cms.gov/mips/advancing-care-informationexternal icon . Accessed September 26, 2017.

12. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Health Information Technology. Clinical Decision Support (CDS). https://healthit.ahrq.gov/ahrq-funded-projects/clinical-decision-support-cdsexternal icon . Accessed April 12, 2017.

13. Fox J, Thomson R. Clinical decision support systems: a discussion of quality, safety and legal liability issues. Proc AMIA Symp. 2002:265-269.

14. Norwegian Institute of Public Health. GUIDES checklist: A tool to assist professionals when implementing guidelines with computerized decision support. https://www.guidesproject.org/external icon . Accessed March 22, 2018.

Note: The web version has been updated in an effort to keep the linked resources current, and for this reason some of the content may differ with the PDF version.

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How to Implement Clinical Decision Support Systems

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Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are computer-based programs that analyze data within EHRs to provide prompts and reminders to assist health care providers in implementing evidence-based clinical guidelines at the point of care.

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Currently I reside in North Carolina. North Carolina does have a health information exchange called NC HealthConnex. Information that is exchanged includes lab work, diagnostic history, allergies, and medications. Another feature allows providers to message within the system, using a secure messaging system. This system allows an individual to be able to see a patients medical records, across different systems, to provide a comprehensive view of the patient. This also allows for reduction of duplication of services. Additionally, the pubic health registry and the immunization registry can be seen. I do not have any personal nursing experience with the NC HealthConnex system.

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Telehealth is changing the way healthcare is provided in our community. Although there are limitations to telehealth, the benefits are undeniable. Telehealth allows better access of healthcare to those who would otherwise be unable to attend appointments (either due to current infection or inability to leave the home). I look for the advances of telehealth to continue in the future.

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The ability for patients to receive healthcare through technology allows for ease of access. This week we looked at different games that are used to portray actual health matters. Although I do see the benefit of producing games to teach the younger population about healthcare issues, I do not believe they are as effective as one would hope.

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What is healthcare consumerism?

Healthcare consumerism, a growing trend in the healthcare industry, is when individual patients, also known as healthcare consumers, have control over their own health affairs via digital channels.

Healthcare consumerism means patients have easy access to a wide range of healthcare services-and to a broad swath of the healthcare landscape. Points of access include websites, mobile apps, and cloud-based channels. The healthcare industry, in terms of digital service delivery, is catching up to other industries, but still lags far behind.

Consumers increasingly demand tools which allow them to:

Find healthcare providers who satisfy the patient's specific preferences.

Self-schedule their own appointments in health systems.

Compare hospitals and healthcare providers.

Access patient portals, where they can manage their medical services, make appointments, and learn about health policy.

Digitally order prescription drugs and request medication delivery.

Understand pricing and price transparency: out of pocket costs, financial incentives, payment plans, health savings account information, health reimbursement arrangements, flexible spending accounts data, high deductible health plans info.

Learn about healthcare provider quality and read online reviews with accurate information.

Access to Covid-19 information.

Seamless consumer access to these tools empowers patients to make the best healthcare decisions for their own health. This access also allows patients to more easily navigate the complex American healthcare system.

Because of the rise of healthcare consumerism, patients are more conscientious of healthcare costs and their associated benefits. Consumers can make value-based judgments while comparison shopping; they can choose the health insurance plan most suitable for themselves and their families. In the case of employers, the employee can help pay for and manage his or her benefits directly.

Healthcare consumerism has numerous benefits, from better care quality to lower overall costs.

Healthcare organizations that take advantage of healthcare consumerism trends can:

The rapid development and enormous popularity of healthcare consumerism is an opportunity too ripe for health organizations to pass up.

What is the driving force behind healthcare consumerism?

Healthcare consumerism is not a new concept in the healthcare industry-but it has surged in popularity in recent years. Below is a brief history of healthcare consumerism:

Rise of value-based care, High Deductible Healthcare Plans (HDHP), and direct-to-consumer sales of drugs: In the early '80s, healthcare consumers started to participate in medical decision making with healthcare systems. In 1997, the FDA imposed stringent restrictions regarding radio advertisements for pharmaceutical products. Pharmaceutical companies began distributing more direct advertisements in their stores for medical treatments and drugs, which led to a growing consumer interest in health care.

Healthcare consumerism and digital technology: Changing consumer demands have come with the internet and smartphones. Many patients-accustomed to having instant access to almost any conceivable service on their mobile devices-now demand the same for their health affairs.

Why is healthcare consumerism important for healthcare providers?

Embracing healthcare consumerism is critical for providers who want to remain competitive in today's digital world. Healthcare consumerism allows providers to improve the health experience for consumers, who now demand full ownership of their medical services. Healthcare providers who embrace, rather than avoid, healthcare consumerism trends see numerous benefits:

Patient acquisition and patient loyalty.

Lower cost of overhead and other expenses.

A better relationship with healthcare payers.

Superior health plan opportunities.

A brand that stands out from other providers.

Greater physician satisfaction.

Exceptional service quality.

Positive patient outcomes.

How can healthcare organizations utilize healthcare consumerism trends to improve healthcare services and lower healthcare costs?

There are several ways that health systems can take advantage of healthcare consumerism trends to enhance their operations:

Online search (how to get found)

Healthcare search is local. Local search consists of two types:

Objective search: An example: Patients want to find the specialty that is the closest. This requires both an accurate address and one that is encoded in search engines. Other common objective search items include:

Consumers must be able to easily find your organization by entering certain keywords on a search engine: Google, Bing, Apple, Alexa, Facebook, WebMD, Vitals, Yelp, and more. Creating and maintaining accurate and engaging profiles on these platforms is called healthcare syndication.

Healthcare syndication is a critical component of getting found in online search results. Tools like Health Desk -with its database of providers, locations, and procedures-can conduct healthcare syndication for any health practice.

Subjective search: Patients want advice-and they want to know who to trust-so that they can make the best healthcare choices for themselves and their families. You can build repute with patients by offering useful health information on your website-typically in long-form content such as blog posts. Newsletters and nurturing emails are also an excellent way for health organizations to establish themselves as thought leaders in their speciality.

Selection (how to get chosen)

Positive reviews of health practices often strengthen patient trust. 79% of consumers read reviews before making healthcare decisions.

That said, even if a provider has established trust, patients still may not schedule if the provider doesn't have an easy schedule link, or offer self-scheduling. Consumers are increasingly wary of calling health practices and waiting on hold. Providers must offer digital service suited for modern consumer demands.

Conversion (how to get the appointment)

Health organizations can optimize conversions by making it easy for patients to schedule their own appointments. Self-scheduling has countless benefits for health systems:

A satisfying and seamless consumer experience: With self-scheduling, patients aren't burdened with the need to call their provider and wait on hold. They can schedule whatever health services they need on their devices.

Lower costs: Self-scheduling takes an enormous burden off of healthcare phone staff, which means providers hire less staff and the staff they do hire need less training. This substantially reduces overhead expenses.

Physician satisfaction: A sophisticated self-scheduling platform allows doctors to utilize 100% of their schedule. Appointments are distributed evenly, are always accurate, and if a patient cancels, automatic waitlisting fills empty slots.

Scheduling optimization tools (how to fill your calendar)

Patients aren't the only ones who gain from healthcare consumerism. Physicians and support staff also see benefits-particularly in regards to scheduling. AI-powered Intelligent Scheduling automates all appointment types, from sequential to surgery, which means doctors get an accurate and equitable schedule, and support staff get fewer phone calls.

Top features of Intelligent Scheduling include:

Automatic waitlisting and rescheduling.

Round-robin scheduling.

AI-automated complex scheduling.

To learn more about Intelligent Scheduling, read our Intelligent Scheduling Whitepaper.

Post-visit scheduling and healthcare marketing (how to build on the relationship)

A holistic healthcare consumerism strategy includes patient outreach and patient engagement campaigns. These campaigns include preventive medicine information, SMS scheduling links, Covid-19 news, health education emails, and more. Combined, these marketing efforts offer a superior patient experience-which in turn drives organizational growth and expands brand visibility.

To read more about healthcare marketing campaigns, click here.

What can an employer do to promote consumerism in healthcare?

Because of the rise of healthcare consumerism, employees now demand more control over the health insurance plans offered by their employers. Which means businesses must offer flexible health insurance policies that account for individual preferences. Employers should make a wide range of health plans available-with full price transparency.

Group health plans often don't account for individual patient profiles. Each employee has unique health needs, and these needs sometimes require specific health plans. Workers often face a dilemma: they either don't need all the benefits offered by their employer's health insurance, or they need more benefits than what are offered by their employer's health insurance. In the age of healthcare consumerism, employers must make individualized care a top priority.

The future of healthcare consumerism

Almost all commerce now takes place online. Consumers order household necessities and groceries, from toilet paper to eggs, on Amazon and Instacart. Consumers book transportation and lodging, from plane flights to hotels, on Uber and Expedia. And consumers engage with health services, from scheduling to communication, on digital channels.

This digital health revolution was inevitable. It was only a matter of time before patients demanded the same control, access, and personalization from their healthcare as they got from everything else. Patients want to schedule their own appointments; patients want to compare doctors; patients want to communicate securely with their caregiver.

Modern consumers demand value-based care. They demand price transparency. They demand holistic telehealth. Healthcare organizations that offer this modern consumer experience will thrive; healthcare organizations that don't will die.

To read more about cutting-edge patient access, check out our blog: "Uniting Patient 360 & Provider 360 Is The Future Of Patient Access."

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How Providers Can Win Big From Healthcare Consumerism Trends

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Healthcare consumerism, a growing trend in the healthcare industry, is when individual patients, also known as healthcare consumers, have control over their own health affairs via digital channels. Healthcare consumerism means patients have easy access to a wide range of healthcare services-and to a broad swath of the healthcare landscape.

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Quality and Unintended Consequences- Week 10

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Quality and Unintended Consequences- Week 10

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This week we discussed alarm fatigue and importance of quality measures. It is important for healthcare professionals to take the necessary steps to be able to quickly identify if alarm fatigue occurs and to take the appropriate action to reduce poor patient outcomes.

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Copyright © 2015 Institute for Healthcare ImprovementAll rights reserved. Individuals may share these materials for educational, not-for-profit uses, provided that the contents are not altered in any way and that proper attribution is given to IHI as the source of the content.

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This week we discussed the HIPAA law. Five rules included in this law are: 1) Privacy Rule, 2)Transactions and Code Sets Rule, (3) Security Rule, (4) Unique Identifiers Rule, and (5) Enforcement Rule. Most people are familiar with rule 1 and 4, but not much is widely understood about the other rules.

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Why HIPAA Compliance is Important for Healthcare Professionals

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This week we discussed data analytics and data storytelling. It was interesting to learn about data storytelling, as it is not something I have thought about in the past. Important things to consider when using data to tell a story include using relevant data, having a clear narrative, and being intentional with visuals.

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What is Data Storytelling and Its Impact on Analytics?

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This week we learned about the importance of using data visualization tools. Data visualization tools are a great asset to healthcare and help to tell the whole story. One benefit of data visualization tools is the ability to share data with those that are unable to read or are of younger age. Visualization tools can be easier to understand.

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This week we discussed legal and ethical issues in nursing. When in practice it is important to not just think about legal implications, but also ethical implications. Both of the case studies had major legal and ethical issues throughout.