Improving Technology Facilitates Patient Care

More independent physicians are partnering with their local hospitals to deliver efficient care to patients. These doctors and hospitals are employing a range of new information sharing technologies in order to facilitate access to patient information.

Without the aid of information sharing technology, hospitals and doctors often need to contact one another to ensure they have all the necessary information to prescribe treatment. This can lead to delays in treatment due to the waiting time for the transfer of patient information.

Information sharing networks eliminate this downtime by allowing physicians in private practice and those in community hospitals to access all records pertaining to a specific patient instantly.

This also diminishes the risk of valuable information being forgotten or omitted. Patient allergies to medications and previous treatment information are particularly relevant to physicians when trying to prescribe treatment. With new information sharing systems, doctors have a more reliable source to turn to for these types of information.

Integrated technology systems also facilitate physician workflow efficiency. Care providers can electronically submit laboratory and radiology orders to be viewed instantly by physicians either at their practices or at the community hospital.

McKesson, leading health care information technology provider, has several information sharing products in their line that have proven popular with community hospitals and physicians alike. Ten community hospitals have adopted programs such as Paragon Community Hospital Information System (HIS) and Practice Partner Electronic Health Records (EHR) in the last 12 months.

York Hospital in Maine and San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital in California are just a few of the hospitals that have found the use of information sharing technology helpful, enabling them to offer safer, more efficient care to their patients. These programs generally work with the hospital’s existing electronic infrastructure and are therefore easy to implement and use.

The ready sharing of information can also help to strengthen bonds among medical professionals. New technologies are reducing the barriers to information between physician practices and hospitals and creating a larger sense of community among those involved with patient care.