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Originally Posted On: https://healthcareitsm.com/blog/itsm-improves-healthcare/

 

The quality of healthcare treatment for patients relies on support, knowledge, and various tools healthcare organizations can use, which allows the healthcare industry to be continuously evolving. Advancements in technology play a large role in how healthcare workers can administer treatment to patients, as well as how they perform daily operations.

While treating patients is the number one priority in the healthcare field, it’s also crucial for employees to keep patient data private and secure. By using information technology service management (ITSM), healthcare workers can streamline their daily operations, and healthcare businesses can save money in the long term.

What Is ITSM?

Information technology service management is defined as the process employees utilize to manage IT services. A designated ITSM team oversees servers, laptops, applications, and more, as well as creates and manages all IT services in an organization. This allows staff, patients, and other healthcare providers to communicate and share information easier. A strong ITSM platform can streamline daily operations and make other aspects of the healthcare industry easier to perform.

When it comes to assisting patients, ITSM makes the process less challenging for healthcare workers, which reduces human error as well as risk. ITSM’s ability to cut out even the smallest errors can prevent catastrophic situations, such as a wrong diagnosis. ITSM is continuously evolving as technology changes, and with a strong ITSM team, you can more easily adapt to these changes before they become complex, expensive issues.

ITSM in Healthcare

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How does information technology improve patient care? There are several answers to this question, and they all contribute to improving the well-being of both staff and patients. ITSM can positively impact the healthcare industry in several different ways.

Electronic Health Records

Electronic health records (EHRs) can store medical information digitally, including prescriptions and medical history. Storing records digitally also makes them easier to access later, saving time. EHRs are kept secure, but information technology allows for easy exchange between doctors and patients without worry of information leaking to third parties. EHRs can also store medical images that can be shared among professionals, further simplifying the record-sharing process. EHRs can provide a safe method of sharing information, as well as help to reduce errors that could lead to disastrous issues.

Smart Medical Devices

Technology is always adapting to current needs, and this is often seen in the healthcare field. Healthcare employees frequently use clinical instruments and medical devices that are connected to other smart devices, and ITSM can help manage these devices and detect any potential problems. ITSM can also check inventory to ensure assets are properly managed. By keeping track of these devices and preventing major problems, healthcare employees can freely treat their patients without significant interruptions.

Telemedicine

Along with EHR, telemedicine allows clinicians to provide patients with care outside of the doctor’s office in a secure manner. Due to the nature of remote care, it is crucial to manage any associated devices efficiently through ITSM. This is to ensure these devices are safe to use and correctly store information. Should any problems arise, they can quickly be reported. Healthcare organizations must make sure telemedicine tools are regularly available and operational.

Bring Your Own Device

Bring your own device (BYOD) allows doctors and other employees to use their personal devices to perform their tasks. They expect to be able to access their data as needed on their own device, thanks to electronic health records. ITSM, with extensive security measures, is a primary feature that enables BYOD to take place within an organization, as sensitive data must be protected from outside sources.

Chain of Hospitals

A chain of hospitals describes a network of hospitals working together. By implementing information technology service management solutions, your hospital can operate within a network, allowing for easy transfer of data and communication among members of the chain. To further improve chain operations, a single service desk solution can be created to consolidate information and allow management to receive valuable insight into how to move forward.

Benefits of ITSM in the Healthcare Industry

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The integration of ITSM in the healthcare industry provides several benefits to healthcare businesses, staff, and patients. The goal of healthcare is to provide an excellent standard of care as quickly and reliably as possible, and ITSM’s benefits help your business succeed.

Performance Analysis

Evaluating employee performance is crucial in improving overall operations. For example, if a specific department in an organization is failing to meet certain needs, ITSM can provide performance analysis details that can highlight potential improvements. These reports are generated quickly and illustrate which service or employee needs to improve.

Healthcare organizations need systems that allow them to evaluate the quality of patient care they provide so that they can address any major problems that arise. Through ITSM solutions, businesses can address employees’ performance and determine if any services they offer demonstrate vulnerabilities.

Fewer Medical Errors

Medical errors are an incredibly serious issue at the top of most healthcare professionals’ list of concerns. Receiving the wrong diagnosis or prescription can result in severe medical consequences and even death for the patient, as well as significant legal and financial issues for the provider and healthcare business. A study from 2017 states that over 250,000 people die annually due to medical errors. in the US alone. The cause of errors can be difficult to trace, and even when the source of the problem is discovered, it can be challenging to eliminate the problem moving forward. This is where the benefits of information technology service management become especially significant.

ITSM can provide quicker, easier access to patient information and data, allowing healthcare providers to collect and share data while improving patient safety. This also allows staff to provide the best healthcare possible to their patients. With immediate access to comprehensive records, staff can assess a patient’s unique medical needs and ensure excellent treatment is given each time.

Improved Patient Monitoring

Because ITSM allows for smoother, safer access to patient information, staff will have an easier time monitoring their patients thoroughly, improving their care. For example, if a patient is diagnosed with a chronic condition, ITSM can provide remote monitoring solutions that help patients recover and ensure caregivers stay updated. ITSM allows healthcare providers to access patient data from their databases to detect and prevent any health complications from arising. With improvements to patient monitoring, doctors can even treat their patients without needing to visit with them physically, which can save time for both parties.

Improved Patient Satisfaction

The ability to easily manage your services, technology, and information is crucial in improving patient satisfaction. Your patients shouldn’t have to wait longer at your office for treatment due to a failure with your computer or network. With ITSM, staff can put their focus on treating patients, not diagnosing and correcting a technical issue. Because the focus shifts to patient needs, patients often feel that their concerns are being heard, and they will have a more positive experience.

When patients have a good experience, they may consider visiting your organization every time they need medical assistance, which can help your reputation as a healthcare provider. ITSM also allows patients to view their own records as they need, improving patient access to healthcare. Additionally, other aspects, such as payment, appointment booking, and communication, become easier on patients with the addition of ITSM.

Increased Productivity

Because ITSM can reduce workload and keep staff focused on treating patients, overall productivity increases throughout the organization. Healthcare workers are no strangers to working several hours a day while managing several tasks at a time, but excessive working hours and complex workflows can cause dissatisfaction among employees. To prevent this, ITSM can handle certain tasks while streamlining others, preventing staff from feeling overwhelmed. Without the added pressure of managing records and other information by hand, employees can experience stress reduction, which improves employee retention.

Streamlined Claims Processing

Claims processing can feel like a chore for most organizations, and many people don’t realize how intensive this process is. Claims processing requires several steps to ensure all required information is completed accurately and efficiently. ITSM enables several different services to streamline this process and save employees time. As a result, patients receive more attention and may experience a better outcome. Another feature of ITSM is that it enables healthcare workers to contact support services via email, mobile, or self-service portals so support can address any issues that arise.

The Future of ITSM in Healthcare

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Technology is always changing, and there’s a strong likelihood that the role of ITSM in healthcare will expand even further in the near future.

Some trends to consider in the future of ITSM include:

• Adoption of AI
• Reducing IT waste
• Further improvements in productivity
• Changing technology usage

The future of ITSM will be digital, but it’s likely to include additional improvements that can simplify the healthcare industry further. New technologies may also arise and find their niches in healthcare organizations.

 

Healthcare as a Self-Service Industry

Self-service is a phrase more commonly associated with retail, but this applies to healthcare as well. Through ITSM, patients are given control over certain aspects of their healthcare, which many find more satisfying. Patients can communicate with their providers more efficiently, book appointments, and access their records without needing to go through several additional steps. By streamlining specific aspects of healthcare, the industry becomes more patient and staff-friendly.

The Role of IT in Healthcare Today

IT has existed in the healthcare industry for decades, but today’s IT enables healthcare providers to manage records, keep operating and examination rooms functional, and make billing a simpler task. The addition of IT saves time. IT systems also enable time-consuming tasks like data entry to be performed efficiently and accurately with computer technology so staff can then focus on their patients.

Challenges Related to ITSM in Healthcare

While information technology service management can provide several benefits to an organization, there are also some challenges that could arise because of ITSM.

These challenges include:

• Poor system integration
• Lack of reporting and ability to adapt
• Weak system interoperability
• Budget concerns

Fortunately, these challenges can be addressed pre-emptively with attention to detail by a quality IT organization.

 

The Need for ITSM

Daily operations in any business can be addressed without ITSM, but the necessary steps can become significantly more expensive, time-consuming, and difficult. If your business is struggling with tech, productivity, or budget issues, creating an ITSM platform for your business may be the best decision you’ve ever made. No matter how big or small your healthcare business is, ITSM can help you make improvements and address the issues that need your attention most.

IT Service Management Solutions

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Healthcare is arguably one of the most critical fields in existence, and it is also one of the most stressful, owing to the fact that healthcare truly never sleeps. Patients and the structures in place to support them should garner your staff’s full attention and support. The last thing a healthcare employee should be worried about is searching for a patient’s medical history or addressing a data breach. Through ITSM solutions, several operations become quicker, easier, and more efficient.

We take a holistic approach to IT solutions, simplifying the healthcare industry, and we can provide the consulting services you need to bring that quality to your business, as well.