New regulations, rapidly changing technologies and a massive shift in the way healthcare is being delivered have all been major disruptions for the healthcare industry recently. Patients are required to pay more and more out of pocket costs for their care, and consequently they have become consumers as well as patients. And like all consumers, healthcare patients are demanding a better customer service experience.
As everyone from specialized healthcare practices all the way up to large medical centers and hospitals scramble to meet the changing demands of patients, they are also taking a step back and assessing their entire technology landscape. With increased pressure to meet security and regulatory mandates as well as ensure sensitive data and records are backed up and stored properly, the healthcare industry is rapidly changing the way it does business.
Orthodontic practice Hendrix Orthodontics is a perfect example of this shift in attitude and technologies. The company recently needed to update its IT infrastructure to meet industry mandates like HIPAA and to become more secure and centralized. Hendrix turned to service provider Venyu to implement their VenyuCloud solution to migrate the practice to the cloud. The offering is comprised of virtual servers as well as business continuity and infrastructure lifecycle management. Moving to the cloud through a specialized service provider saved Hendrix from purchasing expensive network infrastructure as well as the time and cost commitment to management and maintain that on-premises equipment. The result is that the practice is now better able to serve customers through improved and easier access to everything from billing to x-rays and patient records.
TMC’s Matt Paulson recently summarized the latest trends in healthcare technology, highlighting many of the changes providers are making to better meet consumer demand and update their care delivery systems. Mobile technology is a major factor, with both healthcare practitioners and patients demanding mobile access to records, diagnoses and information. Telemedicine is another upcoming trend that is gaining traction, as patients realize the benefits of being able to connect with their caregivers through video chat platforms.
On Nov. 11 at 11:30 a.m. EST, “Improve Patient Engagement and Profitability: Embrace Consumerism and New Technology” will offer advice for the healthcare industry to better understand the technologies and practices it can utilize to improve customer interactions while becoming more patient-centric and cost effective.
Edited by
Stefania Viscusi
