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 Situation
Solution
Benefits
Case Studies
SituationHealthcare provider executives have said that the three most critical challenges facing their industry are reducing medical errors, complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and responding to cost pressures.¹ When looking for ways to meet these challenges, healthcare providers quickly realize that they need to improve their clinical and administrative processes. Today, these processes often reflect the following problems: | • | Time wasted completing, deciphering, and routing paper-based handwritten forms such as lab orders. | | • | Long patient wait times caused in part by slow communication of patient information. | | • | Risk of errors due to illegible and incomplete patient information or lack of timely communication. | | • | Caregiver dissatisfaction due to a disproportionate amount of time spent on administrative tasks instead of patient interactions. |
Similar challenges can appear in a wide range of healthcare settings from large regional hospitals to small private practices. ¹ 15th Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey sponsored by Superior Consultant Company
SolutionSolutions built on the Microsoft Office System can help healthcare providers address these challenges. For example, a clinical forms automation solution can be built with the following components: | • | Forms: With Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003, paper forms can be easily converted into digital forms for use by caregivers. InfoPath forms can be used throughout the patient care process from registration and triage to placing lab orders and charting treatment plans. These forms can be easily modified to accommodate changing business processes. | | • | Process Automation and Interoperability: By automating clinical forms processes and eliminating manual systems, caregivers can streamline patient information management and treatment flow. Solutions based on the Microsoft Office System can also connect the data and processes in clinical forms with other systems, such as a lab or patient records system. | | • | Digital Whiteboard: With team Web sites created using Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies, caregivers and administrators can access a central location to view patient information and status including triage category, lab order status, and location. This level of access can help to quickly determine the next steps in each patient’s care. |
Watch the Video
See how the Microsoft Office System can help automate healthcare provider processes in an ambulatory or urgent care setting.
BenefitsBy automating clinical and administrative processes, healthcare providers can directly address some of their key business challenges: | • | Reduce medical errors by ensuring complete and legible capture of patient information. | | • | Improve patient care by reducing patient wait times caused by slow communication. | | • | Reduce operating costs by eliminating paper-based systems and lowering processing time. | | • | Improve caregiver job satisfaction by allowing them to spend more time with patients and less time on administrative tasks. |
Case StudiesSwedish Hospital
Learn how Swedish Hospital used the Microsoft Office System to provide high-quality care to 10 percent more patients and to increase per-patient revenue. Klinikum Ingolstadt
Find out how Klinikum Ingolstadt used the Microsoft Office System to save 6,000 work hours a year, and help patients get treated faster and leave the hospital sooner.
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