The last thing healthcare providers should have to worry about is access to data or leaky systems that compromise patient security or privacy. Many homegrown systems loosely connect different departmental databases, but modern hospitals require a seamless electronic system that covers every piece of data entered within the facility.
What Should an Effective Hospital Management System Do?
Adroit Infosystems, developer of the comprehensive eHospital Systems Software, correctly defines a holistic Hospital ERP as “An integrated information system for managing all aspects of a hospital’s operations such as medical, financial, administrative, legal and compliance. Hospital management system includes electronic health records, business intelligence and revenue cycle management.” When these systems meet the needs of the hectic hospital environment, “Hospitals and healthcare facilities (can) improve the quality of healthcare services, reduce operating costs, and improve revenue cycle by using a hospital management system.”
Key Data Requirements for a Smooth-running Facility
Here are several key functional requirements to look for when choosing a hospital management or healthcare provider system:
- Streamlining: To ensure that all areas of the facility can communicate in real time, an eManagement system has to coordinate and share vital financial, health and logistical information from billing, scheduling and financial systems.
- Automation: Your hospital or medical facility needs a management system that incorporates an easy-to-use patient portal to get away from paper forms and relieve the administrative burden on overtaxed emergency room and other intake specialists.
- Billing: A hospital’s primary obligation is to care for the sick and injured. However, an accurate billing module makes it possible to keep the lights on and continue to serve the public. An effective hospital management system includes easy, comprehensive forms to make sure claims are submitted to payers on a timely basis. Having a system with the appropriate checks and balances helps ensure you include all the data needed to process a claim without needless delays due to insurance company inquiries. Advanced systems include the ability to resubmit corrected claims for rejections and denials.
- Make sure you can get financial reports and pull data that helps administrators determine the facility’s fiscal health.
- Patient Communication: An eManagement system should also provide value to patients by generating and distributing patients balance statements, and out-of-pocket estimates. This greatly improves the collection of payment at the point of care, which in turn decreases the likelihood of future delinquencies.
Benefits of a Great Hospital Management System
Having all your data on one platform creates a real Business Intelligence tool with valuable insights into hospital operations and improving the quality of patient care. It also enhances the overall patient experience in the hospital and helps doctors communicate more effectively with sick or injured patients. If your hospital could use some help managing extra expenses with less paperwork and improved safety, it may be time to look at the systems used to collect and share vital data.
