Business Solutions for Fall 2020

F A L L 2 0 2 0 7 BUSINESS solutions Taking the Pulse of Health Care Technology Electronic Health Records As the health care industry shifted from paper to electronic health care records, much of this data has been stored on premise within health care facilities. Now another shift is taking place —storing these records offsite on cloud-based platforms, allowing professionals to easily and securely view them from any internet-enabled device. Another benefit is the expanded capacity of cloud-based storage, which permits more com- plete records on each patient to be kept. Tablets Many health care providers have adopted tablets as their go-to tool for a wide variety of uses including recording and review- ing patient data, accessing drug databases, scheduling patient appointments, and communicating with patients and other pro- viders. With tablets, providers can spend less time on paperwork and more time delivering quality care to patients. Remote Patient Monitoring Patients can wear or use devices that monitor their physical condition and send data to their medical practitioners at primary care clinics, hospitals, nursing units, and other health care facili- ties. Health data collected in this manner includes weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and elec- trocardiograms. Professionals can use this information to ensure their patients’ treatment plans are on track or adjust as needed. In addition, patients can use it to monitor themselves and become more proactive in their own care. Telemedicine Remote access to health care services is on the rise and can be used in many ways. One is to share files, test results, and other data via secure email platforms; in this case, the health care provider and patient can be interacting with the information at different times. The other is for the provider and patient to communicate in real time using audio and video conferencing. Telemedicine can help patients in isolated areas gain access to medical specialists in larger communities. Madison Communications is dedicated to ensuring that health care providers—as well as our customers in other fields—have the communications services they need. Call 800-422-4848 to learn more. How new tools are improving patient health and provider efficiency As in many industries, professionals in health care are increasingly dependent on technology that requires a fast and reliable internet connection. Both health care providers and patients benefit as new advances in medicine make it easier to give and receive medical care. Here are just a few of the emerging technologies: