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As IT investments grow in healthcare industry, so too does need for management

Ben Farrell
July 19, 2013

Optimizing workflow and administrative processes within the medical industry is critical, especially as investment into advanced technology and IT solutions increase. A recent study by MarketsandMarkets found that IT spending in the healthcare industry is set to increase by $56.7 billion between 2012 and 2017.

As more physicians, hospitals and other medical centers invest in advanced IT solutions, they are seeing added benefits beyond the improvements to workflow, safety and efficiency noted in the report. Increased data usage, improved patient care and new ways to enhance administrative efficiency are also providing significant ROI for organizations investing in new tools. However, in order to implement these new technologies and optimize the benefits, healthcare facilities have to consider the need for business process management (BPM) as well.

According to the report, the North American market controls the largest IT segment - driven primarily by government support and funding, as well as patient consumerism. Between incentives from the Obama administration to promote stronger investments in healthcare IT to the willingness of individual patients to invest in improved care, facilities are able to increase spending significantly.

As spending increases, however, the need for management does as well. New systems have to be integrated into current operations and workflow seamlessly, as there is more at stake for hospitals than revenue - patient lives could hang in the balance. BPM software can help optimize electronic health records efforts, reduce the time it takes to provide service and enhance the visibility of the patient care process in general. Additionally, the integration of BPM solutions with case management and other administrative processes can enhance treatment outcomes and ensure a better experience for those under the facility's care.

By enhancing business processes, medical centers can optimize productivity and collaboration with strong cost analysis and a focus on the benefits, rather than the challenges of implementing innovative new services. This gives healthcare providers more time to work with patients and provide quality care, and less worrying about administrative tasks they need to complete.

Technology can help improve healthcare operations significantly when the right tools are used and the best approach made. Optimizing care with streamlined IT processes will help patients see more of their doctors, and the physicians see more patients. Providing quality medical care requires a hands-on approach and BPM software frees up staff to interact, rather than filing paperwork and other less-critical tasks.

Ben Farrell

Director of Corporate Communications

Ben Farrell