6 Practices to Ensure Exceptional Healthcare with Cutting-Edge Technology
Quality healthcare means providing studies, diagnoses, and care with high-standard tools, high precision, and patient-centered personalization. Studies show that quality healthcare can reduce the risk of disability or illness by up to 35%. Achieving this requires proper management of medical technology resources to make the most of them. Below, we outline how to reach this high standard.
Best Practices in Technology Management for Healthcare
These begin the moment the purchase agreement is signed and continue throughout the life cycle of the medical technology.
1. Informed and Optimal Purchasing Decisions
It is important to make prudent, fact-based purchasing decisions. An analysis by Frost and Sullivan found that, on average, healthcare facilities have between 20% and 30% more equipment than they need. To save money, purchasing should be done at the organizational level rather than the departmental level. When budgeting is done by department, some medical professionals may be inclined to acquire more than necessary in order to protect their funding. For the financial well-being of the healthcare provider, it is advantageous to have a trusted technology partner who can provide guidance.
2. Asset Tracking and Traceability
Healthcare providers can benefit from a real-time location system (RTLS) when it comes to tracking their medical equipment. Due to the size and complexity of these organizations, it can be difficult for them to accurately track the assets they own and their location. By learning from sectors such as manufacturing and consumer goods, and bringing RTLS into the healthcare industry, it is possible to increase efficiency and improve the quality of care.
3. Driving Continuous Improvement as an Essential Element
Building a productive collaboration with technology management can help ensure that the provider's equipment meets capacity requirements. This allows providers to prepare for any changes that may arise rather than responding to them after they occur, since they often have limited time and expertise to focus on improving workflows and enhancing patient care and experience. LEAN methodologies are one way to maximize operations and reduce unnecessary ones. In general, LEAN practices involve analyzing a process, identifying the steps that add value, and discarding those that do not. Both healthcare providers and technology providers can benefit from this.
4. Making the Most of Digital Technology Management
A software platform focused on technology oversight is necessary for the productivity of a busy medical organization. Dashboards that update in real time inform staff and healthcare administrators so they can take action before problems arise, and demonstrate success against service performance metrics. In addition, remote asset monitoring enables proactive processes and rapid responses when necessary. Smart digitization makes technology management simple, efficient, and cost-effective.
5. Analysis of Technology Performance and Utilization
Understanding how technology performs enables better decisions for delivering better services. For example, if the emergency department has a high volume of CT scan requests, a scanner that is not in use in the radiology division can be used, provided the procedure for doing so is in place. Knowing the exact status of assets in real time, and having reports that describe trends, maintenance needs, and possible improvements, can lead to sound decisions and considerable savings.
6. Unlocking Staff Potential Through Training and Education
In today's world, healthcare organizations need an effective clinical and technology training program. It is recommended to use a software platform to manage and oversee the training of clinical staff, as well as in-house biomedical/technical engineering staff. This personalized, comprehensive, and monitored training program is of great importance, since user errors can cause an enormous financial burden for many healthcare provider organizations. Errors in procedure repetition, misdiagnoses, and inadequate treatments not only diminish the quality of care but also harm the financial standing of medical institutions. By implementing educational programs based on information technology, healthcare professionals can avoid errors and improve the quality and effectiveness of care.
High-Value Partnerships: Eden's Approach to Technology Management in Your Lab or Hospital
Eva and healthcare facilities maintain beneficial, long-term relationships that typically last more than 5 years. Once the collaboration is established, Eva uses a comprehensive set of program management practices to ensure that all the benefits of the technology management partnership are realized.