Innovations in Healthcare

Innovations in Healthcare

In the pursuit of healing healthcare from within, I pay attention to the innovations that we successfully make in our industry. In fact, many positive changes have taken place even in the last few months! Today I encourage my colleagues – other transformational healthcare leaders – to reflect on the progress we have made. Let’s put some fuel in our tank so that we can continue to make changes from a place of hope and confidence. I know from experience that if we don’t get our prescribed dose of hope, even the strongest of us can get buried under the weight of the challenges we face every day.

Increased Accountability:

Care providers and organizations are all experiencing an increase in accountability for patient outcomes. Benchmarking for clinical outcomes under the Affordable Care Act has created a domino effect. Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) lead in creating a scoreboard for government agencies, private pay organizations, and ultimately THE PATIENT! Data collected by benchmarking will make it possible to give report cards to patients to allow them to choose a healthcare organization that performs best on the benchmarks that matter to them.

Electronic Records:

Electronic records enable real-time monitoring of outcome data, allowing healthcare providers and workers to react quickly, and gives the whole healthcare team the opportunity to look more diligently for ways to coach patients for improved compliance. These electronic medical records are easily shared among providers, yielding elevated continuity of care. Patients also have free access to their own personal health information via patient portals, which transforms the ways in which patients can get involved in their own care.

Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH)

The Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) allows patient to become center piece of their own healthcare with a cohort of supportive care team in treating the patient more holistically. The interdisciplinary nature of these care teams bring in medical, behavioral, dental, and social care expertise to serve the patient as a person, rather than addressing a single disease state. The impact this has on compliance and illness prevention is transformational.

Collaborative Care

Even outside formal Patient Centered Medical Home situations, we are noticing a greater emphasis on collaborative care among healthcare providers. Hospital, clinics, private practices, skilled care, and rehabilitation centers are increasingly improving their collaboration, recognizing that this is key for optimal care to patients.

What Improvements Do You See?

The innovations I reflect on today are only a few of the many good things that are happening around us. I would love to hear of other positive innovations and changes you see in your hospital, clinic, or private practice. Perhaps you are a patient and could share a shift in the healthcare industry that has improved your care or experience. Please comment on this article, or reach out to me on Facebook to let me know!