Providers are finding challenges with health information exchange or HIE. There are still hurdles that providers face when trying to exchange information on patients. Nonetheless, the exchange does not need to be complicated. Solutions exist that can help create a streamlined sharing of information between medical practitioners, administrators, patients and other parties.
Difficulties From Outdated Health Records
While our world has been transitioning to digital information, we have still not entirely made the leap. With health care information, this means that some patient information is available as electronic data, while most American patients’ information is still recorded on paper.
This paper information is shared by inefficient methods like fax, mail, and patients bringing documents to their providers. With these outdated methods of information exchange, vital patient information can be missing. You introduce human error such as forgetting to bring a medical folder to an appointment, faxing the information to the wrong number or the document getting lost in the mail.
When providers don’t know the full picture of the patient’s past medical history and current care, this can lead to inferior medical care. But when they do have all of the pertinent information, they have the capacity to give improved diagnoses and care. Having the full patient record can also help prevent duplicate testing, medication errors and readmissions.
Improving HIE Through Electronic Means
Sharing information electronically allows all providers to have a full picture of patient’s health and care in a faster, easier manner. Electronic HIE provides standardization, which provides data that is easy to seamlessly transfer to each provider’s electronic health record (EHR) for the patient.
Nonetheless, the medical industry has even found challenges from sharing digital records. The main problem is that health organizations tend to have their own software and processes that may not transfer well to other parties. And sharing information through certain formats like PDF and free text files can be complicated because the information then needs to be entered manually.
Using software that standardizes patient information and puts it in a transferable format is the solution that streamlines the sharing process.
AZZLY® Rize™ software provides the tools for addiction treatment centers and behavioral health providers to improve the intake, documentation and other processes within a digital system. Providers can easily store patient information within the system and then give access to different members involved in the patient’s care, both within the organization and outside it. To receive a free demo and quote, fill out our online form or call 1(888)400-3201.
