Introduction
The array of regulations that the healthcare industry is subject to is vast, and some would argue that this level of complexity contributes to a health system that is not only inefficient but also stifles innovation (Maliyil, 2016). However, one specific healthcare legislation, the HITECH Act has led to an eight-fold increase in the adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems by non-federal acute care hospitals since it was enacted in 2009 (The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 2015). This proliferation of EHR systems has, in turn, has spurred other innovative Health Information Technology (HIT) solutions many of which are consumer centric such as the ability for a patient to schedule …show more content…
According to the Institute for Healthcare Consumerism, “Health care consumerism is about transforming a health benefit plan into one that puts economic purchasing power – and decision-making – in the hands of participants. It is about supplying the information and decision support tools they need, along with financial incentives, rewards and other benefits that encourage personal involvement in altering health and health care purchasing behaviors” (Ronald E. Bachman, 2016). Although consumerism crosses various facets of the healthcare landscape, it is important to note that HIT is central to the success of this concept. Therefore, it is important that healthcare leaders in all sectors embrace this shift in patient expectations and readily adopt meaningful and innovative technologies that are consumer-centric, if the organization they lead are to thrive in this new era of …show more content…
As a result, these systems will help shape the future of healthcare as opposed to those who sit on the sidelines (Butcher, 2015). Also, several cutting edge HIT vendors have been instrumental in the implementation of consumer-centric innovations. One example is Athenahealth, who rolled out a program several years ago named, ‘More Disruption Please.’ This program is aimed at bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, clinicians and industry experts to disrupt the status quo in healthcare (Athenahealth, 2016). The number of solutions now available via this program are too vast to mention, however, some examples of consumer-centric offerings are integrated digital check-in tools and online patient scheduling platforms. ZocDoc is an example of a vendor that partners with Athenahealth to provide an integrated online scheduling solution, which allows patients to book appointments from a mobile app or desktop computer. These appointments then flow seamlessly into the practice management software hosted by Athena. Providers find that the information provided by patients about the reason for their visit are more detailed than the notes provided by internal scheduling staff and patients like the convenience of scheduling without having to call the providers office.
As noted above,
The array of regulations that the healthcare industry is subject to is vast, and some would argue that this level of complexity contributes to a health system that is not only inefficient but also stifles innovation (Maliyil, 2016). However, one specific healthcare legislation, the HITECH Act has led to an eight-fold increase in the adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems by non-federal acute care hospitals since it was enacted in 2009 (The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 2015). This proliferation of EHR systems has, in turn, has spurred other innovative Health Information Technology (HIT) solutions many of which are consumer centric such as the ability for a patient to schedule …show more content…
According to the Institute for Healthcare Consumerism, “Health care consumerism is about transforming a health benefit plan into one that puts economic purchasing power – and decision-making – in the hands of participants. It is about supplying the information and decision support tools they need, along with financial incentives, rewards and other benefits that encourage personal involvement in altering health and health care purchasing behaviors” (Ronald E. Bachman, 2016). Although consumerism crosses various facets of the healthcare landscape, it is important to note that HIT is central to the success of this concept. Therefore, it is important that healthcare leaders in all sectors embrace this shift in patient expectations and readily adopt meaningful and innovative technologies that are consumer-centric, if the organization they lead are to thrive in this new era of …show more content…
As a result, these systems will help shape the future of healthcare as opposed to those who sit on the sidelines (Butcher, 2015). Also, several cutting edge HIT vendors have been instrumental in the implementation of consumer-centric innovations. One example is Athenahealth, who rolled out a program several years ago named, ‘More Disruption Please.’ This program is aimed at bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, clinicians and industry experts to disrupt the status quo in healthcare (Athenahealth, 2016). The number of solutions now available via this program are too vast to mention, however, some examples of consumer-centric offerings are integrated digital check-in tools and online patient scheduling platforms. ZocDoc is an example of a vendor that partners with Athenahealth to provide an integrated online scheduling solution, which allows patients to book appointments from a mobile app or desktop computer. These appointments then flow seamlessly into the practice management software hosted by Athena. Providers find that the information provided by patients about the reason for their visit are more detailed than the notes provided by internal scheduling staff and patients like the convenience of scheduling without having to call the providers office.
As noted above,