Technology and medicine have always been intrinsically linked, whether for X-ray machines, lab equipment or for other diagnostic and treatment aids. However, one application of technology in medicine is often overlooked or ignored, leading to practice managers relying on stagnant methodology when it comes to managing a practice.

There are a great many benefits of taking advantage of the new technology that is available within medical practices, including the improved efficiency that allows them to cope with the increasing strain on the health sector, and the improvement in patient care quality. One such use of new technology is automated data capture, which covers a huge variety of electronic and discrete data capture, and helps to measure clinical targets in order to give a full overview of where the practice stands in terms of efficiency. Here we look at how introducing automated health practice management could improve the efficiency of your practice:

Improving the patient experience

The introduction of an automated user friendly patient check in system not only relieves reception staff, but also creates a record of the exact time of patient arrival, automatically announces their arrival to the treating GP, and therefore measures their wait time. Having these records readily available means that failings against the agreed targets can be reviewed regularly and action can be taken to achieve better efficiency.

Missed Appointments

It has been widely reported that missed appointments cost the NHS a staggering £300m per year, with approximately 60 percent of these missed appointments being as the result of apathy in patients. An automated patient reminder system can help reduce the number of missed appointments by either reminding patients of an appointment or allowing them to cancel, freeing up appointments for those who need them.

Reduction of costs

Budget restraints are a huge weight upon the shoulders of practice managers across the country, and the temptation to cut corners when it comes to staffing is an area of concern. However, introducing automated data capture technologies can save time when it comes to document preparation, indexing and manual scanning, which can ensure you retain a lean workforce but comply with all targets.

Continuous Improvement

Frequent reviews of data captured allow a practice manager to monitor performance. When further measures for improvement are put in place, the practice manager can then regularly review any new protocols against targets, ensuring the practice has a holistic approach towards continuous improvement,

Implementing these processes can seem expensive and time consuming, especially when you consider the training needed to operate new technologies. However, the long-term effects can hugely benefit a practice, both in terms of efficiency, budget and patient care.

Written by Yasmita Kumar
[email protected]
Tel: 020 8903 5432
http://practiceindex.co.uk/gp/document-capture-co