One of the challenges that hospitals and health systems everywhere continue to struggle with is how they can ensure that the flow of information between and among departments and between and among various professionals and care environments is seamless. Even though Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have become a norm in terms of storing medical histories, lab results, and diagnostic reports, they fail to intuit as to the day-to-day tasks and team-related activities that constitute the process of providing patient care. On the one hand, there are some care plans that are implemented digitally.
Because of their patient-centered nature and unique staff support that helps frontline workers provide integrated care, they can offer a flexible, dynamic roadmap.
Not only is the integration of these two systems convenient, but also the result is more than that. Integration removes data silos, facilitates communication, and achieves real-time updates that ultimately changes patient outcomes. The synergy of these platforms is not an option but a necessity of contemporary care delivery process to healthcare IT teams and decision-makers.
This article discusses why digital care plans should be integrated with an EHR system, some of the shortcomings experienced by hospitals used to a non-integrated system, the advantages of seamless systems, and some suggestions on how to integrate them successfully. Fictional yet realistic scenarios will be used along the way to show how integration directly boosts care coordination and workflow within efficiency.
Understanding the Difference: EHRs V’s Digital Care Plans
EHRs and digital care plans have distinct purposes, as much as they are discussed in the same breath.
Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
EHRs are the complete collection of patient data. They contain:
- Medical Histories
- Imaging Scans
- Diagnostic Test Results
- Medication Lists and Prescriptions
- Insurance and Billing Information
Their advantage is in the field of data storage and compliance. EHRs also guarantee secure archiving, traceability and accessibility of information that is available across the healthcare networks. Nevertheless, they are not always streamlined to the daily care coordination.
Digital Care Plans
Digital care plans are action plans, however. They are concentrated in:
- Task delegation (what and when to whom)
- Real-time changes in care-delivery
- Setting patient recovery and outcomes goal
- Multidisciplinary Communication
- Progress Tracking
Instead of EHRs being a static store of information, digital care plans are Realtime maps. They provide an opportunity to give nurses, doctors, therapists, and social workers an opportunity to align their actions in real time.
Why Integration Matters
Separately, the two systems are useful though deficient. In the absence of integration, employees might find it necessary to repeat themselves to cross different platforms and risk making mistakes. EHRs alone provide raw data and with the addition of digital care plans this raw data is converted into orchestrated activity.
The Problem of Silos in Healthcare
Mostly, hospitals are still functioning with departmental silos despite the strides in technology.
- Scenario 1: Patient’s laboratory results are stored within the EHR but a nurse running a medication round wants to see them in real-time from her task management system. Straightaway this leads to problems such as delays and the confusion.
- Scenario 2: A physiotherapist may update a recovery plan in one system but the attending physician who has no idea of the progress due to lack of time and resources until the next physical meeting.
- Scenario 3: Discharge planning involves the contribution of the doctors, nurses, and social workers. This means that the implementation of integrated platforms may not be necessary but each department is working against its own check list which brings about bottlenecks and also miscommunication.
These silos lead to inefficiencies, can bring about the possibility of overlapping, and eventually cause delays to patient care. Digital care plans integrated with EHR eliminate these challenges, because they are both data-rich and action-oriented single source of truth.
Benefits of Integrating Digital Care Plans with EHRs
- Real Time Updates Across Departments
Most EHRs connect digital care plans to deliver up-to-date information to their users. Therefore, when something changes on the digital care plan, the change is reflected in the EHR immediately to all users authorized to access that information. This ensures that:
Physicians base decisions about treatment on the latest information.
Medication changes can alert nurses without having to wait to get a verbal confirmation.
- Nurses do not have to wait and be told about the changes in medications.
- The treatment plans provided by the therapists are modified according to new lab results or imaging.
- Therapists also change their rehabilitation scheme according to the changes in lab results or imaging.
- Improved Care Coordination
Integrating means that every professional shares the same view of patient roadmap. As an example, when a cardiologist prescribes a new treatment, this update is reflected automatically in the lists of the tasks of the nurse and the discharge plan of the social worker.
- Elimination of Data Duplication
Integration would reduce duplicate entry such that staff would only need to input data in the EHR one time and in the care plan system another time. This wastes time and creates an element of error. The problem of redundancy is removed through the creation of unified platforms that increase both accuracy and efficiency.
- Enhanced Patient Safety
Medical errors such as missed test, medication errors, and miscommunications are some of the common causes of adverse events in hospitals. Integration reduces these risks by assuring consistency in the information that is used by all professionals.
- Efficient and Resource Optimization
Hospitals exist in a state of pressure to accomplish more with fewer resources. Integration is time efficient, limitless tests and also releases personnel to spend more time with patients rather than quaking out documents and other clerical duties.
Scenario: A Day in the Life of an Integrated System
To know how integration was filtering in reality, look at this imaginary yet true to life scenario.
Mr. Adewale is a patient who was admitted with an infection in the lungs (pneumonia). His trip is a demonstration of how integration has changed things:
- Admission: Previous conditions and allergies are found in the EHR. Initial tasks are automatically created in the digital care plan: monitoring vital signs, IV antibiotics and hydration.
- Diagnostics: Doctor prescribes X-ray on the chest and blood tests. Results are shared into the EHR and change the care plan in real-time and motivate the care team to change medication.
- Multidisciplinary Care: A physiotherapist is introduced to the digital plan in order to help with breathing exercises. Progress notions are recorded on a log by the therapist, which is accessible immediately to the doctor and nurses.
- Discharge Planning: The social worker will update the discharge needs in the system as the patient Mr. Adewale improves oxygen support at home and follow up visits. The checklist is also visible by everyone to make sure nothing is omitted.
- Outcome: Mr. Adewale is discharged timely, and with a coordinated after-care. Redundant tests are not ordered; there is no miscommunication and the next patient is quickly able to take the bed.
This situation illustrates the fact that integration guarantees efficient working processes which have a direct advantage to both the patients and the staff.
Implementation Considerations for IT Teams
Immersing digital care plans into the existing EHRs is not a process that can be carried out easily by inserting some new software. It needs to be well thought out and done in conjunction.
- Interoperability Standards
Hospitals have to make sure that the two systems are of the same standard; that is, HL7 or FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources). Such standards enable several platforms to become interoperable, or to communicate in one digital language.
- Security and Compliance
Patient data is confidential; therefore, integration has to be adherent to data protection regulations like HIPAA or GDPR. Encryption, access controls and audit trails are necessary.
- User Training
Technology can only be effective as those that use it Training programs must be oriented toward:
- Knowledge on updating digitalized care plans in real time.
- Knowledge on accessing integrated data.
- How to interpret system alerts and notifications.
- Change Management
Employees can be opposed to changes in systems when they feel it is destabilizing The management of the hospital has to spread the word on its benefits, engage frontline employees in the design, and introduce its benefits over a period of time.
- Vendor Collaboration
The IT teams in the healthcare industry will have to join hands with the vendors of not only EHR but also digital care planning systems to make the integration fault-free, regularly updated, and when there is some technical requirement.
Overcoming Common Challenges
Integration is no piece of cake. Some of the impediments are:
- Legacy Systems: Older EHRs may not be augmented with today’s interoperability standards.
- Cost Concerns: Initial costs can be very high, but in the long run-savings are a lot.
- Workflow Disruption: It can be difficult to adapt in the short term to move from paper or semi-digital systems.
- Data Migration: Transferring of records into integrated system should be done with a lot of caution to prevent mistakes.
- The successful hospitals address these challenges as the investments in efficiencies in the future and patient safety.
The Future of Integration
Healthcare is increasingly becoming complex and therefore the integration needs to increase exponentially. What may happen in the future:
- Artificial Intelligence Integration: EHR data could be analyzed and modifications to digital care plans proposed automatically by AI.
- Patient Access Portals: Patients would be able to see and even participate in their care plans and this would enhance engagement and adherence.
- Cross Institution Collaboration: Data integrated systems could be able to share information across hospitals, clinics, and community care providers.
- Predictive Analytics: When coupled with the EHR data, digital care plans could be used to identify the risks of a patient and support rational resource distribution.
Such developments are making us believe that we will be living in a world where integration is no longer a possibility but a reality of successful healthcare delivery.
Conclusion
Automation of care plans cannot be considered separately with the automation of Electronic Health Records as the former becomes essential to the second. EHRs then give the data backbone with digital care plans converting that data into action. All together, they root out silos, enhance communication, and make updates happen in real-time among the departments.
To decision-makers and healthcare IT teams, the message should remain the same: integration will bring measurable efficiency, safety and patient outcome improvements. Maximum value of the digital systems in hospitals can be created through investments in interoperability, training and change management.
The final result of integration is the development of a unified, patient-centered environment where information is easily shared, professionals can operate in a seamless environment and patients can receive the appropriate care in a timely and coordinated manner.
