Work from anywhere, any time: the future of healthcare?
Over the last 18 months, the pandemic has changed the way we work, leading to an increased emphasis on flexibility and the ability to work remotely. This is true across a number of different industries, including healthcare. The traditional face-to-face model of providing care is being challenged on many levels and remote technologies like telehealth are becoming increasingly popular among patients and practitioners.
Why we need to think differently about our healthcare software
The right technology is the key to meeting these changing staff and patient expectations, but working remotely can be challenging with traditional on-premise software. When your practice software is limited to physical computers that are located in an office, your staff are often not able to access their patient data, appointments, claiming systems, or other vital information unless they are physically on the premises.
Some practices use a remote hosted solution, where their practitioners can access their on-premise software virtually. While this can be helpful, it lacks the flexibility and functionality of a true cloud software solution and is not likely to be sufficient for the future.
The critical role of the cloud in the future of healthcare
A cloud platform like Helix not only makes it easy to work from anywhere at any time, it also helps practitioners work more efficiently by facilitating data sharing and automating some of the routine admin tasks that can take up so much extra time. For example, with Helix you can:
- Send test results to patients after hours
- Automate recalls and reminders
- Schedule appointments at a time that suits patients and practitioners, even if it’s out of usual office hours
- Look up patient notes on any device, from anywhere
- Take care of billing and claims processing easily and efficiently.
Unlike on-premise or hosted desktop software, cloud software doesn’t require a physical server so you could potentially run your practice entirely remotely without any need for physical premises. When you consider the increasing likelihood of remote medical practices becoming more mainstream, this is not as far-fetched as it might sound!
In the future, it’s likely that practitioners will be looking for the flexibility of working from anywhere at any time, for their own work-life balance and so they can meet changing patient needs. By using a cloud solution you can make it easier for your practice to evolve in line with the rest of the healthcare industry.
If you’re looking for a more flexible and cost-effective software solution for your practice, it might be time to consider a cloud solution, such as MedicalDirector Helix. If you’re not sure how much you could potentially save by moving to cloud clinical software, try our calculator to find out.
