The electronic health record (EHR) is just making its official entrance into the physician office and it's only going to get faster, smarter and easier to use over the next few years. That is already a big advantage. This is why McKesson is making this great software and making it better by going mobile.
Physician's digital behavior reported in 2012 that 45% of doctors surveyed owned an iPad, 10% owned a non-Apple tablet, 52.4% were iPhone users, and 25% more were non-Apple smartphone users.Mobile applications for these types of devices are a cost-effective, efficient way to enhance patient care. These emerging apps are incredibly beneficial to both the physician and the patient. The major advantage that physicians have identified are:
- Connecting with patients (scheduling, billing, etc.)
- Making more knowledgeable decisions
- Automate administrative tasks
- Increase communication between providers
- Giving physicians more time with patients
Furthermore, the arrival of EHR applications is aiding physicians to meet Meaningful Use. The CMS has already stated that advanced EHRs are making it extremely easy for doctors to report clinical quality measures (CQMs) and these mobile apps are just making it that much easier. So it's no wonder why mobile trends are exploding in the healthcare industry.
With the devices we use today, such as tablets and smartphones, physicians can connect to their software without the bulk of a cart or the weight of carrying a laptop. The physician and the patient have plenty of mutual face time to engage each other. In addition, the majority of the providers are already familiar with the devices, minimizing training and allowing them to see the benefits almost immediately. This is also in part due to the extremely easy interfaces on the mobile applications. Good applications display EHR features (such as scheduling, billing, etc.) on the own "pages", allowing users to enter/edit patient data with the tap of a finger.
We've only seen the tip of the iceberg with this trend, however as time goes by the applications will only continue to get better. It's exciting to see mobile HIT in its beginning phase and to think about where we will be in 5-10 years. But, even in its infancy it is evident that mobile healthcare has a huge impact on the quality of care.
On the top of all this technology curve is McKesson Physician Practice solutions. McKesson's latest practice management software Medisoft v18 and Lytec 2013 bring the advantage of mobile HIT to the table with Medisoft Mobile and Lytec Mobile. Available for the iPhone, iPad and iTouch, Medisoft Mobile and Lytec Mobile will help physicians capture charges and diagnosis, verify insurance, schedule, and much more. If you would like to know more about McKesson's mobile applications please feel free to contact us at sales@1stforphysicians.com.
