Workflow Solutions Improve Patient Care in Healthcare Settings
Most people would agree that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years for the healthcare industry in recent memory. Healthcare organizations need to stay flexible and agile with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, which isn’t going to disappear overnight. That’s the bad news. The good news is that workflow solutions can help healthcare organizations stay agile with managed services.
Creating workflow solutions in a healthcare setting is important so that the main focus becomes taking care of patients. Getting bogged down with workflow issues could cost valuable time. And this could end up impacting patient care.
Furthermore, with the increased demands on healthcare workers with the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare organizations need to make sure processes are not only as streamlined as possible, but easy to follow.
The right strategic workflow solutions can make that happen.
What Do We Mean by Workflow Solutions for Healthcare?
A workflow is simply a repeatable pattern of work activities, a process, that is supported by a system that organizes materials, personnel, services, and data. Workflows can be simple, such as a linear step by step progression of what happens as you move from point A to point D. Workflows can also be complex and involve many different moving parts as well as team members, departments, and even outside agencies.
An example workflow would be the process that a healthcare clinic uses when a patient arrives for an appointment. Before COVID-19, the patient might have walked up to the front desk, signed a list of names with their own, provided their ID card, and then they might have been handed a clipboard and instructed to fill out some paperwork while they are waiting to be called in by a nurse.
This workflow may have been adjusted since the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Perhaps now the patient enters, is stopped at the door to get a temperature check, is instructed to wait at a specific distance, then go up to the front desk and verbally tell the receptionist who they are without touching any papers or handing over an ID.
Workflows are constantly changing as the environment changes, which is why workflow solutions are important.
Document Management Workflows
One of the most important areas to establish workflows is with your documents and files. While doctor’s offices, hospitals, and other healthcare groups have been transitioning to electronic records per United States regulatory guidelines, digitization of electronic records and other files is an important part of workflow solutions. And once paper files are digitized, they still need to be managed through a clear and understandable workflow process.
Nothing wastes time more than having staff try searching for documents such as patient records or treatment protocols. Furthermore, many behind the scenes operations require automation – everything from inventory management to vendor billing.
HR Automation
Let’s not forget human resources. This is a huge aspect of healthcare and incredibly important. Automation here can help save a lot of time and money. From sending out paychecks to handling employee onboarding, workflow solutions can make a big difference. Just keeping track of employee hours can be a hassle if it is not handled properly. With so many healthcare workers doing overtime to help COVID-19 patients, workflow solutions can fix any gaps in the time tracking process.
Printing Systems
What about printers? COVID-19 posters need to be printed and documents shared with patients, never mind internal printing needs. Without having accountability or control over your printer fleet – especially if it is aging – you could be wasting a lot of time and money. Workflow solutions are greatly enabled with managed print solutions that help keep track of which printers are used and by whom, enabling decision-makers to understand through a central dashboard what processes might need to be improved or adjusted.
The bottom line is that making all these improvements will enhance your ability to provide quality care for your patients.
Managed Services and Workflow Solutions for Healthcare
Virginia Business Systems is a leading provider of managed IT services, managed print services, document management services, and workflow solutions for healthcare organizations. Our expert consultants work with you to determine exactly what your needs are and to uncover any gaps in processes. Then, we collaborate with your team to come up with a workflow solution that resolves those gaps and improves efficiency. Along with managed services, where we can help improve your overall systems, document management, and automation, we create customized solutions that can transform both small and large healthcare organizations.
Virginia Business Systems offers expert workflow solutions for healthcare settings. Contact us today for a quote!