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Top 25 EHR Companies Shaping the Future of Healthcare Technology

Top 25 EHR Companies Shaping

Discover the EHR companies that empower medical professionals with user-friendly interfaces and clinical decision support. Stay abreast of the top EHR companies reshaping healthcare delivery.


Electronic health records (EHRs) have become vital in streamlining patient care, enhancing efficiency, and promoting data-driven decision-making. As healthcare providers shift from traditional paper-based systems to digital solutions, numerous EHR companies have emerged, providing advanced EHR technologies that transform how medical information is collected, organized, and utilized.

This article features the top 25 EHR companies at the forefront of this digital revolution, showcasing their innovative solutions, commitment to data security, interoperability, and user-centric designs.


1. WebPT

WebPT is a premier rehab therapy platform that elevates patient care and drives business growth. With a comprehensive suite of features, including scheduling, documentation, billing, outcomes tracking, business reporting, and system integrations, it offers a robust web-based solution that caters to outpatient settings of all sizes, facility types, and specialties. Since its launch in 2008, WebPT has demonstrated remarkable growth and success, earning its place on the prestigious ‘Inc. 5000 List of America's Fastest-Growing Companies’ for an impressive nine consecutive years, an accomplishment achieved by less than 1% of companies on the Inc. 5000 list.

 

2. CarePaths EHR

CarePaths EHR, a renowned provider of affordable behavioral health EHR and practice management system, is recognized among the best EHR companies catering to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and counselors in private practice, group practice, and health systems. Its all-inclusive package offers seamless management of various practice aspects, including patient records, clinical record keeping, customized documentation, treatment plans, outcomes & assessment tracking, and practice management tools. CarePaths EHR offers practitioners a seamless experience with eligibility verification, scheduling, reporting, accounting, and convenient ePrescribing functionality, even from mobile devices.

 

3. iPatientCare



iPatientCare is a leading provider of a comprehensive suite of innovative healthcare products and value-added services dedicated to assisting physician offices, rural health clinics, and community/federally qualified health centers (CHC/FQHC) in enhancing patient care, improving patient health outcomes, and reducing the costs associated with delivering care. Its highly acclaimed EHR, integrated practice solutions, and additional services, such as revenue cycle enhancement and quality improvement consulting, offer a complete package to effectively manage practice operations, boost revenue generation, and provide superior patient care. iPatientCare enables healthcare providers to significantly reduce accounts receivable (A/R) days and enhance collection rates while streamlining billing processes, alleviating internal workload, and bridging staffing gaps.

 

4. Azalea Health

Azalea Health is a leading provider of interoperable cloud-based healthcare solutions and services. Its comprehensive portfolio includes electronic health records (EHR) with integrated telehealth functionality, personal health records, mobile health applications, and interoperability services. With a strong focus on customer success, this EHR company caters to practices and ambulatory hospital strategies, delivering immediate improvements in cash flow and clinical outcomes through innovations in revenue cycle performance and care coordination. The company's offerings include laboratory ordering and results management, patient portal and PHR solutions, telehealth services, population health management tools, revenue cycle performance services, patient-centered medical home services, and pre-certification services.


5. Bizmatics

PrognoCIS, engineered, owned, and serviced by Bizmatics Inc., is one of the leading EHR companies that provides clinical and business productivity software & services to medical practices and multi-specialties. Its flagship cloud-based application, PrognoCIS, offers a fully-integrated solution encompassing EHR, telemedicine, practice management, medical billing, RCM, patient engagement tools, and more. PrognoCIS EHR, built on a robust multi-tier internet architecture, supports various medical specialties and offers customizable templates for tailored documentation. With seamless information flow between the EHR and Billing modules, the company ensures real-time data exchange. It is HIPAA-compliant, ICD-10 enabled, and Meaningful Stage 2 Certified, with click-saving features that enhance productivity and optimize workflow.


6. Modernizing Medicine

Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology, formerly known as gMed and now a subsidiary of Modernizing Medicine, is a renowned provider of an integrated health IT platform designed explicitly for the gastroenterology industry. Its comprehensive range of data-driven products and services caters to private practices, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospitals. The offerings include an advanced EHR system, an efficient endoscopy report writer, a comprehensive practice management solution, a patient engagement portal, a value-based care solution, data analytics tools, and revenue cycle management services. Additionally, gMed Canada, Inc. operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Modernizing Medicine Gastroenterology, Inc., further extending the company's reach and impact in the healthcare industry.


7. Sevocity

Sevocity is a leading provider of electronic health record (EHR) solutions dedicated to empowering physician practices and health centers to adopt and utilize EHRs effectively. It offers affordable and user-friendly cloud-based solutions supported by exceptional customer service. Sevocity's cloud solution ensures secure and convenient access to clinical information anywhere. The innovative model of this EHR software development company enables physician practices and health centers to implement cost-effective solutions with minimal upfront investments and eliminates the need for additional maintenance costs. Electronic health record companies such as this one is committed to facilitating the seamless integration of EHR technology, enabling healthcare providers to enhance their practice efficiency and deliver quality patient care.


8. Visonex

Visonex prioritizes establishing solid client relationships by going beyond technology and ensuring ongoing success. With its Clarity EHR solution, Visonex offers a treatment-centric approach tailored to the unique needs of dialysis clinics. Its user-friendly and configurable system keeps clinics ahead of regulatory changes and provides exceptional support with 24/7 assistance and cost-free webinars. The electronic health record company also offers Visonex Enhanced Services that combine Clarity EHR with data management and dialysis billing services, including CROWNWeb electronic submission, quality measures assessment tools, and specialized billers.


9. WRS Health

WRS Health is a cloud-based EHR and practice management software company. Its core mission is to assist physicians in achieving balance in their roles as healers, business owners, and individuals. With a focus on simplifying operational tasks and promoting business growth, WRS Health has developed systems and processes that automate practice management, allowing physicians to devote their time to patient care. Its comprehensive tools seamlessly manage clinical and billing information, while additional services such as the virtual front desk assistant, MIPS management, and revenue cycle management support automation and task delegation.


10. eClinical Solutions

eClinical Solutions is a globally recognized company that supports life sciences organizations in expediting their clinical development endeavors through its biometrics services and ‘elluminate’ Clinical Data Cloud expertise. The ‘elluminate’ platform serves as the cornerstone of digital trials, allowing clients to conveniently access all their data from a single centralized location. By integrating eClinical Biometrics Services, clients gain self-service capabilities and benefit from advanced analytics, empowering them to make informed and timely business decisions. With its comprehensive suite of services and cutting-edge technology, eClinical Solutions plays a pivotal role in accelerating clinical development initiatives worldwide.

 

11. AdvancedMD

AdvancedMD is a prominent electronic health record software company specializing in cloud medical office software. It caters to ambulatory medical practices, providing comprehensive solutions to support independent physicians and their staff. The company offers a flexible outsourced billing option, allowing practices to leverage the services of a third-party billing company. It empowers clients with state-of-the-art tools and technologies that seamlessly integrate practice and patient workflows, creating a transformative practice experience. With AdvancedMD, healthcare facilities can efficiently handle higher patient volumes, resulting in enhanced productivity and improved financial outcomes. Patients benefit from electronically connecting and engaging with their healthcare providers, enhancing their overall healthcare experience.


12. Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion is cloud-based EHR offers time-saving features like customizable templates and patient charts that adapt to individual needs, focusing on enhancing efficiency and streamlining workflows. This EHR platform integrates with local pharmacies, laboratories, imaging centers, and other tools, enabling smooth information exchange. Clients benefit from flexible billing options, collaborating with industry-leading partners to expedite payment processes. Monitoring progress is simplified with insightful dashboards, and reporting data can be directly submitted to CMS through the EHR. As a cloud-based solution, there is no need to download software or manage hardware, ensuring both security and up-to-date functionality.


13. DrChrono

DrChrono aims to enhance the quality of care by making it more informed, interactive, and personalized. The company's open platform is the backbone for various healthcare solutions, including telehealth, electronic health records (EHR), practice management, medical billing, and revenue cycle management. With a strong emphasis on flexibility and customization, the platform easily extends through a robust API and offers a marketplace of applications and services. DrChrono's platform facilitates millions of patient appointments and efficiently processes billions of dollars in medical billing. It plays a crucial role in revolutionizing the healthcare industry by empowering providers and patients. 14. CureMD CureMD's portfolio comprises a range of cutting-edge solutions, including certified electronic medical records (EMR), practice management, patient portal, and medical billing services. By offering these comprehensive tools, CureMD aims to expedite the adoption of EHRs and assist healthcare providers in achieving ‘Meaningful Use’ qualification, thereby driving positive outcomes and maximizing value and subsidy payments. Leveraging advanced web technology and award-winning usability, CureMD empowers healthcare professionals to make informed decisions, streamline operations, and ensure compliance with industry standards. CureMD's comprehensive EMR solution is tailored to customize care delivery, enhance quality and patient safety, maximize efficiency, and reduce expenses. Its integrated platform combines practice management, electronic health records, patient portals, and a mobile care solution catering to medical practices of all sizes.


14. CureMD

CureMD's portfolio comprises a range of cutting-edge solutions, including certified electronic medical records (EMR), practice management, patient portal, and medical billing services. By offering these comprehensive tools, CureMD aims to expedite the adoption of EHRs and assist healthcare providers in achieving ‘Meaningful Use’ qualification, thereby driving positive outcomes and maximizing value and subsidy payments. Leveraging advanced web technology and award-winning usability, CureMD empowers healthcare professionals to make informed decisions, streamline operations, and ensure compliance with industry standards. CureMD's comprehensive EMR solution is tailored to customize care delivery, enhance quality and patient safety, maximize efficiency, and reduce expenses. Its integrated platform combines practice management, electronic health records, patient portals, and a mobile care solution catering to medical practices of all sizes.

 

15. RXNT

Founded in 1999, RXNT has significantly impacted the healthcare industry by introducing a groundbreaking cloud-based solution for prescription writing. Over the years, its commitment to innovation has remained unwavering, enabling it to deliver top-notch solutions that set the industry standard continuously. This electronic health record software company takes pride in offering these cutting-edge solutions at an affordable cost, ensuring that healthcare providers can access the best tools available. By providing these essential tools, RXNT empowers thousands of healthcare providers to concentrate on their core competency—delivering exceptional patient care.


16. TherapyNotes, LLC

TherapyNotes is a unique online practice management system tailored specifically for behavioral health, encompassing a comprehensive range of features, including robust notes, scheduling, and billing capabilities. Setting itself apart from other practice management systems, the company excels in its notes system, providing an intuitive form-filled approach that significantly accelerates data entry and note-writing processes. Furthermore, the platform offers a dynamic 'to-do' list that automates task management, guiding clinicians on necessary actions such as post-session note writing, contacting primary care physicians when necessary, and scheduling treatment plan updates.


17. SimplePractice

SimplePractice is an all-in-one practice management solution that serves private practices in the health and wellness sector. With a remarkable customer base of over 169,000 practitioners, the company has established itself as the leading EHR provider. This comprehensive platform empowers practitioners to efficiently manage their businesses with various powerful features, including autoPay, online booking, telehealth capabilities, and customizable documentation and notes. Through SimplePractice, practitioners can efficiently optimize their workflows, resulting in significant time savings.


18. eMDs

eMDs, a brand of CompuGroup Medical, stands as a prominent provider of comprehensive solutions designed to promote the well-being of both patients and healthcare providers. With a strong focus on integration and connectivity, the company offers a range of solutions, including EHRs, practice management software, RCM, and credentialing services tailored for physician practices and enterprises. CompuGroup Medical understands the unique needs of healthcare professionals and strives to deliver software solutions that enhance physician productivity and elevate the overall clinical experience. EHR companies, such as this one, demonstrate their commitment to excellence through the accolades they receive, with eMDs software consistently earning top rankings in respected physician and industry surveys conducted by prestigious organizations.


19. The Echo Group

The Echo Group is recognized as a leading developer and implementer of enterprise-grade software solutions exclusively designed for behavioral health organizations across the United States. The company's suite of tools includes visual EHRs, government reporting and compliance features, clinical and financial decision support functionalities, as well as medical and government billing capabilities. The company provides flexible solutions for managed care organizations with both self-hosted and SaaS deployment options. It offers additional services such as RCM, IT support, fiscal and clinical process workflow analysis.


20. MD Synergy Solutions

MD Synergy Solutions is a renowned provider of integrated solutions for medical offices, utilizing its advanced cloud-based technology and innovative RCM services. The company's technology platform encompasses EMR, PM, and patient portals, enabling seamless operations within medical practices. Using proprietary rule engine technology, MD Synergy Solutions delivers exceptional RCM service through its WorkQueues. The company's comprehensive offering caters to small-to-large physician practices, offering easily implementable and adaptable cloud-based software solutions.


21. Pulse Systems, Inc.

Pulse, a reputable RCM company, offers advanced medical billing services and cutting-edge technologies to facilitate payment processes, streamline workflow, and enhance patient care delivery for physicians. Renowned as a leading SaaS and mobile solutions provider, Pulse offers a comprehensive suite of integrated EHR, PM, population health, electronic prescription, medical billing clearinghouse, patient engagement, and payment technologies to physicians, medical service providers, and patients alike. With a broad user base encompassing thousands of providers across over 40 specialties, Pulse ensures that its clients achieve optimal financial and clinical outcomes.


22. DocuTAP

DocuTAP is a dynamic health information technology company offering integrated technology solutions to over 3,000 on-demand healthcare practices and primary care clinics nationwide. Renowned for its flagship product, DocuTAP's EMR and Practice Management software, this EHR company uses an innovative workflow optimization approach. Its comprehensive on-demand healthcare solution includes 'Clockwise.MD' patient engagement technology, RCM services, as well as DocuTAP Insight, a powerful business intelligence tool with customizable reports and industry benchmarks.


23. Elation Health

Elation Health is widely recognized as a premier technology platform for primary care that prioritizes delivering exceptional value. With a strong focus on clinical excellence, the company has provided innovative solutions since its establishment in 2010. Elation Health offers a collaborative EHR platform, enabling practices to effectively initiate, expand, communicate, and excel in delivering personalized, top-tier care to their patients. This electronic health record company is committed to supporting primary care clinicians in preserving the art of medicine while adapting to the ever-changing healthcare environment.


24. Net Health

Net Health is a company dedicated to leveraging data to improve human health. Its comprehensive solutions include EHR software and predictive analytics that provide actionable insights for various medical specialties, such as rehab therapy, wound care, home health and hospice, and employee health. Net Health empowers caregivers and organizations to effectively engage with patients, streamline documentation, optimize staffing, ensure appropriate reimbursement, and adhere to regulatory requirements. With its unique approach to analytics, this EHR software company integrates valuable insights into clinical and operational workflows, resulting in improved care quality and enhanced business performance.


25. ChiroTouch

ChiroTouch is widely recognized as a leading provider of cloud-based chiropractic software, offering a fully-integrated EHR solution tailored exclusively for chiropractors. This innovative platform is built from scratch and can be seamlessly accessed from any device at any time, providing chiropractors unparalleled convenience and flexibility. ChiroTouch eliminates the need for multiple vendors by offering a comprehensive system that handles payment processing and insurance claims management, allowing chiropractors to focus on their patients instead of paperwork. The software is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, ensuring a smooth transition for practitioners. The new generation of ChiroTouch is purposefully designed to optimize efficiency in all areas, accommodating various payment methods, including cash and insurance.


In a Nutshell

These top EHR companies will enable medical professionals to benefit from user-friendly interfaces, streamlined workflows, and enhanced clinical decision support, improving patient care and efficiency. Furthermore, the innovations and expertise of these EHR companies have a positive ripple effect, inspiring collaboration and driving advancements across the healthcare ecosystem. By embracing these electronic health record software companies, professionals and EHR companies can harness the power of digital health records to revolutionize healthcare delivery and contribute to the industry's ongoing transformation.

Spotlight

Mental Health Systems

Mental Health Systems (MHS) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1978 to provide innovative and cost-effective mental health and drug and alcohol recovery services. Our agency was established to improve people’s lives and instill hope by using new and creative treatment strategies while respecting time-proven methods of intervention.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare, Medical Devices

NIS2 Cybersecurity Rules are Coming: Are You Ready?

Article | December 7, 2022

NIS2 Cybersecurity Rules Approaching: Is Your Organization Prepared? The EU NIS cybersecurity regulations are evolving for 2024, and if you’re not currently aware of how they’ll apply to your organization, now is the time to get up to speed with the desired requirements. Not only is the directive being tightened, but an extended range of healthcare and related organizations will be added to the list of ‘critical entities’ that must comply. These include certain medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and organizations that carry out R&D. The Network and Information Systems (NIS) standards were set up in 2016 to protect essential services – such as water, energy, healthcare, transport, and digital infrastructure – from online cyberattacks. The updated legislation, NIS2, will have stricter rules,reporting requirements, and higher penalties for non-compliance. They will apply to medium-sized and large businesses that operate within one or more EU countries. Those based only in the UK can’t sit back; however, the original NIS regulations will still apply as part of British law. What’s more, a UK version of the rules is coming very soon, and it’s likely that the framework will closely resemble the EU’s. What will the requirements cover? There are a number of cyber risk management measures that all organizations that come under the scope of NIS2 will be required to put in place. For instance, they will need to conduct regular security assessments and risk analyses, adopt incident response and handling plans, and appoint a chief information security officer (CISO), among other obligations. The new directive will streamline and strengthen incident reporting requirements. Entities must notify regulators of any incident that has compromised data or had a significant impact on the provision of their services, such as causing severe operational disruption or financial loss. Applying information system security policies and business continuity plans will form part of the obligations, as will conducting cybersecurity testing and training for all staff. The use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and encryption, wherever appropriate, will also be mandated. There is plenty of focus within the directive on the cornerstones of cybersecurity best practices particularly, the proper control of administrator-level account credentials, privileged access, and endpoints, all of which are prime targets for attackers. Under NIS2, organizations are being separated into ‘critical’ and ‘important’ entities. It’s important to determine which category yours’ will fall under, as each has different requirements. The third-party threat will also be addressed in NIS2 by pulling in managed service providers (MSPs) to the list of ‘critical entities’, with the aim of keeping digital supply chains secure. MSPs are often granted privileged access to clients’ corporate systems and networks, which creates security risks. What are the consequences of non-compliance? Organizations that come under the regulations’ purview will be subject to random checks, regular security audits, on-site inspections, and off-site supervision. For those found to be in breach, sanctions could include warnings, temporary suspension of certain activities, and temporary prohibition to exercise certain managerial functions. Financial penalties could be as high as 10 million Euros or 2% of an organization’s global turnover, whichever is higher. What steps should healthcare organizations take now? Organizations should take action to establish whether the EU or UK NIS2 regulations will apply to them and what their responsibilities will be. Having identified any gaps in existing cybersecurity processes, policies, and practices, they must determine what changes need to be made to address them. As a priority, they must review their incident response plans and incident management and reporting procedures. It’s also a good idea to begin assessing the security posture of partners and third parties in the supply chain and incorporating relevant security requirements into contracts. Given the framework’s focus on protecting privileged admin accounts, organizations should implement controls limiting the number of staff members with these robust credentials. Implementing privileged access management (PAM) will allow IT to control who is granted access to which systems, applications, and services, for how long, and what they can do while using them. Preparing for the introduction of the EU NIS2 regulations should be considered more than just a compliance exercise. By meeting the strengthened requirements, healthcare organizations will be building a foundation of resilience that protects them, their customers, and the essential services they provide.

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5 Ways AI is Likely to Benefit Medicine & Improve Patient Care

Article | August 21, 2023

Since ChatGPT’s launch in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become disruptive to nearly every industry. While there's been controversy about whether AI would benefit the healthcare industry, it has proven to be just as capable in healthcare as in other sectors. In the medical field, there is reason to believe AI tools may be an even more reliable and useful resource than other sectors. Medical students have been panicking over AI's threat to their career prospects. But as these systems mature, the experts increasingly believe that AI may serve as a counterpart to human medical expertise rather than a threat. How AI Tools Are Expected to Aid Medical Professionals? Again and again, as the debate over modern AI tools rages on, we encounter the analogy of the calculator. No one feels threatened by calculators, not even professional mathematicians. Instead of throwing up their hands, math experts embrace the power of these now archaic computerized devices. If the experts are correct, this may be similar to the future of the alliance between AI and humans. According to the designers and programmers who understand how these systems work as well as how information technology tends to progress, AI can be expected to help the medical profession in the following ways: Cosmetic Surgery Consultations One of the farthest-reaching applications we see develop is in consultations for plastic surgery and similar applications. Perhaps one of the easiest aspects to understand is hair-loss consultations. In our practice, we use a device known as HairMetrix, which uses an AI-driven analytical system to help determine what is causing a patient to lose their hair and which treatment options would be the most effective. Because it is AI-driven, it is fully based on visual scans and is completely non-invasive. Just like this, AI can be used in an abundance of other ways to minimize the use of exploratory surgery and improve healthcare outcomes. Improved Diagnostics Artificial intelligence is already helping medical providers deliver diagnoses more quickly. These tools can identify anomalies that might otherwise take human hours or even weeks to identify. This has improved the rate of cancer detection, among other things, which will predictably improve survival rates. Developing New Pharmaceuticals The development of new medicines is notoriously slow. Not only is testing a painstaking process, but even seeking FDA approval can take years. AI is expected to help the development of pharmaceuticals through simulation on the molecular level, allowing researchers to see how the active mechanisms in a drug will work in the body. Improved Administrative Efficiency In the medical field, administrative tasks are notoriously slow. It is believed that generative AI will be able to automate many administrative functions and innumerable office chores. It could streamline sorting patient files, accelerate the interpretation of data, and much more. Patient Access In an area where information technology is already improving patients' lives, access to medical advice is still a bottleneck in the system. AI tools have the potential to slowly bridge the gap in health disparities. Combined with the power to diagnose, this could dramatically increase the capability of online patient portals. Of course, this list of anticipated AI capabilities is far from exhaustive. Researchers and medical professionals have high hopes for these tools, and some are already proving to be more than mere speculation. In a world where AI is reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, the healthcare sector stands poised to benefit significantly from this technological revolution. From streamlining administrative tasks to revolutionizing diagnostics, the potential of AI in medicine is vast and diverse. As we witness AI-enabled tools like HairMetrix, enhancing the cosmetic surgery consultations and AI algorithms expediting diagnostic accuracy, it's clear that we are only at the beginning of a healthcare transformation that is set to improve patient care, increase survival rates, and revolutionize medical practices.

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Unlocking Better Health Online: Exploring Power of EHR Telemedicine

Article | September 8, 2023

Embark on a journey into the frontier of healthcare innovation in this article. Discover how EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring serve as catalysts, driving forward a new era in healthcare. Contents 1. Integration of EHRs in Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring 2. Technical Challenges and Solutions in EHR Integration 3. Financial Analysis: Cost-Benefit Assessment of Integration 4. Data Privacy and Consent in Integrated EHR-Telemedicine Systems 5. Forging Stronger Patient-Clinician Relationships 1. Integration of EHRs in Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring have reshaped healthcare delivery by seamlessly integrating electronic health records, allowing healthcare providers and patients to exchange information effortlessly, regardless of geographical barriers. This synergy empowers healthcare professionals to access patients' comprehensive medical histories in real time, facilitating more informed decision-making during virtual consultations. During the spring of 2020, when pandemic restrictions kept most people in the US at home, the use of telehealth rose to about 51%. [Source: Elation Health] Moreover, it enhances the accuracy of remote patient monitoring by providing up-to-date data, enabling timely interventions and improving overall healthcare outcomes. Integrating EHR telemedicine systems enhances efficiency and ensures that patient care remains at the forefront of modern healthcare, transcending traditional physical boundaries. 2. Technical Challenges and Solutions in EHR Integration Navigating telehealth EHR integration and remote patient monitoring solutions uncovers a range of technical challenges, each with its own set of potential remedies. These include interoperability issues, which can be mitigated by adopting standardized data formats like HL7 FHIR. EHR interoperability solutions may involve using data exchange protocols such as HL7's Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA) or developing custom APIs to facilitate seamless data exchange between EHRs and telemedicine platforms. Additionally, the imperative need for data security and privacy is achieved through robust encryption and adherence to regulations like HIPAA or GDPR. Data integration challenges arising from varying EHR data storage methods can be resolved using middleware or integration platforms. Investing in telecom infrastructure and developing offline-capable telemedicine apps can address limited connectivity in remote areas. Ensuring real-time data access involves optimizing EHR databases and creating low-latency systems. Other challenges encompass integrating data from medical devices, ensuring data accuracy, scalability, user-friendly interfaces, regulatory compliance, and cost management strategies. 3. Financial Analysis: Cost-Benefit Assessment of Integration When contemplating the integration of EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring systems, conducting a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis is crucial. This assessment covers financial aspects, including initial implementation costs (software development, hardware upgrades, training, and data migration), ongoing operational expenses (maintenance and data storage), and potential efficiency gains (streamlined workflows and improved data accessibility). It also evaluates the impact on patient outcomes, satisfaction, and financial benefits of enhanced healthcare quality, reduced readmissions, and increased patient engagement. Healthcare organizations can estimate cost savings in remote patient monitoring and explore expanding telemedicine services to underserved populations to make informed financial decisions. Additionally, this analysis considers long-term financial viability and alignment with organizational goals, including regulatory compliance costs, risk assessment, scalability considerations, and the competitive advantages of integrated telemedicine services. By calculating ROI and assessing potential risks, healthcare entities can develop risk mitigation strategies, ensuring that EHR integration in telemedicine and remote patient monitoring enhances healthcare delivery and aligns with the organization's financial sustainability and long-term success. 4. Data Privacy and Consent in Integrated EHR-Telemedicine Systems Data privacy and obtaining informed consent are paramount in integrated EHR and telemedicine systems. Patients should provide explicit consent, understanding the data collected and its intended use, with strict encryption protocols safeguarding data during transmission. Access controls and data minimization practices restrict unauthorized access, while patient portals enable individuals to manage their data-sharing preferences and revoke consent if needed. Compliance with regulations such as HIPAA or GDPR is crucial, as is maintaining comprehensive audit trails to track data access. Training, awareness, and robust incident response plans fortify data privacy efforts, fostering trust and transparency in these integrated systems where healthcare organizations and patients share responsibility for secure data handling. 5. Forging Stronger Patient-Clinician Relationships Integrating EHR telemedicine and remote monitoring systems goes beyond mere efficiency and accessibility objectives. It serves as a catalyst for nurturing more substantial and meaningful patient-clinician relationships. This fusion of technology and healthcare has the capacity to bridge physical distances, allowing clinicians to truly understand and engage with their patients on a deeper level. Patients, armed with increased access to their health data, become more active participants in their healthcare, while clinicians, with their comprehensive information, can offer more personalized and informed guidance. The potential of EHR telemedicine reaches far beyond the digital screen; it empowers both patients and clinicians to collaborate in pursuit of improved health outcomes, ushering in a new era of patient-centric care grounded in trust, communication, and shared knowledge.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

Unlocking the Puzzle: Navigating EHR Interoperability Solutions

Article | September 7, 2023

Unlock EHR interoperability solutions with this article. Discover how healthcare overcomes EHR interoperability challenges to facilitate seamless information sharing for better clinical decisions. 1. Exploring Hurdles in EHR Interoperability 2. Addressing EHR Interoperability Challenges: Mapping Effective Paths 2.1 Upgrading from Outdated Legacy Systems 2.2 Managing Inconsistent Information Across Multiple Sources 2.3 Overcoming Organizational Resistance to Sharing Data 2.4 Balancing Security and Consent 2.5 Harmonizing Data Standards Across Diverse Software Systems 2.6 Optimizing Training Resources for EHR Interoperability 2.7 Strategizing Costs for Specialist-driven Interoperability Management 2.8 Navigating Budget Constraints in EHR Interoperability 2.9 Unifying Patient Identification Standards Across HIEs 2.10 Advancing Allergy Management to Enhance Patient Care 3. Embracing Interoperability for a Connected Healthcare Future 1.Exploring Hurdles in EHR Interoperability Despite significant efforts and investments in health information systems and technology, coupled with many years of widespread availability, the full benefits of electronic health records (EHRs) still need to be realized. The reality is that most physicians continue to rely on faxing and mailing patient records, just as they did a decade ago. Numerous government-certified EHR products are being used, each utilizing distinct clinical terminologies, technical specifications, and functional capabilities. These differences make it challenging to establish a unified standard interoperability format for data sharing. Interestingly, even EHR systems built on the same platform might not be interoperable, as they are frequently highly customized to an organization’s specific workflow and preferences. Given these circumstances, the article examines ten challenges and their corresponding EHR interoperability solutions to enhance patient care. 2.Addressing EHR Interoperability Challenges: Mapping Effective Paths The primary goal of healthcare interoperability is to enable seamless sharing of health-related information between healthcare providers and patients, aiding in clinical decision-making. Here are several challenges to accomplishing this aim, along with their corresponding interoperability solutions: 2. 1 Upgrading from Outdated Legacy Systems One of the significant challenges in achieving EHR interoperability is the need to transition from outdated legacy systems. Many healthcare facilities still rely on older, proprietary EHR systems that need more compatibility and standards to communicate seamlessly with modern, interconnected healthcare networks. These legacy systems often need more data exchange capabilities, leading to inefficiencies, data inconsistencies, and barriers to collaborative patient care. The intricate process of upgrading or replacing these systems while ensuring data integrity and continuity of care poses a considerable obstacle to achieving comprehensive EHR interoperability. Healthcare institutions need to implement a strategic and phased approach to address this challenge. This involves assessing the existing EHR, identifying interoperability gaps, and selecting modern healthcare interoperability solutions that adhere to industry standards, such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (HL7 FHIR) and open APIs. A well-defined migration plan should be developed, including data migration, new system integration, and staff training. Collaboration with EHR vendors, IT experts, and clinical stakeholders is crucial to ensuring a smooth transition. 2.2 Managing Inconsistent Information Across Multiple Sources As patients move through different healthcare settings and encounter various medical professionals, their health information becomes distributed across multiple sources, leading to discrepancies, duplications, and variations in data. This inconsistency can compromise patient safety, treatment accuracy, and healthcare quality. Furthermore, different institutions' varying data formats, coding systems, and documentation practices exacerbate the challenge of creating a unified and accurate patient record. A potential solution to this challenge involves developing and adopting standardized data exchange protocols. By implementing common data standards and practices, healthcare providers can ensure that patient information is accurately represented and uniformly understood across different systems. In addition, robust data validation processes and reconciliation algorithms can help identify and rectify inconsistencies during data integration. Moreover, creating a centralized patient identity management system that links various patient records to a single, accurate identity can significantly mitigate the issue of duplicated or mismatched information. 2.3 Overcoming Organizational Resistance to Sharing Data This EHR interoperability challenge pertains to the reluctance of healthcare institutions, clinics, and providers to readily exchange patient information and medical records due to concerns over data privacy, competitive advantage, and operational complexities. This resistance often leads to fragmented patient care, hindered medical research, and compromised clinical decision-making. Addressing this challenge necessitates the establishment of clear data-sharing protocols, robust privacy safeguards, and incentivized collaboration. By fostering a culture of trust, emphasizing the collective benefits of data exchange, and implementing interoperability standards, the healthcare ecosystem can encourage reluctant organizations to actively share essential patient data, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare delivery. 2.4 Balancing Security and Consent This challenge in EHR interoperability revolves around the delicate equilibrium between ensuring patient data security and privacy while enabling the seamless sharing of EHRs across different healthcare systems. Striking the right balance involves addressing concerns about unauthorized access, data breaches, and patient consent preferences. While robust security measures are necessary to safeguard sensitive health information, overly stringent restrictions can hinder the efficient exchange of vital medical data, potentially impeding timely and informed patient care, medical research, and healthcare system efficiency. Potential EHR interoperability solutions to this challenge include implementing a layered security and consent management approach. This involves combining strong encryption, authentication protocols, and access controls to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of EHRs. Moreover, the adoption of standardized and granular consent mechanisms empowers patients to regulate both access to their data and the purposes for which it can be accessed. An integrated framework that employs advanced technologies like blockchain for secure audit trails and data-sharing logs can enhance transparency and accountability. Furthermore, patient education and awareness campaigns can empower individuals to make informed data-sharing decisions, fostering a collaborative environment where security, consent, and interoperability coexist harmoniously. 2.5 Harmonizing Data Standards Across Diverse Software Systems This challenge encompasses integrating and exchanging medical data across various software platforms and applications used within the healthcare industry. To tackle this challenge, a comprehensive solution includes the widespread adoption and adherence to standardized data formats, coding conventions, and communication protocols by developers, healthcare organizations, and EHR integration software. To address this challenge, a comprehensive solution involves the establishment of standardized data formats, coding conventions, and communication protocols widely adopted and adhered to by EHR software developers and healthcare organizations. This could be achieved through industry collaboration, government regulations, and incentives for adopting interoperability standards. Additionally, implementing APIs that translate and map data between different formats can help bridge the gap between diverse software systems. 2.6 Optimizing Training Resources for EHR Interoperability This hurdle involves preparing healthcare professionals, IT staff, and other stakeholders to effectively navigate and implement interoperable EHR systems. Ensuring that healthcare personnel possess the necessary skills and knowledge to seamlessly integrate, maintain, and utilize interconnected EHR systems amidst rapidly evolving technology and standards poses a significant hurdle. This challenge involves understanding the intricacies of interoperability protocols and grasping the broader context of data security, patient privacy, and efficient data exchange among diverse healthcare entities. To address this challenge, developing comprehensive and up-to-date training programs that cover both technical aspects (interoperability standards, APIs, and data formats) and practical considerations (security protocols, data governance) is crucial. Collaborations with vendors, industry experts, and academia can ensure the training content remains aligned and updated with current EHR trends. Integrating EHR interoperability education into medical and IT curricula can also lay a foundation for future professionals. Continuous learning opportunities, including EHR analytics courses, certifications, and knowledge-sharing platforms, can further bolster the continual development of skills and knowledge exchange. This process cultivates a skilled workforce capable of fully leveraging EHR interoperability while upholding the integrity and privacy of patient data. 2.7 Strategizing Costs for Specialist-driven Interoperability Management This challenge pertains to the complex and costly task of ensuring seamless data exchange among diverse EHR systems, mainly when managed by specialists with domain-specific knowledge. These specialists play a crucial role in tailoring EHR interoperability solutions to the unique needs of their medical domains. Still, the financial implications of such endeavors can be substantial, involving customization, integration, and maintenance expenses. Finding an effective solution requires a multi-faceted approach involving standardized interoperability frameworks, modular system design, strategic resource allocation, and collaborative partnerships among EHR vendors, healthcare institutions, and specialists. By optimizing the balance between customization and standardization and leveraging technological advances like APIs and cloud computing, healthcare ecosystems can mitigate costs while achieving efficient and secure data exchange that benefits patients and healthcare providers. 2.8 Navigating Budget Constraints in EHR Interoperability This issue relates to healthcare organizations' significant financial limitations when striving to establish seamless EHR data exchange across disparate systems. As healthcare entities aim to enhance patient care coordination and data accessibility, the cost of implementing and maintaining interoperable EHR systems becomes a substantial hurdle. This challenge necessitates a delicate balance between allocating resources for EHR integration, customization, and ongoing maintenance while ensuring that patient data remains secure and accessible to authorized stakeholders. A possible avenue to deal with the budget constraints in EHR interoperability is the strategic adoption of open-source frameworks. By leveraging open-source solutions, healthcare organizations can reduce licensing fees and development costs associated with proprietary systems, allowing them to allocate resources more efficiently. Additionally, collaborating with industry consortia and governmental initiatives that promote standardized data exchange protocols can foster economies of scale, streamlining the implementation process. Moreover, investing in cloud-based technologies can offer scalable and cost-effective data storage and sharing infrastructure. 2.9 Unifying Patient Identification Standards Across HIEs The crux of this issue involves the need for consistent patient identification methods across different healthcare systems and data-sharing networks. This inconsistency results in errors, data duplication, and compromised patient safety as information is exchanged between entities. Without a standardized patient identification system, accurate matching of patient records becomes a complex endeavor, hindering the seamless exchange of EHRs and undermining the potential benefits of interoperability. To address this challenge, a comprehensive solution involves establishing and adopting a universally recognized patient identification standard that spans all participating HIEs. This standard could include using unique patient identifiers or a combination of demographic, biometric, and cryptographic identifiers to ensure accurate and secure patient matching. Additionally, implementing advanced data governance practices, strong privacy protections, and robust data validation algorithms would enhance the accuracy and security of patient identification. Collaboration between healthcare organizations, government agencies, and technology experts is crucial to developing and implementing this standardized approach, fostering a more interconnected and effective healthcare ecosystem while safeguarding patient privacy and data integrity. 2.10 Advancing Allergy Management to Enhance Patient Care Healthcare providers need help seamlessly sharing allergy-related patient data across different EHR platforms, hindering comprehensive patient care. This lack of interoperability leads to fragmented information, potential medication errors, and compromised treatment decisions, ultimately impacting patient safety and outcomes. One viable solution for addressing this challenge is to establish standardized data exchange protocols alongside a unified health information exchange framework. Implementing FHIR standards can enable the consistent and secure sharing of allergy information among EHR systems. Additionally, incentivizing healthcare organizations to adopt these interoperability EHR standards and invest in compatible technologies will promote a cohesive ecosystem where allergy data can be accurately and swiftly exchanged. Collaborative efforts among EHR vendors, healthcare providers, and regulatory bodies are essential to ensure the seamless flow of allergy-related information, resulting in enhanced patient care, reduced medical errors, and improved healthcare efficiency. 3.Embracing Interoperability for a Connected Healthcare Future With the goal of a cohesive healthcare future in mind, the value of embracing interoperability is immeasurable. This article highlights the essential role of interoperability in overcoming the challenges posed by fragmented data and improving patient outcomes. As healthcare systems continue to develop, the smooth exchange of EHRs becomes crucial, fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders and facilitating well-informed decision-making. By creating an environment in which EHRs can seamlessly communicate, healthcare providers have the potential to offer more comprehensive, patient-centered care, minimize duplication, and expedite both diagnoses and treatments. Although achieving an interoperable healthcare ecosystem may involve complexity, the benefits of efficiency, precision, and overall quality of care underscore its necessity as a transformative journey.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare, Medical Devices

Role of AI and ML in the Healthcare Industry

Article | December 7, 2022

NIS2 Cybersecurity Rules Approaching: Is Your Organization Prepared? The EU NIS cybersecurity regulations are evolving for 2024, and if you’re not currently aware of how they’ll apply to your organization, now is the time to get up to speed with the desired requirements. Not only is the directive being tightened, but an extended range of healthcare and related organizations will be added to the list of ‘critical entities’ that must comply. These include certain medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and organizations that carry out R&D. The Network and Information Systems (NIS) standards were set up in 2016 to protect essential services – such as water, energy, healthcare, transport, and digital infrastructure – from online cyberattacks. The updated legislation, NIS2, will have stricter rules,reporting requirements, and higher penalties for non-compliance. They will apply to medium-sized and large businesses that operate within one or more EU countries. Those based only in the UK can’t sit back; however, the original NIS regulations will still apply as part of British law. What’s more, a UK version of the rules is coming very soon, and it’s likely that the framework will closely resemble the EU’s. What will the requirements cover? There are a number of cyber risk management measures that all organizations that come under the scope of NIS2 will be required to put in place. For instance, they will need to conduct regular security assessments and risk analyses, adopt incident response and handling plans, and appoint a chief information security officer (CISO), among other obligations. The new directive will streamline and strengthen incident reporting requirements. Entities must notify regulators of any incident that has compromised data or had a significant impact on the provision of their services, such as causing severe operational disruption or financial loss. Applying information system security policies and business continuity plans will form part of the obligations, as will conducting cybersecurity testing and training for all staff. The use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and encryption, wherever appropriate, will also be mandated. There is plenty of focus within the directive on the cornerstones of cybersecurity best practices particularly, the proper control of administrator-level account credentials, privileged access, and endpoints, all of which are prime targets for attackers. Under NIS2, organizations are being separated into ‘critical’ and ‘important’ entities. It’s important to determine which category yours’ will fall under, as each has different requirements. The third-party threat will also be addressed in NIS2 by pulling in managed service providers (MSPs) to the list of ‘critical entities’, with the aim of keeping digital supply chains secure. MSPs are often granted privileged access to clients’ corporate systems and networks, which creates security risks. What are the consequences of non-compliance? Organizations that come under the regulations’ purview will be subject to random checks, regular security audits, on-site inspections, and off-site supervision. For those found to be in breach, sanctions could include warnings, temporary suspension of certain activities, and temporary prohibition to exercise certain managerial functions. Financial penalties could be as high as 10 million Euros or 2% of an organization’s global turnover, whichever is higher. What steps should healthcare organizations take now? Organizations should take action to establish whether the EU or UK NIS2 regulations will apply to them and what their responsibilities will be. Having identified any gaps in existing cybersecurity processes, policies, and practices, they must determine what changes need to be made to address them. As a priority, they must review their incident response plans and incident management and reporting procedures. It’s also a good idea to begin assessing the security posture of partners and third parties in the supply chain and incorporating relevant security requirements into contracts. Given the framework’s focus on protecting privileged admin accounts, organizations should implement controls limiting the number of staff members with these robust credentials. Implementing privileged access management (PAM) will allow IT to control who is granted access to which systems, applications, and services, for how long, and what they can do while using them. Preparing for the introduction of the EU NIS2 regulations should be considered more than just a compliance exercise. By meeting the strengthened requirements, healthcare organizations will be building a foundation of resilience that protects them, their customers, and the essential services they provide.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

Top 10 Best Practices for EHR Ethical Issues

Article | August 21, 2023

Since ChatGPT’s launch in November 2022, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have become disruptive to nearly every industry. While there's been controversy about whether AI would benefit the healthcare industry, it has proven to be just as capable in healthcare as in other sectors. In the medical field, there is reason to believe AI tools may be an even more reliable and useful resource than other sectors. Medical students have been panicking over AI's threat to their career prospects. But as these systems mature, the experts increasingly believe that AI may serve as a counterpart to human medical expertise rather than a threat. How AI Tools Are Expected to Aid Medical Professionals? Again and again, as the debate over modern AI tools rages on, we encounter the analogy of the calculator. No one feels threatened by calculators, not even professional mathematicians. Instead of throwing up their hands, math experts embrace the power of these now archaic computerized devices. If the experts are correct, this may be similar to the future of the alliance between AI and humans. According to the designers and programmers who understand how these systems work as well as how information technology tends to progress, AI can be expected to help the medical profession in the following ways: Cosmetic Surgery Consultations One of the farthest-reaching applications we see develop is in consultations for plastic surgery and similar applications. Perhaps one of the easiest aspects to understand is hair-loss consultations. In our practice, we use a device known as HairMetrix, which uses an AI-driven analytical system to help determine what is causing a patient to lose their hair and which treatment options would be the most effective. Because it is AI-driven, it is fully based on visual scans and is completely non-invasive. Just like this, AI can be used in an abundance of other ways to minimize the use of exploratory surgery and improve healthcare outcomes. Improved Diagnostics Artificial intelligence is already helping medical providers deliver diagnoses more quickly. These tools can identify anomalies that might otherwise take human hours or even weeks to identify. This has improved the rate of cancer detection, among other things, which will predictably improve survival rates. Developing New Pharmaceuticals The development of new medicines is notoriously slow. Not only is testing a painstaking process, but even seeking FDA approval can take years. AI is expected to help the development of pharmaceuticals through simulation on the molecular level, allowing researchers to see how the active mechanisms in a drug will work in the body. Improved Administrative Efficiency In the medical field, administrative tasks are notoriously slow. It is believed that generative AI will be able to automate many administrative functions and innumerable office chores. It could streamline sorting patient files, accelerate the interpretation of data, and much more. Patient Access In an area where information technology is already improving patients' lives, access to medical advice is still a bottleneck in the system. AI tools have the potential to slowly bridge the gap in health disparities. Combined with the power to diagnose, this could dramatically increase the capability of online patient portals. Of course, this list of anticipated AI capabilities is far from exhaustive. Researchers and medical professionals have high hopes for these tools, and some are already proving to be more than mere speculation. In a world where AI is reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, the healthcare sector stands poised to benefit significantly from this technological revolution. From streamlining administrative tasks to revolutionizing diagnostics, the potential of AI in medicine is vast and diverse. As we witness AI-enabled tools like HairMetrix, enhancing the cosmetic surgery consultations and AI algorithms expediting diagnostic accuracy, it's clear that we are only at the beginning of a healthcare transformation that is set to improve patient care, increase survival rates, and revolutionize medical practices.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

Unlocking Better Health Online: Exploring Power of EHR Telemedicine

Article | September 8, 2023

Embark on a journey into the frontier of healthcare innovation in this article. Discover how EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring serve as catalysts, driving forward a new era in healthcare. Contents 1. Integration of EHRs in Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring 2. Technical Challenges and Solutions in EHR Integration 3. Financial Analysis: Cost-Benefit Assessment of Integration 4. Data Privacy and Consent in Integrated EHR-Telemedicine Systems 5. Forging Stronger Patient-Clinician Relationships 1. Integration of EHRs in Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring have reshaped healthcare delivery by seamlessly integrating electronic health records, allowing healthcare providers and patients to exchange information effortlessly, regardless of geographical barriers. This synergy empowers healthcare professionals to access patients' comprehensive medical histories in real time, facilitating more informed decision-making during virtual consultations. During the spring of 2020, when pandemic restrictions kept most people in the US at home, the use of telehealth rose to about 51%. [Source: Elation Health] Moreover, it enhances the accuracy of remote patient monitoring by providing up-to-date data, enabling timely interventions and improving overall healthcare outcomes. Integrating EHR telemedicine systems enhances efficiency and ensures that patient care remains at the forefront of modern healthcare, transcending traditional physical boundaries. 2. Technical Challenges and Solutions in EHR Integration Navigating telehealth EHR integration and remote patient monitoring solutions uncovers a range of technical challenges, each with its own set of potential remedies. These include interoperability issues, which can be mitigated by adopting standardized data formats like HL7 FHIR. EHR interoperability solutions may involve using data exchange protocols such as HL7's Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA) or developing custom APIs to facilitate seamless data exchange between EHRs and telemedicine platforms. Additionally, the imperative need for data security and privacy is achieved through robust encryption and adherence to regulations like HIPAA or GDPR. Data integration challenges arising from varying EHR data storage methods can be resolved using middleware or integration platforms. Investing in telecom infrastructure and developing offline-capable telemedicine apps can address limited connectivity in remote areas. Ensuring real-time data access involves optimizing EHR databases and creating low-latency systems. Other challenges encompass integrating data from medical devices, ensuring data accuracy, scalability, user-friendly interfaces, regulatory compliance, and cost management strategies. 3. Financial Analysis: Cost-Benefit Assessment of Integration When contemplating the integration of EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring systems, conducting a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis is crucial. This assessment covers financial aspects, including initial implementation costs (software development, hardware upgrades, training, and data migration), ongoing operational expenses (maintenance and data storage), and potential efficiency gains (streamlined workflows and improved data accessibility). It also evaluates the impact on patient outcomes, satisfaction, and financial benefits of enhanced healthcare quality, reduced readmissions, and increased patient engagement. Healthcare organizations can estimate cost savings in remote patient monitoring and explore expanding telemedicine services to underserved populations to make informed financial decisions. Additionally, this analysis considers long-term financial viability and alignment with organizational goals, including regulatory compliance costs, risk assessment, scalability considerations, and the competitive advantages of integrated telemedicine services. By calculating ROI and assessing potential risks, healthcare entities can develop risk mitigation strategies, ensuring that EHR integration in telemedicine and remote patient monitoring enhances healthcare delivery and aligns with the organization's financial sustainability and long-term success. 4. Data Privacy and Consent in Integrated EHR-Telemedicine Systems Data privacy and obtaining informed consent are paramount in integrated EHR and telemedicine systems. Patients should provide explicit consent, understanding the data collected and its intended use, with strict encryption protocols safeguarding data during transmission. Access controls and data minimization practices restrict unauthorized access, while patient portals enable individuals to manage their data-sharing preferences and revoke consent if needed. Compliance with regulations such as HIPAA or GDPR is crucial, as is maintaining comprehensive audit trails to track data access. Training, awareness, and robust incident response plans fortify data privacy efforts, fostering trust and transparency in these integrated systems where healthcare organizations and patients share responsibility for secure data handling. 5. Forging Stronger Patient-Clinician Relationships Integrating EHR telemedicine and remote monitoring systems goes beyond mere efficiency and accessibility objectives. It serves as a catalyst for nurturing more substantial and meaningful patient-clinician relationships. This fusion of technology and healthcare has the capacity to bridge physical distances, allowing clinicians to truly understand and engage with their patients on a deeper level. Patients, armed with increased access to their health data, become more active participants in their healthcare, while clinicians, with their comprehensive information, can offer more personalized and informed guidance. The potential of EHR telemedicine reaches far beyond the digital screen; it empowers both patients and clinicians to collaborate in pursuit of improved health outcomes, ushering in a new era of patient-centric care grounded in trust, communication, and shared knowledge.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

Unlocking the Puzzle: Navigating EHR Interoperability Solutions

Article | September 7, 2023

Unlock EHR interoperability solutions with this article. Discover how healthcare overcomes EHR interoperability challenges to facilitate seamless information sharing for better clinical decisions. 1. Exploring Hurdles in EHR Interoperability 2. Addressing EHR Interoperability Challenges: Mapping Effective Paths 2.1 Upgrading from Outdated Legacy Systems 2.2 Managing Inconsistent Information Across Multiple Sources 2.3 Overcoming Organizational Resistance to Sharing Data 2.4 Balancing Security and Consent 2.5 Harmonizing Data Standards Across Diverse Software Systems 2.6 Optimizing Training Resources for EHR Interoperability 2.7 Strategizing Costs for Specialist-driven Interoperability Management 2.8 Navigating Budget Constraints in EHR Interoperability 2.9 Unifying Patient Identification Standards Across HIEs 2.10 Advancing Allergy Management to Enhance Patient Care 3. Embracing Interoperability for a Connected Healthcare Future 1.Exploring Hurdles in EHR Interoperability Despite significant efforts and investments in health information systems and technology, coupled with many years of widespread availability, the full benefits of electronic health records (EHRs) still need to be realized. The reality is that most physicians continue to rely on faxing and mailing patient records, just as they did a decade ago. Numerous government-certified EHR products are being used, each utilizing distinct clinical terminologies, technical specifications, and functional capabilities. These differences make it challenging to establish a unified standard interoperability format for data sharing. Interestingly, even EHR systems built on the same platform might not be interoperable, as they are frequently highly customized to an organization’s specific workflow and preferences. Given these circumstances, the article examines ten challenges and their corresponding EHR interoperability solutions to enhance patient care. 2.Addressing EHR Interoperability Challenges: Mapping Effective Paths The primary goal of healthcare interoperability is to enable seamless sharing of health-related information between healthcare providers and patients, aiding in clinical decision-making. Here are several challenges to accomplishing this aim, along with their corresponding interoperability solutions: 2. 1 Upgrading from Outdated Legacy Systems One of the significant challenges in achieving EHR interoperability is the need to transition from outdated legacy systems. Many healthcare facilities still rely on older, proprietary EHR systems that need more compatibility and standards to communicate seamlessly with modern, interconnected healthcare networks. These legacy systems often need more data exchange capabilities, leading to inefficiencies, data inconsistencies, and barriers to collaborative patient care. The intricate process of upgrading or replacing these systems while ensuring data integrity and continuity of care poses a considerable obstacle to achieving comprehensive EHR interoperability. Healthcare institutions need to implement a strategic and phased approach to address this challenge. This involves assessing the existing EHR, identifying interoperability gaps, and selecting modern healthcare interoperability solutions that adhere to industry standards, such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (HL7 FHIR) and open APIs. A well-defined migration plan should be developed, including data migration, new system integration, and staff training. Collaboration with EHR vendors, IT experts, and clinical stakeholders is crucial to ensuring a smooth transition. 2.2 Managing Inconsistent Information Across Multiple Sources As patients move through different healthcare settings and encounter various medical professionals, their health information becomes distributed across multiple sources, leading to discrepancies, duplications, and variations in data. This inconsistency can compromise patient safety, treatment accuracy, and healthcare quality. Furthermore, different institutions' varying data formats, coding systems, and documentation practices exacerbate the challenge of creating a unified and accurate patient record. A potential solution to this challenge involves developing and adopting standardized data exchange protocols. By implementing common data standards and practices, healthcare providers can ensure that patient information is accurately represented and uniformly understood across different systems. In addition, robust data validation processes and reconciliation algorithms can help identify and rectify inconsistencies during data integration. Moreover, creating a centralized patient identity management system that links various patient records to a single, accurate identity can significantly mitigate the issue of duplicated or mismatched information. 2.3 Overcoming Organizational Resistance to Sharing Data This EHR interoperability challenge pertains to the reluctance of healthcare institutions, clinics, and providers to readily exchange patient information and medical records due to concerns over data privacy, competitive advantage, and operational complexities. This resistance often leads to fragmented patient care, hindered medical research, and compromised clinical decision-making. Addressing this challenge necessitates the establishment of clear data-sharing protocols, robust privacy safeguards, and incentivized collaboration. By fostering a culture of trust, emphasizing the collective benefits of data exchange, and implementing interoperability standards, the healthcare ecosystem can encourage reluctant organizations to actively share essential patient data, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare delivery. 2.4 Balancing Security and Consent This challenge in EHR interoperability revolves around the delicate equilibrium between ensuring patient data security and privacy while enabling the seamless sharing of EHRs across different healthcare systems. Striking the right balance involves addressing concerns about unauthorized access, data breaches, and patient consent preferences. While robust security measures are necessary to safeguard sensitive health information, overly stringent restrictions can hinder the efficient exchange of vital medical data, potentially impeding timely and informed patient care, medical research, and healthcare system efficiency. Potential EHR interoperability solutions to this challenge include implementing a layered security and consent management approach. This involves combining strong encryption, authentication protocols, and access controls to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of EHRs. Moreover, the adoption of standardized and granular consent mechanisms empowers patients to regulate both access to their data and the purposes for which it can be accessed. An integrated framework that employs advanced technologies like blockchain for secure audit trails and data-sharing logs can enhance transparency and accountability. Furthermore, patient education and awareness campaigns can empower individuals to make informed data-sharing decisions, fostering a collaborative environment where security, consent, and interoperability coexist harmoniously. 2.5 Harmonizing Data Standards Across Diverse Software Systems This challenge encompasses integrating and exchanging medical data across various software platforms and applications used within the healthcare industry. To tackle this challenge, a comprehensive solution includes the widespread adoption and adherence to standardized data formats, coding conventions, and communication protocols by developers, healthcare organizations, and EHR integration software. To address this challenge, a comprehensive solution involves the establishment of standardized data formats, coding conventions, and communication protocols widely adopted and adhered to by EHR software developers and healthcare organizations. This could be achieved through industry collaboration, government regulations, and incentives for adopting interoperability standards. Additionally, implementing APIs that translate and map data between different formats can help bridge the gap between diverse software systems. 2.6 Optimizing Training Resources for EHR Interoperability This hurdle involves preparing healthcare professionals, IT staff, and other stakeholders to effectively navigate and implement interoperable EHR systems. Ensuring that healthcare personnel possess the necessary skills and knowledge to seamlessly integrate, maintain, and utilize interconnected EHR systems amidst rapidly evolving technology and standards poses a significant hurdle. This challenge involves understanding the intricacies of interoperability protocols and grasping the broader context of data security, patient privacy, and efficient data exchange among diverse healthcare entities. To address this challenge, developing comprehensive and up-to-date training programs that cover both technical aspects (interoperability standards, APIs, and data formats) and practical considerations (security protocols, data governance) is crucial. Collaborations with vendors, industry experts, and academia can ensure the training content remains aligned and updated with current EHR trends. Integrating EHR interoperability education into medical and IT curricula can also lay a foundation for future professionals. Continuous learning opportunities, including EHR analytics courses, certifications, and knowledge-sharing platforms, can further bolster the continual development of skills and knowledge exchange. This process cultivates a skilled workforce capable of fully leveraging EHR interoperability while upholding the integrity and privacy of patient data. 2.7 Strategizing Costs for Specialist-driven Interoperability Management This challenge pertains to the complex and costly task of ensuring seamless data exchange among diverse EHR systems, mainly when managed by specialists with domain-specific knowledge. These specialists play a crucial role in tailoring EHR interoperability solutions to the unique needs of their medical domains. Still, the financial implications of such endeavors can be substantial, involving customization, integration, and maintenance expenses. Finding an effective solution requires a multi-faceted approach involving standardized interoperability frameworks, modular system design, strategic resource allocation, and collaborative partnerships among EHR vendors, healthcare institutions, and specialists. By optimizing the balance between customization and standardization and leveraging technological advances like APIs and cloud computing, healthcare ecosystems can mitigate costs while achieving efficient and secure data exchange that benefits patients and healthcare providers. 2.8 Navigating Budget Constraints in EHR Interoperability This issue relates to healthcare organizations' significant financial limitations when striving to establish seamless EHR data exchange across disparate systems. As healthcare entities aim to enhance patient care coordination and data accessibility, the cost of implementing and maintaining interoperable EHR systems becomes a substantial hurdle. This challenge necessitates a delicate balance between allocating resources for EHR integration, customization, and ongoing maintenance while ensuring that patient data remains secure and accessible to authorized stakeholders. A possible avenue to deal with the budget constraints in EHR interoperability is the strategic adoption of open-source frameworks. By leveraging open-source solutions, healthcare organizations can reduce licensing fees and development costs associated with proprietary systems, allowing them to allocate resources more efficiently. Additionally, collaborating with industry consortia and governmental initiatives that promote standardized data exchange protocols can foster economies of scale, streamlining the implementation process. Moreover, investing in cloud-based technologies can offer scalable and cost-effective data storage and sharing infrastructure. 2.9 Unifying Patient Identification Standards Across HIEs The crux of this issue involves the need for consistent patient identification methods across different healthcare systems and data-sharing networks. This inconsistency results in errors, data duplication, and compromised patient safety as information is exchanged between entities. Without a standardized patient identification system, accurate matching of patient records becomes a complex endeavor, hindering the seamless exchange of EHRs and undermining the potential benefits of interoperability. To address this challenge, a comprehensive solution involves establishing and adopting a universally recognized patient identification standard that spans all participating HIEs. This standard could include using unique patient identifiers or a combination of demographic, biometric, and cryptographic identifiers to ensure accurate and secure patient matching. Additionally, implementing advanced data governance practices, strong privacy protections, and robust data validation algorithms would enhance the accuracy and security of patient identification. Collaboration between healthcare organizations, government agencies, and technology experts is crucial to developing and implementing this standardized approach, fostering a more interconnected and effective healthcare ecosystem while safeguarding patient privacy and data integrity. 2.10 Advancing Allergy Management to Enhance Patient Care Healthcare providers need help seamlessly sharing allergy-related patient data across different EHR platforms, hindering comprehensive patient care. This lack of interoperability leads to fragmented information, potential medication errors, and compromised treatment decisions, ultimately impacting patient safety and outcomes. One viable solution for addressing this challenge is to establish standardized data exchange protocols alongside a unified health information exchange framework. Implementing FHIR standards can enable the consistent and secure sharing of allergy information among EHR systems. Additionally, incentivizing healthcare organizations to adopt these interoperability EHR standards and invest in compatible technologies will promote a cohesive ecosystem where allergy data can be accurately and swiftly exchanged. Collaborative efforts among EHR vendors, healthcare providers, and regulatory bodies are essential to ensure the seamless flow of allergy-related information, resulting in enhanced patient care, reduced medical errors, and improved healthcare efficiency. 3.Embracing Interoperability for a Connected Healthcare Future With the goal of a cohesive healthcare future in mind, the value of embracing interoperability is immeasurable. This article highlights the essential role of interoperability in overcoming the challenges posed by fragmented data and improving patient outcomes. As healthcare systems continue to develop, the smooth exchange of EHRs becomes crucial, fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders and facilitating well-informed decision-making. By creating an environment in which EHRs can seamlessly communicate, healthcare providers have the potential to offer more comprehensive, patient-centered care, minimize duplication, and expedite both diagnoses and treatments. Although achieving an interoperable healthcare ecosystem may involve complexity, the benefits of efficiency, precision, and overall quality of care underscore its necessity as a transformative journey.

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Mental Health Systems

Mental Health Systems (MHS) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1978 to provide innovative and cost-effective mental health and drug and alcohol recovery services. Our agency was established to improve people’s lives and instill hope by using new and creative treatment strategies while respecting time-proven methods of intervention.

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Launch of RICOH Remote Patient Monitoring Enablement Designed to Help Ease Healthcare Staffing Challenges Amid Unprecedented Industry Burnout Crisis

PR Newswire | October 06, 2023

Ricoh USA, Inc. announces the launch of RICOH Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Enablement, the newest end-to-end managed services offering for health systems that is designed to help fuel more efficient and sustainable RPM workflows that can lead to improved patient and care delivery team experiences. RICOH RPM Enablement comes at a time when health systems are grappling with a simultaneous monumental shift to virtual care delivery and an unprecedented shortage of healthcare workers. This care worker shortage has reached a nationwide crisis level where there aren't nearly enough healthcare staff to fill vital RPM management roles, leading to alarming care gaps impacting the most vulnerable patient populations. RICOH RPM Enablement is designed to help health systems close this gap and to help lead to improved patient experiences by integrating into existing virtual care programs to support the deployment of remote patient monitoring system devices, inventory tracking, logistics, and device returns. The healthcare worker burnout and staffing shortage – most recently worsened by COVID – is putting extraordinary constraints on health systems to staff RPM management roles, which limits their ability to scale virtual programs and impacts the standard of patient care. According to the Surgeon General, 98% of healthcare workers worry about their own burnout1, which is likely accelerating nurse retirement, fueling a shortfall of 1.1 million registered nurses1. The Mayo Clinic's research has also revealed that U.S. doctor burnout has reached an all-time high of 63%2. Additionally, 98% of clinicians are concerned that burnout can reduce quality of care and 82% of the public believes that a worker shortage will impact their health3. Technology can be the difference maker in systemic change – and clinicians agree as 50-70% welcome the change to use technologies in their work4. "Clinicians currently spend over 50% of their working hours using EHRs5. That's their reality and a massive contributor to burnout, so our mission is centered on pivoting that time back to patient care through supporting the modernization, automation, and enablement of the care workflows that are most critical to health system's success," said Rory Fitzpatrick, Vice President, Industry Vertical Marketing, Ricoh North America. RPM Enablement is the latest demonstration of our commitment. In this period of burnout crisis, the healthcare industry has an opportunity to commit to workers' emotional and physical wellbeing – and Ricoh is dedicated to supporting positive systemic change with sustainable, scalable solutions. [Source: PR Newswire] RPM is often considered one of the largest value drivers of virtual care with applications from primary care through chronic disease management. In fact, when RPM is part of a care plan, the Mayo Clinic has shown that 72.5% of remote patient monitoring patients comply with the care plan's tasks, including taking medications and monitoring vitals6. Further, only 9.4% were readmitted within 30 days versus 20% of patients not using RPM6. Ricoh is uniquely positioned to help address workflow challenges resulting from the qualified healthcare worker shortage due to its large footprint and depth of managed services experience in the industry. Ricoh currently supports thousands of healthcare organizations with various aspects of their business, including 9 out of 11 of the largest for-profit hospital systems and 22 out of 32 of the largest nonprofit hospital systems, with about 3,200 facilities under its support – and is also responsible for managing over 1 million devices in the United States through more than 2,100 U.S. field technicians across various industries.

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DuPont Collaborates with STMicroelectronics (ST) to Develop New Smart Wearable Device Concept for Monitoring Biosignals

PR Newswire | November 03, 2023

DuPont announced that DuPont™ Liveo™ Healthcare Solutions is collaborating with STMicroelectronics a global leader in semiconductor technology serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, to develop a new smart wearable device concept for remote biosignal-monitoring. "Dedicated Liveo™ research teams collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers worldwide to create solutions across a vast array of medical applications – including smart devices that can share data between patients and doctors," said DuPont™ Liveo™ Global Business Leader Eugenio Toccalino. "The wearable device concept that resulted from the collaboration between DuPont and ST is the DuPont™ Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch prototype, which employs multifunctional microsensors and control electronics from ST embedded in a flexible patch design from DuPont." By collaborating with others across the healthcare ecosystem – from technology developers and material suppliers to device fabricators and OEMs – DuPont is developing more patient-centric solutions that contribute to better patient outcomes. Simone Ferri, STMicroelectronics AMS Group Vice-President and MEMS sub-group General Manager. ST designed the electronics and sensors for the smart skin patch prototype using our accelerometer and vertical analog front end next-generation sensors with in-sensor AI, a microcontroller with Bluetooth module, ultra-low-power-management units, firmware, and algorithm support to create a flexible board design capable to analyze electrical and mechanical heart activity in full synchronization to extract multiple vital signs. The performance of ST's electronic sensors is enhanced by the conformability and conductivity of the DuPont™ Liveo™ materials used to create the patch. [Source: PR Newswire] Through this collaboration, DuPont brings a broad range of medical patch technologies, including DuPont™ Liveo™ Soft Skin Conductive Tape 1-3150 – a silicone-based thermoset adhesive for sensing and transferring electrical biosignals, and Liveo™ Soft Skin Adhesives. ST's sensor and embedded development technology and semiconductor manufacturing expertise, combined with the key benefits of silicone technology with electrically conductive properties allow Liveo™ Soft Skin Conductive Tape technology to be used as a skin electrode for biosignal-monitoring applications where good skin conformability, no drying over time, and repositionability with gentle adhesion and atraumatic removal is vital. It can be used in single electrodes for short-term monitoring, as well as in medical wearable patches for long-term monitoring lasting seven or more days. DuPont also designed the layout for the Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch and supplied rapid prototyping capabilities. The result of this collaboration is not just a single prototype, but a robust ST-empowered Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch technology toolbox for remote ECG and SCG monitoring. The DuPont and ST integrated patch technology is designed to improve people's lives, making it easier to use than typical rigid box designs. It's smaller, lighter, and more comfortable and can be worn longer. Plus, the sensors are multifunctional, intelligent, and adaptable, and the data provided is extremely stable. DuPont will demonstrate the capabilities of the Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch prototype at the MEDICA Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany, November 13-16. The Liveo™ team will be in Hall 12/D33 in the Wearable Technologies Pavilion. As part of the MEDICA Connected Healthcare Forum, DuPont™ Liveo™ Healthcare Solutions Global Strategic Marketing Manager Jennifer Gemo and ST's Head of EMEA Healthcare and Well-Being Vertical Strategic Business Development Oriana Di Marco will present "Towards intelligent e-skin patches for cardiac monitoring" featuring the DuPont/ST collaborative patch concept and technology toolbox. The presentation will take place on Nov. 14 from 12:15 to 12:35 p.m. CEST in Hall 12/E37. DuPont offers a broad portfolio of high-performance, medical-grade elastomers, adhesives, resins and thermoplastics designed to meet the rigorous requirements of wearable medical devices. The company also provides support in the areas of materials research, application development, technology, safety and regulatory compliance. Whether for drug delivery or smart monitoring devices, DuPont™ Liveo™ Healthcare Solutions helps enable positive patient outcomes through increasingly advanced medical technology.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

HARMAN Launches New Private Large Language Model for Healthcare Industry- HARMAN HealthGPT

Business Wire | October 16, 2023

HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer, and enterprise markets, announced that its Digital Transformation Solutions business unit has launched the groundbreaking Healthcare Private Language Model (LLM), known as HealthGPT. HealthGPT represents a leap in healthcare solutions by leveraging generative AI to empower healthcare professionals, researchers, and institutions through advanced patient care, medical research, and decision-making. HealthGPT brings forward all the benefits of a LLM like natural language interaction and learnability, with a strong knowledge base established from a variety of healthcare data sets. The model, built using the key principles of responsible AI, has additionally been tested for accuracy and hallucinations using HARMAN’s own automated LLM testing framework and the results were further validated by the healthcare subject matter experts. HARMAN HealthGPT is a private LLM, providing enterprises with more control over roadmap, privacy, compliance and security issues at optimized cost. Key advantages of working with HARMAN HealthGPT include Enhanced Clinical Insights: Provides real-time, context-aware clinical insights, aiding in decision making. End-to-end LLM Fine tuning framework: A comprehensive framework for fine-tuning Language Model (LLM) to achieve optimal performance. Data generation framework: A framework for creating high quality customized datasets to further fine-tune Language Model (LLM) for enhanced performance. Automated LLM evaluation framework: Completely automated solution to validate fine-tuned LLMs for quality of outputs, factual correctness, hallucinations, and toxicity. Cost Optimization: Advanced deployment techniques using quantization to significantly reduce model size and thereby processing costs by up to one-tenth. Drug Discovery and Research: Accelerate drug discovery and development by extracting valuable insights from clinical trial data. Nick Parrotta, President – Digital Transformation Solutions & Chief Digital and Information officer at HARMAN said, The business value of generative AI cannot be overstated. Organizations that scale and implement swiftly will see significant competitive advantages, productivity gains and more – but only if they can unlock their data and move from general purpose applications to more specialized, domain-specific applications. At HARMAN, it is our mission to help our clients navigate this hurdle and create a competitive advantage long-term. HARMAN HealthGPT is an example of our capabilities that will help organizations utilize specific industry trained models to better solve unique problems and add value for customers. With our long-standing AI expertise and ability to develop effective LLMs, we’re equipped to help our clients move past challenging roadblocks and fully capitalize on the exciting promise of generative AI. [Source – Business Wire] HARMAN is seeing strong early results of the LLM training, and its AI and ML teams are well positioned with an end-to-end, tested framework to fine-tune more private LLMs, beyond the healthcare industry, to solve similar customer problems.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

Launch of RICOH Remote Patient Monitoring Enablement Designed to Help Ease Healthcare Staffing Challenges Amid Unprecedented Industry Burnout Crisis

PR Newswire | October 06, 2023

Ricoh USA, Inc. announces the launch of RICOH Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Enablement, the newest end-to-end managed services offering for health systems that is designed to help fuel more efficient and sustainable RPM workflows that can lead to improved patient and care delivery team experiences. RICOH RPM Enablement comes at a time when health systems are grappling with a simultaneous monumental shift to virtual care delivery and an unprecedented shortage of healthcare workers. This care worker shortage has reached a nationwide crisis level where there aren't nearly enough healthcare staff to fill vital RPM management roles, leading to alarming care gaps impacting the most vulnerable patient populations. RICOH RPM Enablement is designed to help health systems close this gap and to help lead to improved patient experiences by integrating into existing virtual care programs to support the deployment of remote patient monitoring system devices, inventory tracking, logistics, and device returns. The healthcare worker burnout and staffing shortage – most recently worsened by COVID – is putting extraordinary constraints on health systems to staff RPM management roles, which limits their ability to scale virtual programs and impacts the standard of patient care. According to the Surgeon General, 98% of healthcare workers worry about their own burnout1, which is likely accelerating nurse retirement, fueling a shortfall of 1.1 million registered nurses1. The Mayo Clinic's research has also revealed that U.S. doctor burnout has reached an all-time high of 63%2. Additionally, 98% of clinicians are concerned that burnout can reduce quality of care and 82% of the public believes that a worker shortage will impact their health3. Technology can be the difference maker in systemic change – and clinicians agree as 50-70% welcome the change to use technologies in their work4. "Clinicians currently spend over 50% of their working hours using EHRs5. That's their reality and a massive contributor to burnout, so our mission is centered on pivoting that time back to patient care through supporting the modernization, automation, and enablement of the care workflows that are most critical to health system's success," said Rory Fitzpatrick, Vice President, Industry Vertical Marketing, Ricoh North America. RPM Enablement is the latest demonstration of our commitment. In this period of burnout crisis, the healthcare industry has an opportunity to commit to workers' emotional and physical wellbeing – and Ricoh is dedicated to supporting positive systemic change with sustainable, scalable solutions. [Source: PR Newswire] RPM is often considered one of the largest value drivers of virtual care with applications from primary care through chronic disease management. In fact, when RPM is part of a care plan, the Mayo Clinic has shown that 72.5% of remote patient monitoring patients comply with the care plan's tasks, including taking medications and monitoring vitals6. Further, only 9.4% were readmitted within 30 days versus 20% of patients not using RPM6. Ricoh is uniquely positioned to help address workflow challenges resulting from the qualified healthcare worker shortage due to its large footprint and depth of managed services experience in the industry. Ricoh currently supports thousands of healthcare organizations with various aspects of their business, including 9 out of 11 of the largest for-profit hospital systems and 22 out of 32 of the largest nonprofit hospital systems, with about 3,200 facilities under its support – and is also responsible for managing over 1 million devices in the United States through more than 2,100 U.S. field technicians across various industries.

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Health Technology

DuPont Collaborates with STMicroelectronics (ST) to Develop New Smart Wearable Device Concept for Monitoring Biosignals

PR Newswire | November 03, 2023

DuPont announced that DuPont™ Liveo™ Healthcare Solutions is collaborating with STMicroelectronics a global leader in semiconductor technology serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, to develop a new smart wearable device concept for remote biosignal-monitoring. "Dedicated Liveo™ research teams collaborate with suppliers and manufacturers worldwide to create solutions across a vast array of medical applications – including smart devices that can share data between patients and doctors," said DuPont™ Liveo™ Global Business Leader Eugenio Toccalino. "The wearable device concept that resulted from the collaboration between DuPont and ST is the DuPont™ Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch prototype, which employs multifunctional microsensors and control electronics from ST embedded in a flexible patch design from DuPont." By collaborating with others across the healthcare ecosystem – from technology developers and material suppliers to device fabricators and OEMs – DuPont is developing more patient-centric solutions that contribute to better patient outcomes. Simone Ferri, STMicroelectronics AMS Group Vice-President and MEMS sub-group General Manager. ST designed the electronics and sensors for the smart skin patch prototype using our accelerometer and vertical analog front end next-generation sensors with in-sensor AI, a microcontroller with Bluetooth module, ultra-low-power-management units, firmware, and algorithm support to create a flexible board design capable to analyze electrical and mechanical heart activity in full synchronization to extract multiple vital signs. The performance of ST's electronic sensors is enhanced by the conformability and conductivity of the DuPont™ Liveo™ materials used to create the patch. [Source: PR Newswire] Through this collaboration, DuPont brings a broad range of medical patch technologies, including DuPont™ Liveo™ Soft Skin Conductive Tape 1-3150 – a silicone-based thermoset adhesive for sensing and transferring electrical biosignals, and Liveo™ Soft Skin Adhesives. ST's sensor and embedded development technology and semiconductor manufacturing expertise, combined with the key benefits of silicone technology with electrically conductive properties allow Liveo™ Soft Skin Conductive Tape technology to be used as a skin electrode for biosignal-monitoring applications where good skin conformability, no drying over time, and repositionability with gentle adhesion and atraumatic removal is vital. It can be used in single electrodes for short-term monitoring, as well as in medical wearable patches for long-term monitoring lasting seven or more days. DuPont also designed the layout for the Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch and supplied rapid prototyping capabilities. The result of this collaboration is not just a single prototype, but a robust ST-empowered Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch technology toolbox for remote ECG and SCG monitoring. The DuPont and ST integrated patch technology is designed to improve people's lives, making it easier to use than typical rigid box designs. It's smaller, lighter, and more comfortable and can be worn longer. Plus, the sensors are multifunctional, intelligent, and adaptable, and the data provided is extremely stable. DuPont will demonstrate the capabilities of the Liveo™ Smart Biosensing Patch prototype at the MEDICA Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany, November 13-16. The Liveo™ team will be in Hall 12/D33 in the Wearable Technologies Pavilion. As part of the MEDICA Connected Healthcare Forum, DuPont™ Liveo™ Healthcare Solutions Global Strategic Marketing Manager Jennifer Gemo and ST's Head of EMEA Healthcare and Well-Being Vertical Strategic Business Development Oriana Di Marco will present "Towards intelligent e-skin patches for cardiac monitoring" featuring the DuPont/ST collaborative patch concept and technology toolbox. The presentation will take place on Nov. 14 from 12:15 to 12:35 p.m. CEST in Hall 12/E37. DuPont offers a broad portfolio of high-performance, medical-grade elastomers, adhesives, resins and thermoplastics designed to meet the rigorous requirements of wearable medical devices. The company also provides support in the areas of materials research, application development, technology, safety and regulatory compliance. Whether for drug delivery or smart monitoring devices, DuPont™ Liveo™ Healthcare Solutions helps enable positive patient outcomes through increasingly advanced medical technology.

Read More

Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

HARMAN Launches New Private Large Language Model for Healthcare Industry- HARMAN HealthGPT

Business Wire | October 16, 2023

HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer, and enterprise markets, announced that its Digital Transformation Solutions business unit has launched the groundbreaking Healthcare Private Language Model (LLM), known as HealthGPT. HealthGPT represents a leap in healthcare solutions by leveraging generative AI to empower healthcare professionals, researchers, and institutions through advanced patient care, medical research, and decision-making. HealthGPT brings forward all the benefits of a LLM like natural language interaction and learnability, with a strong knowledge base established from a variety of healthcare data sets. The model, built using the key principles of responsible AI, has additionally been tested for accuracy and hallucinations using HARMAN’s own automated LLM testing framework and the results were further validated by the healthcare subject matter experts. HARMAN HealthGPT is a private LLM, providing enterprises with more control over roadmap, privacy, compliance and security issues at optimized cost. Key advantages of working with HARMAN HealthGPT include Enhanced Clinical Insights: Provides real-time, context-aware clinical insights, aiding in decision making. End-to-end LLM Fine tuning framework: A comprehensive framework for fine-tuning Language Model (LLM) to achieve optimal performance. Data generation framework: A framework for creating high quality customized datasets to further fine-tune Language Model (LLM) for enhanced performance. Automated LLM evaluation framework: Completely automated solution to validate fine-tuned LLMs for quality of outputs, factual correctness, hallucinations, and toxicity. Cost Optimization: Advanced deployment techniques using quantization to significantly reduce model size and thereby processing costs by up to one-tenth. Drug Discovery and Research: Accelerate drug discovery and development by extracting valuable insights from clinical trial data. Nick Parrotta, President – Digital Transformation Solutions & Chief Digital and Information officer at HARMAN said, The business value of generative AI cannot be overstated. Organizations that scale and implement swiftly will see significant competitive advantages, productivity gains and more – but only if they can unlock their data and move from general purpose applications to more specialized, domain-specific applications. At HARMAN, it is our mission to help our clients navigate this hurdle and create a competitive advantage long-term. HARMAN HealthGPT is an example of our capabilities that will help organizations utilize specific industry trained models to better solve unique problems and add value for customers. With our long-standing AI expertise and ability to develop effective LLMs, we’re equipped to help our clients move past challenging roadblocks and fully capitalize on the exciting promise of generative AI. [Source – Business Wire] HARMAN is seeing strong early results of the LLM training, and its AI and ML teams are well positioned with an end-to-end, tested framework to fine-tune more private LLMs, beyond the healthcare industry, to solve similar customer problems.

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