It’s been a rough few years for healthcare. Shrinking margins, staffing shortages, increased regulatory scrutiny, and the logistical hurdles of digital transformation are just a few of what feels like a relentless stream of challenges for those in the healthcare industry.
Most providers, practice managers, and CEOs would agree that they want to provide a patient-centered experience, but the day-to-day realities of working in healthcare make it harder than ever. What does it look like to move from business triage and survival mode to a sustainable, strategic growth plan that puts patients first? At TenHats, we believe the first step is rethinking the role of healthcare IT.
- Operational processes should prioritize the patient experience, not just what works best for the provider. Patients want choice in their healthcare.
- Solving internal inefficiencies can lead to a more streamlined system for patients.
- TenHats helps healthcare organizations plan strategically for the future of digital transformation.
Examining the Problem
We often think of healthcare IT in reference to new advancements in fields such as robotic-assisted surgery, remote patient monitoring, or 3D medical printing. While there are thrilling, groundbreaking discoveries happening in these fields, we recognize that many organizations aren’t rushing into major system overhauls and multimillion-dollar investments in new technological solutions.
On the contrary, many healthcare practices relate to feelings of stagnation or burnout when it comes to technology. It’s too expensive, too overwhelming, too many features to learn in not enough time. Yet as we consult with organizations of all sizes, we consistently see consumer demand outpaces business adaptation.
Here’s an example: Patients expect scheduling a medical appointment to be as user-friendly as ordering a package from Amazon or booking a house on Airbnb. Instead, they’re met with complicated patient portals, confusing phone systems, and mind-bendingly complicated billing. When they do arrive at the office, there are often paper forms to fill out and unexpected wait times because the doctor is an hour behind.
In most cases, healthcare practices don’t need new equipment. They don’t need a new ERP or a new custom-developed web portal. They need an IT strategy.
The Role of IT
In our recent IT and business survey, we found that 39% of organizations are experiencing staffing shortages while 67% of company executives are planning to hire outside vendors or consultants for IT functions in 2024. While executives across all industries agreed that IT is an integral part of their business, only 26% of those surveyed said that IT is a consistent driver of new revenue and customer loyalty.
This exposes a disconnect between the practical need for functional IT and the strategic view of how IT can help achieve organizational goals. Modern IT is no longer just about adding wireless access points or fixing broken computers. We operate in hybrid environments leveraging a combination of on-premises equipment, cloud services, and end-user devices, with the added constraint of HIPAA compliance in the healthcare industry.
In the past, successful IT was about “keeping the lights on.” But for today’s patients, this mindset is too limited and too reactive. Many IT investments focus on quick fixes rather than diving deep into core operational problems. For example, robotic process automation can speed up mundane, repetitive tasks, but too many companies will pour money into automation when they really should be focusing on projects that drive revenue and improve the customer experience.
So what does customer-focused IT look like? It involves both external and internal evaluations of your current technology systems.
4 IT Questions Every Healthcare Organization Should Ask
We often say that every company is a technology company, and healthcare is no exception. Many organizations find that they don’t necessarily need to increase their IT budgets to make technology more effective and focused on patient needs. Whether you work at a large hospital system or a small direct primary care office, here are four questions to test whether or not your IT strategy is patient-centered.
1. Do your processes prioritize the patient or the clinician?
Paper forms are an easy target here. Many healthcare providers are still on paper because it’s quicker and simpler than inputting everything into an EHR, or simply because it’s the way things have always been done. Most likely, however, your patients do not agree that it’s easier.
Common primary care scheduling frameworks can lead to unpredictable patient flows and longer wait times, and many legacy call center systems require patients to answer the same questions multiple times before reaching someone who can resolve their primary issue. Bringing a new strategic framework could cut down on patient wait times while still meeting the practice goals.
2. Do patients have a choice in their care?
This doesn’t have to mean a choice about which provider they see or even what treatment plan the patient follows. Most patients are looking for a consumer-like experience. Think of the typical e-commerce platform that offers product recommendations, reviews, and shipping options. Healthcare, on the other hand, often feels like the patient is simply being told what to do.
Healthcare providers can create a patient-first experience by connecting them with resources to learn more about their treatment plan, different modalities to communicate (e.g. sending a message through a portal or calling), and regular feedback loops—both for the practice to share updates and for the patient to feel that their voice is heard.
3. Are technical debt and workarounds slowing your operations?
It may not seem like this directly impacts patients, but many healthcare organizations struggle with technical debt—defined as the long-term consequence of short-sighted technology decisions. This could include complicated workarounds in your EHR, systems that aren’t integrated, bill coding shortcuts that are more prone to errors, or even cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
If something seems clunky in your daily operations, the odds are high that it will have a downstream effect on patients. Maybe they’ll receive an incorrect bill two months after treatment, they’ll be frustrated by having to provide the same information in multiple places, or—in a worst-case scenario—they’ll have to receive a letter that their personal information was exposed in a cybersecurity breach. Systems that don’t work well for you likely won’t work well for your patients.
4. Does your organization have a digital transformation plan?
If you answered yes to technical debt or cumbersome operations, a quick fix will only create more problems a few years down the line. Even if operations run seamlessly now, the rapid pace of technological development in the healthcare space requires that every practice has a strategic plan for technology modernization.
We can expect that telehealth and virtual visits will increase in the coming years, and AI-enabled remote healthcare options will give patients more information and more choices than they’ve had previously. If your organization is not continually adapting, you will struggle to compete when other practices offer more streamlined digital experiences. We all know that the wheels can turn slowly when trying to adopt a new system in a large healthcare organization, so the time to start implementing a new technology strategy is now.
Do More With TenHats
TenHats is a leading managed IT service provider in East Tennessee. We work with healthcare practices of all sizes to deliver strategic technology solutions that improve internal operations and create a better patient-focused experience.
From hybrid cloud environments to backup and disaster recovery plans, we offer enterprise-grade solutions for growing organizations. We’re built to scale with you. Call 865-770-5920 to speak with a strategic technology advisor or contact us online. We look forward to problem-solving so you can adapt, compete, and thrive.
