Five ways interoperability can benefit home health and hospice agencies

The digital age has created an overhaul of technology within the healthcare industry – transforming health records into collections of electronic data that should simplify administration processes for providers everywhere.

But just because health records have gone digital, doesn't mean it makes communication any easier between providers. That's why interoperability is crucial to the future of healthcare, and home health and hospice are no exceptions. In fact, home health and hospice agencies can arguably benefit the most from compatible EHR systems.

With many home health and hospice agencies falling behind when it comes to interoperability, there are plenty of reasons they should adopt these technologies sooner rather than later. Here are five benefits:

It Can Enhance Relationships with Referral Sources

The majority of post-acute referral sources already communicate secure patient data electronically. Simplifying that communication between referral source and provider should always be a priority, so adopting compatible technology is a no-brainer. When choosing a provider, referral sources are going to choose to interoperate – allowing them to seamlessly send and receive data on patients. Having the technology that allows your agency to do this will set you apart from the competition.

Beyond ease of use, tasks that were once tedious can now be done with a click – including electronic referrals, eSignatures, point-of-care documentation and real-time patient data.

It Can Create More Efficient Operations

From computers to medical equipment – it's always important to see a return with any technology investment in your agency. With interoperability, the return is clear. Sending and receiving data electronically means fewer documents, less effort searching patient records, less time communicating with providers and more immediate information.

This increased visibility of patient information can result in more thorough documentation, greater likelihood of approved claims and full reimbursements. Interoperability will ultimately minimize waste of both time and paper, which means you can spend more time with more patients – affecting your bottom line.

It Can Boost Productivity

With a more efficient system comes a better process, meaning your staff spends less time performing tedious administration tasks and more time being productive with patients, providers and referral sources. While many agencies fear technology replacing jobs, it can actually enhance many roles – from front-of-office workers to point-of-care staff – allowing them to focus on what is important, like patient care and accurate documentation.

It Can Improve the Patient Experience

All these benefits come together to create a better patient experience. More efficient processes allow for more time with patients, improved communication means data gets shared quickly and accurately, and trusted providers stay connected in order to provide better care.

It Will Prepare You for the Inevitable

Whether you want to embrace technology or not, it's here to stay – not only to enhance your business, but also to keep you connected to other providers. Differentiate your agency by adopting this technology now, and be an industry leader as you move toward a more connected future.

About Jana Macon
Jana Macon serves as Vice President, Home Health and Hospice, where she is responsible for sales, account management and partner programs, in addition to the overall success of the business. Jana has been a member of the Brightree Executive Team for 10 years, and has more than 20 years of experience in directing and managing operational aspects of software development, implementation, support, sales and overall customer success. Jana earned a BSIS, Bachelors of Computer Science – Information Science from Christopher Newport University.

About Brightree
Brightree is the leading provider of cloud-based software to improve clinical and business performance in the post-acute care industry. The company serves more than 2,500 organizations in the HME, home health, hospice, orthotic and prosthetic, HME pharmacy, home infusion and rehabilitation home care segments. Brightree's solutions follow the natural workflow of providers to automate and improve how they manage their businesses, serve patients and protect reimbursements. The company is ranked one of the top 100 healthcare IT companies in the U.S. on the prestigious Healthcare Informatics 100 (HCI 100) list. For more information, visit www.brightree.com.

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