Fortunately, technology is stepping in to help. Health IT solutions are reshaping cardiology practices by improving the patient experience and provider workflows, ultimately helping to address gaps in care.
Patient Experience: A Seamless, Connected Journey
For patients, fragmented experiences and long appointment wait times can lead to frustration and disengagement. It’s no surprise, then, that 44% of Americans admit they have delayed or even skipped needed care.
Forward-thinking cardiology practices are reimagining the patient journey to ensure proactive communication and better care coordination. For example, the NextGen® Closed Loop™ Patient and Practice Experience enables:
- Easy access to care – Secure messaging, self-scheduling, and virtual waitlists give patients more control over their appointments.
- Streamlined intake – Digital check-in, pre-visit forms, and secure document uploads reduce administrative burdens.
- Virtual and in-person visit flexibility – Telehealth options and digital patient portals ensure care remains convenient.
- Ongoing health management – Electronic bill pay, patient education resources, and remote monitoring help patients stay on track.
- Proactive care coordination – Automated follow-ups, prescription management, and patient feedback loops improve engagement.
By reevaluating the patient experience and working to close gaps in communication, cardiology practices can reduce no-show rates, enhance efficiency and prevent patients from slipping through the cracks.
Ambient Listening: Easing the Provider Burden
While improving the patient experience is critical, addressing physician burnout is also important. Cardiologists face immense pressure due to high patient volumes, complex cases, and the burden of administrative work. Studies show that physicians spend nearly twice as much time on documentation as they do with patients, which can lead to frustration and fatigue.
This is where AI-driven ambient listening technology can make a difference. Ambient listening solutions like NextGen Healthcare’s NextGen® Ambient Assist can save medical professionals up to two hours of documentation time per day by transcribing patient-provider conversations in real time and summarizing encounters within 30 seconds of an appointment. Once the provider reviews the generated visit note, makes any necessary edits and approves it from their mobile device, it is delivered seamlessly and securely into the NextGen® Enterprise EHR (electronic health record).
Benefits of a thoughtfully designed ambient listening solution include:
- Reduced documentation time, allowing physicians to focus more on patient care
- More natural patient interactions without the distraction of typing or note-taking
- Decision support for specific diagnoses and relevant lab or imaging orders
NextGen® Ambient Assist also offers Spanish language support and specialty-specific models for cardiology. By alleviating the documentation burden, ambient listening helps create a more efficient workflow and combats burnout.
The Future of Cardiology: A More Connected, Efficient Model
The shortage of cardiologists and the growing burden on providers make it clear that innovation is no longer optional—it’s essential. By staying nimble and embracing new technology, cardiology practices can bridge gaps in care, reduce the strain on physicians, and create a more impactful patient experience. For patients and cardiologists alike, that future can’t come soon enough.