Look, let’s face it. My dream of living in precedented times is just that… a dream. And for many of our partners in the healthcare industry, we know that dream remains in fantasy land just like my hope of the Cleveland Guardians winning a World Series in this millennium. 

Even with the end of the public health emergency for Covid-19, challenges for healthcare persist in many forms. And while we look to our clients and leaders in the industry for inspiration, it doesn’t hurt to call those challenges out and talk about what we are seeing in today’s healthcare environment, such as missing and inaccurate patient data, automation because of staffing shortages, and the demand for care.

Inaccurate patient data

In a study done by the JAMA Network, of participants who noted an error in their medical records, 40% were found to be serious. Medical records, often highly detailed, can include a wide range of information – from patient histories to test results to medication lists, as well as in many different forms from faxes to paper records to digital files and PDFs. But when those come with errors, the fallout can be costly and time-consuming for all parties, especially providers who want to provide excellent care for patients and patients who want to get proper care in a timely manner. 

Inaccurate patient information may seem small in comparison to large trends happening in the healthcare industry today, but from our perspective, excellent patient care begins with accuracy and proper healthcare record indexing practices are vital to that success. 

 

Automation and staffing

Like the Guardians’ batting struggles, the staffing shortages in healthcare are not going away and will most likely only be exacerbated in the coming years, so healthcare professionals must pivot to finding ways to successfully reduce the need for staff in certain areas. Answers that consistently come up in conversations about this need are automation, AI, and machine learning, finding ways to automatically complete tasks that in the past, had to be done by a staff member. 

Automation is, however, not an overnight fix, nor is it the answer to all problems like many claim it to be. The human aspect of automation and healthcare is still crucial, and many healthcare partners can look at automation as an enhancement (not replacement) of their department to increase productivity of certain processes, including healthcare record indexing, billing, tracking, and more. 

 

Patient care demand

According to Trilliant Health, demand for surgical and primary care is projected to grow by a compound annual growth rate of 1.7% and 2.0%, respectively, between 2022 and 2026. While many factors could adjust or affect this in the coming years, the study also noted that the population is projected to need .1 more primary care visits than in 2021. 

Since Covid-19, the shift toward ambulatory, or outpatient care has become notable. More people want to spend less time in the hospital and cut spending, which can be done at times for patients without complex comorbidities. This leaves hospitals with plenty of patient data from various locations to sort through and structure, but also gives patients options and flexibility from a health system. 

As we move into a healthcare environment that’s post-public health emergency, it’s important to take stock of the most important challenges, commend those who have been in the field for their work in improving patient care, and to ask ourselves, what’s next?