The quality of healthcare treatment for patients relies on support, knowledge, and various tools healthcare organizations can use, which allows the healthcare industry to be continuously evolving. Advancements in technology play a large role in how healthcare workers can administer treatment to patients, as well as how they perform daily operations.
While treating patients is the number one priority in the healthcare field, it’s also crucial for employees to keep patient data private and secure. By using information technology service management (ITSM), healthcare workers can streamline their daily operations, and healthcare businesses can save money in the long term.
What Is ITSM?
Information technology service management is defined as the process employees utilize to manage IT services. A designated ITSM team oversees servers, laptops, applications, and more, as well as creates and manages all IT services in an organization. This allows staff, patients, and other healthcare providers to communicate and share information easier. A strong ITSM platform can streamline daily operations and make other aspects of the healthcare industry easier to perform.
When it comes to assisting patients, ITSM makes the process less challenging for healthcare workers, which reduces human error as well as risk. ITSM’s ability to cut out even the smallest errors can prevent catastrophic situations, such as a wrong diagnosis. ITSM is continuously evolving as technology changes, and with a strong ITSM team, you can more easily adapt to these changes before they become complex, expensive issues.
ITSM in Healthcare
How does information technology improve patient care? There are several answers to this question, and they all contribute to improving the well-being of both staff and patients. ITSM can positively impact the healthcare industry in several different ways.
Electronic Health Records
Electronic health records (EHRs) can store medical information digitally, including prescriptions and medical history. Storing records digitally also makes them easier to access later, saving time. EHRs are kept secure, but information technology allows for easy exchange between doctors and patients without worry of information leaking to third parties. EHRs can also store medical images that can be shared among professionals, further simplifying the record-sharing process. EHRs can provide a safe method of sharing information, as well as help to reduce errors that could lead to disastrous issues.
Smart Medical Devices
Technology is always adapting to current needs, and this is often seen in the healthcare field. Healthcare employees frequently use clinical instruments and medical devices that are connected to other smart devices, and ITSM can help manage these devices and detect any potential problems. ITSM can also check inventory to ensure assets are properly managed. By keeping track of these devices and preventing major problems, healthcare employees can freely treat their patients without significant interruptions.
Telemedicine
Along with EHR, telemedicine allows clinicians to provide patients with care outside of the doctor’s office in a secure manner. Due to the nature of remote care, it is crucial to manage any associated devices efficiently through ITSM. This is to ensure these devices are safe to use and correctly store information. Should any problems arise, they can quickly be reported. Healthcare organizations must make sure telemedicine tools are regularly available and operational.
