Papers had been present in almost every phase of the American healthcare system for decades. However, paper forms have several inherent flaws that create problems for both the healthcare institution and patients. Some of those flaws are:
- Occupies a lot of space
- Necessity of manual process
- Frustration for patients
- Inflexible
That is why, in today’s digital world, iPads are taking over the use of paper extensively in every industry, including healthcare. They have revolutionized the processes that required paper forms to be filled. But there are so many smart devices out there that could have served the purpose.
So if there any specific reason for choosing the iPad other than the obvious appeal? Turns out, Apple has created the iPad keeping the different demographics in mind, especially related to age and intellect. These aspects are critical for the healthcare industry, where the majority of patients are above 50 years of age.
Medical institutions can hand over an iPad to anyone, and they fill out forms with ease. The staff can also use relevant apps with a minimal amount of training. These are some of the best advantages of using an iPad in hospitals and other medical facilities.
Simple to Use
Patients and medical personnel have to fill up innumerable forms every day. The drag and drop menus and the input fields on iPads are simple and convenient to use, which makes it easy for anyone to fill up forms on them. Each form can be color-coded to make it easy for the healthcare personnel to track and record. The use of iPads has made each process in healthcare faster.
It has also reduced unnecessary burden on several departments, such as data entry and IT. The systems have also improved the mobility of data for the hospital personnel. Since an iPad can be carried anywhere, doctors and nurses do not have to cross-check information from computers. They can attach an iPad on a rolling stand and create data stations or kiosks anywhere.
Automated Systems
Shifting the processes from papers to iPads has resulted in the automation of forms and other essential information. Hospital personnel does not have to create barcodes, scan them, and enter data manually. The automation of the processes has also reduced human errors drastically.
Hospital personnel can access the correct forms for patients in a matter of minutes instead of searching for them inside numerous files. These forms can also be translated into any language as per requirements. The patient data is accessible to other departments instantly since they do not have to wait for someone to feed the information in the system.
That means hospital personnel are better equipped to engage with the patients and tend to their healthcare needs. Plus, the institutions do not have to worry about losing patient data as they do not have to store the files manually.
Standardization of Processes
Submission of forms on iPads has created seamless and standardized systems for documentation. There is no need for programming and coding the forms before they are fed into the system. The standardized names of forms and data entry have made it convenient for the system to create hyperlinks for the content.
It also ensures that there is complete mapping within the EMR network to link and find content. Doctors do not have to worry about the different styles used by nurses and patients to fill in data on the forms.
Legal and Financial Compliance
Every section on healthcare forms must get filled by patients for financial and legal implications. The revenue cycle depends on the fields filled in by the patient. Also, there might be legal consents that the patient must provide to get healthcare services.
In either case, if the patient misses out on fields, there might be problems for the patient and the medical institution. However, with iPads neither have to worry about the completeness of the forms. If there are missing fields, the app will but let the patient submit the form. Instead, it will notify the person that there are essential form fields that cannot be left blank.
So as we can see, the use of iPads is revolutionizing the healthcare system in America in several ways, such as:
- Automating manual tasks
- Eliminating chances of errors in data entry
- Mobilizing data input and monitoring
- Increasing information processing
- Improving productivity
- Processing patient information faster
- Streamlining the flow of data in the institution
- Increasing legal and financial compliance
Therefore, it is time that more medical institutions start using iPads to enjoy the benefits of a better data system.
