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The global market for health information programs is constantly growing. In 2018, it amounted to 21 billion US dollars, and, according to Research and Markets, it is predicted that by 2024 it will grow to 32 billion US dollars. Such popularity of Healthcare Software systems is quite justified, because they significantly enhance the work of medical institutions and the level of patient care.
To learn more about Healthcare Software, its types and benefits of its customization, continue reading.
What is Healthcare Software
Healthcare Software - knowledge-based, decision-support IT programs that provide assistance, guidance and feedback at healthcare.
Speaking in more detail, Healthcare Software is a tool that provides medical institutions with the opportunity to collect data on the physical condition of individual patients and use them to make diagnoses, as well as compile and transmit electronic prescriptions, bills, help patients follow treatment, do electronic appointments with a doctor and much more.
Today, Healthcare Software is successfully used in all sectors of the medical industry and healthcare and makes the work of hospitals, laboratories, clinics, pharmacies, rehabilitation centers and other medical facilities more efficient and effective.
Main types of Healthcare Software
.1 Electronic Records
When one speaks about electronic records, usually three abbreviations are used: EHR, EMR and PHR. Quite often they are used interchangeably. But it is not always right. Let's figure out what's what.
Personal Health Record (PHR) – used to store data about the state of human health from various sources. For the completeness and quality of information, the patients themselves or those who represent them (family members, for example) are responsible.
Electronic Medical Record (EMR) – Healthcare Software, which is used to store and organize patient information in a specific medical field (for example, dentistry and ophthalmology). The custodian of EMR is the clinic or practitioner. In other words, this is an electronic version of the patient's medical history in a particular institution.
Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a type of Healthcare Software that stores all of a person’s medical data. This information is created and updated by several healthcare organizations. The custodian of the EHR is a specially authorized center (Health Authority). Other authorized centers and providers of medical services like laboratories and government agencies also have access to it. It's worth noting that EHR systems impose high requirements for information protection and an access to it, because unauthorized access to such a system can lead to the disclosure of the patient’s personal data.
Electronic Health Records help to collect and use all the necessary data about the patient:
- personal information (age, address, bad habits);
- medical history (past illnesses, operations, injuries, allergies, chronic diseases);
- recent diseases and treatment.
According to Statista, it's expected that the global Electronic Health Records market in 2024 will grow to $40 billion. As you can see from the graph below, it projected to be almost twice as much as in 2015.
.2 E-Prescribing Software
E-Prescribing Software enables healthcare providers to create precise and readable prescriptions and send them electronically straight to pharmacies. Also, due to this, the patient will unlikely lose or forget the prescription. In addition, using the pharmacies database and electronic health records, e-Prescribing Software supplies medical institutions with access to the patient’s treatment history, which makes the workflow more efficient. Doctors can automatically check the list of prescribed medications, their interactions, allergies, and relevance to prevent harmful combinations. In addition, this software automates the process of updating and authorizing drugs.
Another advantage is the feedback. Patients can ask questions concerning medicines they are taking, as well as get information about alternative medications and side effects. As a result, patients receive a better service.
.3 Hospital Management Software (HMS)
It is a centered system for managing different departments of a hospital. This type of Healthcare Software processes information about health consumers and their bills, as well as healthcare providers.
Using Hospital Management Software in hospitals:
- simplifies and qualitatively enhances the work of medical institutions;
- reduces the time spent on solving administrative issues;
- allows medical staff to have more time for patient care;
- provides effective data management.
Hospital Management Software makes the workflows more solid, convenient and efficient, replacing bulky paper work.
The global Hospital Management Software market continues to increase, and, as stated by the Transparency Market Research report, it will grow by 12% from 2018 to 2026.
.4 Patient Portal
It provides the user with the ability to view information in their personal Electronic Health Record, including medical history and prescribed medications. Using this software, a user can make an appointment with a doctor, check the bills, pay them online and write a message to his doctor.
This is especially convenient that there are both desktop and mobile versions. At any time, the patient can check the schedule of a particular doctor, read reviews about them, and set appointments at an appropriate time.
.5 Patient Scheduling Software
Patient Scheduling Software often goes side-by-side with a patient portal. Patient self-planning is a growing trend among healthcare providers, mainly because patients need to feel like they are also managing their time. Thus, users can schedule appointments at a convenient time for them and for the doctor. And they can do this in the system at any time of the day, and not just by phone during certain business hours.
Also, medical institutions use Healthcare Software to schedule inside the hospital, which makes it possible to plan the work of the medical institution more efficiently.
The global medical scheduling software market was valued at 234.8 million US dollars in 2018 and is expected to reach 612.5 million US dollars by 2026 with a CAGR of 12.7%, according to Reports and Data.
In addition to the types of software we reviewed, healthcare organizations also actively use in their work:
- medical diagnostic software;
- imaging and visualization during diagnostics and operations;
- medical database software;
- medical equipment management;
- medical bills software, etc.
What are the benefits of Custom Healthcare Software?
The healthcare sector is very large-scale and specific. The use of the software listed above in a template format can not always cover all the needs of individual healthcare organizations. That is why the custom software is needed.
The development team takes into account all your individual needs, problems and desires, and develops a Healthcare Software solution tailored to your requirements.
Custom Healthcare Software has several advantages that allow you:
- to protect the data of patients and the organization (custom software is much more difficult to hack. Moreover, if the customer wishes, the software vendor will develop a multi-level protection);
- to fully adapt the Healthcare Software to your business processes and individual needs;
- to improve work processes taking into account all the features of your particular medical institution;
- to create a system that is convenient for you to manage medical personnel;
- provide automation of all documents of your medical institution ( medical cards including);
- to create convenient electronic billing software in your organization;
- to significantly save the budget. Since the software belongs to you - there is no need to pay a monthly fee, as well as there are no expenses for scaling or for software implementation and configuration;
- to gain a competitive advantage by implementing atypical functions, something that your competitors do not have.
Healthcare Software Trends 2020
Another feature of custom software is the ability to always keep up to date and use the most advanced technologies. Here's what experts predict will help make your custom Healthcare Software even cooler in 2020:
- Remote evaluate health conditions and digital therapeutic treatment model
In the healthcare sector, virtual technologies are increasingly being used, such as embedded medical devices, remote patient monitoring, remote medical software and Healthcare mobile applications.
- The internet of medical things (IoMT)
This software has combined the development of IoT with telemedicine and telehealth technologies. This approach involves the use of several wearable devices, including ECG monitors. General medical indicators such as skin temperature, glucose level and blood pressure can also be measured.
- Blockchain technology
The blockchain network creates, modifies, checks and manages a huge amount of confidential personal information of patients. At Healthcare, blockchain technology is used in: DNA exact medicine, drug research, marketing, clinical trials, diagnostic devices and procedures, complaint handling, contracts between insurance companies and healthcare organizations, verification of credentials for doctors and other medical professionals, etc.
- Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Artificial Intelligence with advanced analytical capabilities is used to assess the risk of eye disease, for faster and more effective diagnostic imaging, to study voice samples to diagnose chronic diseases by phone, to automate drug reminders for patients, in preliminary regenerative medicine, and other.
- Voice technologies
Their use is increasing in the chronic diseases treatment and caring for the elderly. Devices with voice assistant technology allow healthcare providers to quickly receive and process critical data at the time of medical care.
With these tools of Healthcare Software, new opportunities have opened up for healthcare providers and their clients. Nevertheless, custom software and advanced technologies help to stay a step ahead. If you want to significantly improve the work of your medical institution, custom Healthcare Software will help you turn this into reality. For this purpose, you will be assisted by an experienced team that will develop a software product, focusing solely on the needs of your institution and advanced customer experience, so that your IT solution will be "first out of the gate" ahead of your competitors in the market.
