How Digital Healthcare Can Help Your Medical Practice Run Smoother

With new technology rolling out nearly every month, the momentum behind digital tools in healthcare has never been stronger. In fact, one AMA survey of 1,300 physicians found that the use of televisits or virtual visits doubled from 2016 to 2019—and that was pre-pandemic. 

We’ve all seen and heard about the rapid increase in virtual visits since the onset of COVID-19, but providers are doing so much more than just using technology to see patients remotely. In fact, technology is increasingly helping practices find ways to improve and enhance how they run their offices by focusing on internal processes. Here’s a quick look at a few ways that digital healthcare can help your medical practice run smoother. 

Find new efficiencies

Emerging technologies including process automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are presenting providers with opportunities to be more efficient. In a national Deloitte survey of specialty U.S. physicians from 2020, some 77% said the biggest impact on their practices from automation would be efficiency. 

Technology can streamline or eliminate mundane, tedious tasks that take crucial time away from the provider and staff. For instance, instead of having to regularly follow up with a patient and manually record their symptoms, pain level, or medication adherence, that data can be seamlessly pushed to a secure, HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based platform via an app on the patient’s phone like PainScript. 

More personalized care

Both patients and providers agree that the more personalized the care, the more effective the results. Fortunately for both, digital health tools can make that personalization a reality. Platforms like PainScript supply everyone involved, from providers to staff to patients, with the access they need to critical medical information. These platforms also enable two-way dialogue in which the patient and provider can exchange quick text-based messages so that patients can get their follow-up questions answered without an additional office visit. 

Providers are also using various communication methods, including push notifications and SMS text messages, to supply patients with helpful information related to their specific needs. For example, a chronic pain patient might benefit from automated medication reminders sent to them via SMS. This type of outreach makes the patient feel empowered in the care they receive. Plus, proactive healthcare like this helps the provider’s office run smoother by eliminating unnecessary phone calls and back-and-forth communication.

Clinical decision support

Many providers rely on their EHR, or electronic health record, system to ensure they track patient progress. EHRs help practices work more efficiently while providing detailed data needed to ensure patients received tailored care. 

But there is also a growing suite of technology solutions that go beyond the standard EHR experience for providers. These include, as the AMA recently noted, tools that help providers with "clinical decision support" by flagging unusual "red flags" within patient data. There are also tools that help providers use remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology to further support patient care. Both use cases are supported by a technology like PainScript.

If your practice is ready to take the next step in digital healthcare, PainScript can help your patients update your practice on their health condition and status, all through their smartphone. Our platform connects physicians with chronic pain and SUD patients by tracking medication and care plan adherence in real time. Want to learn more about our easy-to-use, HIPAA-compliant platform? Request a product demo today.