Value-based healthcare: See the big picture to achieve the triple aim

It’s no secret that taking steps to achieve the triple aim in healthcare — improving patient experiences, reducing costs and improving outcomes — can also help healthcare organizations provide value-based care. But, that’s a tall order.

In order to do this effectively, healthcare organizations need to be able to achieve information mobility, or the ability to securely capture, transform and manage information. Information mobility helps organizations create a more positive patient experience and lower costs by helping people access the right information at the right time.

Information mobility helps organizations create a more positive patient experience and reduce costs.

Consider how information mobility impacts all three pillars of the triple aim in this common patient-care scenario:

A 67-year-old man with coronary artery disease is scheduled to receive surgery at a hospital where he has received care several times before. As directed by his office-based primary care physician and surgeon, he fasts prior to his procedure. However, the admitting nurse hasn’t received the patient’s most recent EKG results and other paper-based forms from his cardiologist. It’s more than two hours later before the results arrive and the hungry and irritable patient begins preparing for surgery.

The waiting and lack of preparedness creates a negative patient experience, the first pillar of the triple aim. Moreover, delaying surgery disrupts the schedule of the surgical suite and the clinicians, adding to hospital and provider costs.

Tapping into information mobility

So, how can information mobility help you achieve the triple aim?

1. Improving patient experience

By reviewing your workflow and the movement of information throughout your hospital, you will likely uncover gaps that are opportunities to improve the patient experience. For example, let’s say you find that one area of your organization is still operating via paper processes. The redundancies and mismanaged information occurring in this process could have negative impacts on how your patients’ view your hospital.

2. Reducing costs

Do more with less by reducing redundant processes and improving communication within your organization. By having a streamlined approach, all areas of the triple aim will be positively impacted for a more efficient organization.

3. Improving outcomes

At the end of the day, improving outcomes is the ultimate goal of the triple aim. One way to get closer to achieving this is communicating with disparate systems. When various organizations and technologies communicate seamlessly, patients will receive better care and you can successfully meet value-based care requirements.

Want to learn more about information mobility and how to drive accountable care at your hospital?

Get the IDC InfoBrief "Information Mobility at Hospitals Drives Quality Care."

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