In this age, technology allows hospitals, outpatient facilities and other parties in the healthcare continuum to capture patient data from registration to diagnoses to post discharge helping reshape the way healthcare can be delivered.

1. Medical technology: Reshaping healthcare delivery
In this age, technology allows hospitals, outpatient facilities and other parties in the healthcare
continuum to capture patient data from registration to diagnoses to post discharge helping reshape the
way healthcare can be delivered. Even in this economic climate, hospitals are continuing to purchase
new technology to improve patient outcomes. By shortening inpatient stays and fixing inefficiencies
costs can be reduced.
In the above example I was referring specifically to electronic health records (EHRs) which are seen as a
significant factor in the reshaping of healthcare delivery. Via EHRs all healthcare providers are able to
share one secure chart, facilitating patient care and eliminating or at least reducing any inconsistencies
such as wasted patient and travel time. With the current healthcare system disorganized and in need of
a realignment, EHRs and other medical technology help care be delivered right, the first time, and allow
for all providers to be on the same page as each other.
Hospitals are making evidence-based decisions that revolve around clinical studies demonstrating
improved outcomes with the new technology. Though they are cautious in their approach of purchasing
high-priced technology, improving health care quality, cost and safety are top concerns for all hospital
executives and as budgets grow tighter finding solution to these issues is a must.
3 questions to consider before investing in new technology:
Will it improve patient care? If new technology is not in the patient’s best interest then it should not be
considered. The new technology should be able to provide higher quality care at a lower cost for the
patients. One example is advanced robotic surgery systems, which are a costly investment, but can
perform less intrusive surgery making for a shorter hospital admission as well as recovery time.
Will operations be streamlined? Next to patient care, new equipment should streamline operations,
resulting in cost savings for the hospital. Whether as a result from combining services, requiring fewer
employees to administer care or simply replacing older equipment that costs more to maintain, new
technology needs to make the health facility more efficient.
Is the full gamut of costs being considered? It’s not only the machines that cost money, but just as
crucial is the time spent to train providers. For instance, radio surgery is among one of most expensive
capital item hospitals are purchasing and though it costs in the range of $3 million, there are the
substantial costs involved of training employees to operate the equipment as well as supporting devices,
which sometime require their own service providers.
Hospitals continue to operate on a small budget and though healthcare technology can be costly, it can
also save money. In this time, there are many uncertainties, but by paying more attention to facilities’

2. inefficiencies, there is certainty that new technology can be impactful on bettering patient care and
helping curb costs.
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Source: http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/blog/medical-technology-reshaping-heathcare-
delivery
This is what we feel:
Acroseas strongly seconds the 3 major points highlighted in this article. An optimum solution equals
compatible operations, streamlined processes and cost-effective systems.