Point of Care Systems Should be Connected and Interoperable

Point of care systems used by medical professionals document every aspect of a healthcare delivery episode and have moved from being a paper-based record-keeping system to a digital system enabled by advanced sensors, connected devices, and telemedicine platforms.

But healthcare delivery is so varied and complex that point of care systems are difficult to standardize, and too few systems in use today are truly interoperable, centralized and secure. Too many systems fail to offer connectivity with other healthcare providers and with government agencies, and too many fail to put the patient at the center of the equation.

Although the healthcare system has some of the most powerful technologies ever developed, the point of care systems most providers use today fail to boost productivity and fail to create a stronger bond between doctors and consumers.

We Need a Modern System

The modern point of care system should be scalable, easy to use and easy to access. It needs to be utilized by all stakeholders everywhere at the same time, and connect providers and patients with a network that extends beyond borders. It should enable e-commerce, remote consultations, and an open healthcare marketplace.

Many physicians are skeptical of new technologies, and some doubt that sophisticated software can really improve health outcomes for patients while cutting unnecessary costs.

But nearly every other sector of the economy — from manufacturing to retail to transportation to banking — has been remade with the emergence of new technologies. Artificial intelligence augmented and virtual reality, wearable devices, software-as-a-service solutions, blockchain technology, open-source API systems, and other advancements have created more high-quality consumer choice at a lower cost than legacy technologies could accomplish.

Physicians Should Embrace New Technologies

But the healthcare industry has yet to see the same benefits, partly because the point of care systems being used today rely almost entirely on software and not enough on human expertise. And the long and costly rollout of electronic health record systems has left many providers ambivalent about new technologies.

But medical professionals should realize that technology and people working side by side represents the future of healthcare delivery, and take the initiative in the creation and deployment of new point of care systems.

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