In the flux state of home-based care today, rapid advancements in technology are helping providers overcome some of the industry’s toughest challenges, with Electronic Health Records (EHRs) at the forefront of these solutions.
Recent developments in EHR technology represent a monumental shift in the efficiency of care delivery and communication for all stakeholders, empowering providers to meet the unique needs of every individual regardless of care setting. In turn, providers need to establish an ongoing dialogue with their partners about what these advancements mean for their patients and teams today, and in the years ahead.
As providers explore new technology solutions and examine their current partnerships through a future-focused lens, it is critical to consider 3 key ways in which EHRs will shape the future of home-based care — the 3Cs of EHRs.
- Care transitions
- Collaboration
- Clinical outcomes
Nick Knowlton, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at ResMed, an industry leader in interoperability with award-winning EHRs, and Angela Richards, Director of Project Management at Andwell Health Partners, the largest, independent, non-profit home and community-based health care and care management organization in Maine, share their outlook on the key areas where EHRs will have the greatest impact on home-based care as the technology and industry evolve together.
Care Transitions
The home-based care industry has already witnessed the ability of EHRs to significantly transform how care transitions are managed across settings, and this trend will continue to rise as the technology continues to improve and providers realize the potential with what is already possible. Providers are wise to talk with their technology partners about the steps they’re currently taking to streamline and enhance the continuity of care as patients move between hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health and hospice.
By integrating comprehensive patient data in real-time, EHRs empower providers to coordinate transitions more effectively, anticipate patient needs proactively, and minimize the risks associated with handoffs. And while it’s easy to lose focus with countless new features and buzzwords, providers need to understand not only where the technology is going, but how it will benefit them today.
“Things that could enhance the clinical experience may not have reached the forefront yet,” says Richards. “Sometimes I feel there’s a focus on the latest trends in EHRs when we simply want straightforward tools to adjust schedules, identify scheduling, and meet minimal regulatory requirements for billing easily.”
Additionally, improved interoperability among EHR platforms ensures a seamless information exchange between providers, reducing redundant tests, medication errors and treatment delays.
This evolution in EHR technology will continue to enhance patient safety and care quality across the continuum while fostering better collaboration among multidisciplinary care teams simultaneously.
“Recently, we’ve been focused on launching care transition interoperability tools, including within our own platforms,” says Knowlton. “This improves our platforms by providing better tools to transition patients more effectively into home health or hospice environments.”
Key Considerations for Care Transitions
● Level of interoperability
● Integration of patient data in real-time
● Risk mitigation
Collaboration
The complex patient journey in home-based care makes collaboration not just a priority, but an absolute necessity. However, the challenge of sharing information seamlessly among caregivers, physicians, and specialists increases tenfold when they are all in different locations.
EHRs can bridge the gap, and their ability to foster collaboration should be a differentiator in partner-provider discussions about this technology.
Enhanced connectivity is a focal point of EHR development as it relates to collaboration, with the ultimate goal of undisrupted, real-time communication capabilities that empower teams to coordinate care more effectively and make timely, well-informed decisions.
“We’re seeing more home health and hospice providers use their EHR to collaborate directly with other care delivery partners who treat the same patient to ensure ongoing, patient-centric care,” Knowlton says. “It’s crucial that these services are included as part of the ongoing patient journey, and not just at the time of the referral.”
Further, putting centralized patient data and treatment plans at caregivers’ fingertips will streamline workflows, alleviate administrative burdens and elevate the overall quality of care provided in home settings. Coupled with increased interoperability, this technology has the potential to support holistic care approaches by integrating data from diverse sources like home health agencies, physicians, pharmacies, and medical equipment providers.
As EHR technology advances, it will play a monumental role in promoting collaboration, improving communication, and ultimately, enhancing health outcomes in home-based care environments.
Key Considerations for Collaboration
● Real-time communication
● Enhanced connectivity and workflow
● Diversification of data sources
“From the outset, during our orientation, we focused on understanding what constitutes best practice. MatrixCare’s implementers emphasized optimal ways to utilize the system, so we embraced these methods right away,” Richards says. “MatrixCare has evolved significantly since 2018, and they’re exceptional at providing a roadmap of what’s to come, engaging us in the process. We share this roadmap with our team, discussing upcoming features like OASIS-E, PDGM, and the introduction of voice-to-text and other tools.”
Clinical Outcomes
Standardizing real-time access to comprehensive patient data, including medical histories, treatment plans, and ongoing monitoring metrics, will enable more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment approaches, and timely interventions tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Providers should address these goals with their EHR vendor to determine what success looks like for their organization, and how they can measure it over time.
Additionally, as predictive analytics and decision support tools are refined and more seamlessly integrated into EHR platforms, providers will be able to bolster support for proactive health management and preventive care strategies. “Bringing patient data in and understanding each individual’s care needs early in the process allows home health and hospice providers to better coordinate with other care teams, such as physician practices, physical therapy, home infusion, home medical equipment, and wound care,” says Knowlton. As the technology itself improves, so will providers’ ability to execute their care strategies.
Key Considerations for Clinical Outcomes
● Communication among multi-disciplinary care teams
● Enhanced and streamlined care coordination
● Measurable KPIs
As EHR technologies continue to advance, their role in delivering actionable insights and facilitating evidence-informed care will contribute to improved care transitions, stronger collaboration, better clinical outcomes, and ultimately, higher patient satisfaction in home-based care. But there needs to be an open dialogue between providers and their technology partners to best prepare for what’s to come. The 3 Cs of EHRs are a roadmap for this conversation as the industry works together to achieve higher levels of care in the home.
This article is sponsored by MatrixCare, an industry leader in interoperability with an award-winning EHR built to support the entire patient journey through efficient transitions of care, connectivity to health systems, and long-term referral partnerships. To learn more about interoperability done right, visit https://www.matrixcare.com/home-health-software/