The modern home care landscape is changing the way providers deliver care and connect with their patients, with the quest for improved care connectivity being an integral and long-standing goal. As the industry continues to evolve, so do the tools and strategies available, and electronic health records (EHRs) play a critical role in supporting these advancements.
Nick Knowlton, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at ResMed, an industry leader in interoperability with an award-winning EHR, spoke with Home Health Care News about the key areas where EHRs are driving home care connectivity today. This article explores the impact of EHRs on care connectivity, including the key advancements technology vendors are making and the steps home care teams can take to leverage them.
EHRs as a catalyst for improved healthcare
According to Knowlton, key trends in the current home care environment include:
- The introduction of value-based care
- A growing need for interoperability
- The rise of consumerism in the healthcare system as a whole
EHRs have proven critical to helping providers adapt to these trends by offering tools and capabilities that improve care coordination and patient management. Modern EHR systems are no longer just digital repositories for patient data; they are sophisticated platforms that enable real-time communication, data sharing, and decision-making. Recent advances in EHR platforms are a testament to their ability to further support connected care.
4 key EHR advances to support connected healthcare
- Interoperability and data integration: One of the most notable advances in EHR technology is improved interoperability. Today’s EHR systems utilize robust integration capabilities that enable seamless data sharing between different care settings. This integration ensures that home care providers can effortlessly access and share important patient information with other care teams, promoting continuity of care and minimizing the risk of errors.
- Real-time data access: Real-time access to patient data gives care teams access to critical information, enabling them to make quick, informed decisions in any situation. In home care, where timely interventions can make a significant difference, advances in data availability allow providers to monitor patient progress, track changes in health status, and adjust care plans promptly on a unified platform.
- Advanced communication tools: EHRs now include enhanced communication tools that encourage collaboration among care teams. With features like secure messaging, video consultations, and task management tools, providers can coordinate care more effectively, even when they are not physically present with the patient.
- Predictive analytics and decision support: Modern EHR systems use predictive analytics to predict potential health risks and outcomes. By analyzing both historical data and current trends, EHRs now enable providers to more effectively anticipate problems and take proactive action. This capability is especially valuable in home care, where managing complex needs and making data-driven decisions is not a luxury but an absolute necessity.
Adapting to the evolving connected healthcare landscape
On the provider side, home care teams can maintain competitiveness and improve the quality of care by leveraging these advances in EHR technology. Advanced features such as robust interoperability, real-time data access, and integrated communication tools enable providers to streamline operations and improve patient outcomes despite limited resources and a changing industry landscape.
“Everyone is expecting more from their home health and hospice care partners. They want to make sure that patients are well cared for, that people understand the journey they are on – whatever that journey may be – and that caregivers are equipped with the right technology to do their jobs effectively while still having enough time to enjoy their personal lives,” says Knowlton.
By leveraging these innovations, home care providers can better manage the complexity of patient care, make more informed decisions faster, and improve collaboration and satisfaction among care teams. Ultimately, this leads to more effective and responsive care and better financial outcomes in an increasingly dynamic industry.
4 steps providers can take to leverage EHR advancements
- Communicate with the EHR vendor: Providers need an EHR System that aligns with their goal of connected care. This partnership begins with an ongoing dialogue with the EHR vendor about their vision for this technology, planned updates and integrations, and the latest advancements—and how care teams can best leverage them. Opening a line of communication focused on how these tools can support seamless care coordination is a critical starting point.
- Train and support employees: To realize the full potential of the platform, ongoing staff training and support is essential. Providers must equip their care teams with all the skills and certifications needed to optimize EHR usage and maximize the benefits of connected care. Whether through internal training resources or in partnership with the provider, staff training and support should be a focus in technology discussions within provider organizations today.
- Use data-driven decision making: Predictive analytics, machine learning, and other decision support in today’s electronic health records enable caregivers to do more with less, regardless of the environment. Teams that use data-driven decision making can approach connected care more proactively, anticipating potential health deteriorations and preventing them in the first place.
- Promote collaboration and communication: Modern EHRs enable improved teamwork and collaboration between care teams through advanced communication tools within the platform itself. Effective communication is the foundation for effective care coordination, especially in an environment where caregivers, specialists, and patients are often in different locations. It ensures that everyone involved is on the same page and working toward the same goal, without interruptions in care or confusion about next steps.
Provider-supplier partnerships for connected healthcare
As home care transformation is increasingly driven by advances in EHRs, providers and vendors must make a concerted effort to achieve greater care connectivity and meet the evolving needs of patients and staff. EHRs aren’t just keeping pace with change—they’re at the forefront, providing critical tools for improved communication, data integration, and patient management—all in one place.
It is critical for home care providers to stay ahead of these technological advances and effectively utilize EHR systems to deliver high-quality, coordinated care while remaining competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.
This article is sponsored by MatrixCare, an industry leader in interoperability with a award-winning EHR that supports the entire patient journey through efficient Transitions in care, linkages to health systems and long-term referral partnerships. To learn more about interoperability done right, visit https://www.matrixcare.com/home-health-software/.
