HEALTHCARE
Head(ache) in the Clouds
How Cloud Technology holds the key to a better Healthcare Service.
Customer service may not be the first thing that you think of when your arm is hanging off or your baby has decided to finally arrive, but in many ways, it is the ultimate test of experience. Now, if you come away with a beautiful bundle of joy in your arms, it’s safe to say you’re happy with the result, even if the experience was tumultuous. If you come out with one less limb than you had going in, you may come away with a different opinion. I can tell these equations are getting tedious, especially from a childless bloke with all his limbs, but you get the point. Lately, it seems that the healthcare industry is struggling with a customer experience issue, especially when it comes to local practices. While attempts to quell demand on doctors like the 111 service are helpful, my personal experience suggests that dialling those three numbers is often just a bridge to A&E anyway, and the initial frustration goes unrecognised. Namely: “Why can’t I get an appointment with my doctor?” According to Dr Reggie Sangha, Medical
Director at Content Guru, these frustrations are caused by the way healthcare is comprised of different organisations that need to communicate with each other. “In today’s fragmented healthcare landscape, patients often find themselves lost in a maze of the system when seeking care,” said Sangha. “Ambulance services, community trusts, emergency departments, primary care facilities, and local government entities all represent a potential entry point to the wider healthcare system, leading to chaos and confusion. “Patients can feel distressed and frustrated, and healthcare professionals have to live with a disjointed data architecture that complicates, rather than aids, care.” Improving Productivity KPMG, the well-known analysis house, released a report last year detailing the digital transformation efforts within healthcare organisations. Of the responses from 200 healthcare leaders, one of the unifying motivations for digital transformation was the need to fast- track employee productivity. That may seem a chilling term for providing healthcare to those in need, but the reality is that the demand for doctors far outweighs the supply. As if that isn’t enough, Alex Ryan, Director of EMEA Healthcare Business Development at Hyland, reiterated the problem with technology within Healthcare. “Regrettably, medical practitioners often grapple with the technology intended to aid them,” said Ryan. “The healthcare sector frequently operates in isolated data silos, hindering the seamless sharing of information. “This lack of unified data access leads to inefficiencies among doctors. Patient care records may contain gaps or duplicates, potentially compromising the quality of care provided.” “There is an increasingly urgent need for a system-wide consensus that ensures there is no “wrong front door” to receiving medical care,” added Sangha. “Recognising these pain points across the system, many stakeholders
Dr Reggie Sangha Medical Director
contentguru.com
In today’s fragmented healthcare landscape, patients often find themselves lost in a maze of the system when seeking care
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