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Index - Major Sections
Site Map
Product and Services _______________ Index - Same Level Subject
Index - Child Subjects |
Introduction While the percentage of chronic conditions in the population probably has not increased at a given age, the definitions have changed and the ability to detect chronic conditions has improved. It is a given, that the costs associated with the treatment of these conditions will NOT decrease. These costs will continue to INCREASE as the “quality of care” increases. In fact, the current treatment of chronic conditions has been reported to be “suboptimal” and what treatment there is has been reported to be without evidence based guidelines. As it has often been said, “the patient ain’t going to do it unless he wants to.” Compliance is a big issue. Regular exercise, health eating and living a good life style will do more for the prevention and “cure” of chronic illnesses than any single “medical treatment.”
What can improved is the ability to profile patients and treatments such that the treatment (and education) will be most effective on that type of patient. It is not enough just to develop better communications between healthcare professionals or to develop better treatments....the key to the success of this program is to "match" the treatment and the patient. There are very few healthcare professionals that know what to monitor and, in addition, very little data that can be used to monitor. Knowing that the blood glucose levels have increased, does not give a reason as to why? Processes of Care The HMIS is can track the care of clients with chronic conditions. The Healthcare Professional has "ALL" of the individuals medical data, for all time. There is no abbreviated "summaries" The Healthcare Professional has the complete "Profile" of the individual. The Healthcare Professionals has a Prediction Model that predicts the health status and events of the Individual...in advance. All problems of the individual can be managed together...using a Case Management System...that coordinates the "complete care" of the individual. The Case Management Team functions as a coordinated unit. If the Primary Healthcare Professional is not available, other team members can provide a continuum of care. All team members work together to determine the best course of management. Updates can be made often as conditions change and every team member has real-time access to that plan. All test results are posted immediately and are viewable by all team members. Alerts and Warnings are sent to all members of the team. Data is made available from many sources, including the current and past history of all family/household members. The Healthcare Professional has Evidence-Based Guidelines that suggest the "right treatment" for that "profiled individual." What works and what doesn't work. Communication across Healthcare Professionals is improved. Every Healthcare Professional can view and enter into a dissuasion with every other Healthcare Professional involved in the process. All data is recorded and viewable in "real time." Alerts, Warnings and Reminders increase safety and compliance with protocols. Reduction in duplication of tests, reduction in time to take "medical history", more accurate data by cross checking of data across family members. Reference material can easily be used to update protocols, drug usage. and investigations. New drugs and laboratory tests are constantly being introduced. New protocols can be displayed immediately and automatically. By using "targeted" marketing, the client is more likely to respond to the "education." Outcomes are increased and costs are decrease because less ineffective methods will be used. Follow up notices will also increase the chances that the client will respond. "Reminders" are of no use if the Healthcare Professional does not use the right tools. Research is improved by having all the relevant information in a centralized database. This data can be mined to create "prediction" algorithms that will help identified the client that requires treatment long before it would normally be identified. Diabetics is a good example where "prediction" algorithms can help. Research to profile clients such that it can be determined what treatment works best for that type of patient. Coordinate care among all systems is improved with the HMIS. As an example, a diabetic client must coordinate their care among diabetic specialists, laboratory results, physical therapist (exercise), nutritionist, Optometrist, Podiatrist, Nephrologist, Cardiologists, as well as social services. Without a means to communicate and coordinate these services, our medical profession is probably doing more harm than good! Emergency services and other clinics have access to the individuals medical history (with proper permission). "Personal Health Records" allows individuals to "track" their own efforts and compare their goals with their actual progress. The individual can monitor their health and determine for themselves what works and what does not work. References for the individuals problems can be incorporated automatically in their "personalized" web page. Cost saving can be obtained by using more effective and efficient "treatments" that work on that individual. Conditions can be detected sooner based on Predictive planning. Cost of Research and data analysis is reduced. Treatment will be Evidence based Protocols, not what any third party payee dictates. Individual Healthcare Professionals can be monitored for their successes (and their ideas incorporated into future plans) or failures. Outcomes can be easily evaluated and compared to published data. This data and information is "mostly" available automatically. Healthcare Professionals will have more time "studying" the data and spend less time on "searching" for the data. Links
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