In this article we will cover initiatives to holistically improve the well-being of those who dedicate their time and talents to caring for others. But first, let’s review the hard truth about the state of our medical community’s wellness.
The course will be offered September 30th – October 4th 2019 at Auxo Medical in Richmond, VA.
September 30th – October 1st 2019 – Steris Small Stage 3 Series Sterilizers for 2 days (3013, 3023, & Gravity units)
October 2nd – 3rd 2019 – Steris 444 Washer Disinfectors
October 4th, 2019 – Review/Water Chemistry LLC discussion on importance of water quality for the final half day.
Improving the patient experience, patient health outcomes, and process efficiency — also known as the Triple Aim — may have a name change coming in the future. That is if the focus is expanded from solely improving patients’ well-being, to also improving the well-being of those who care for these patients.
The Quadruple Aim would include medical and healthcare support staff, showing an interest in advancing their overall experience, too.
The Triple Aim is a top focus among caretakers, including doctors, nurses, and other segments of the healthcare workforce, but it is no secret that there is universal burnout among employees who pour themselves into taking care of others.
This dynamic leads to decreased patient satisfaction, which can lower the outcomes for their patients, and it potentially increases costs due to inadvertently making mistakes. Expanding from a Triple Aim to a Quadruple Aim would improve the mental and physical wellness of clinicians and support staff.
The dictionary defines Virtual Reality (VR) as a “computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.”
As you can imagine, this advanced technology is a force to be reckoned with inside the healthcare space based on the possibilities to advance both patient healing and medical expertise.
Chronic pain is a widespread medical condition, over 10% of Americans — 25 million people — battle it daily, and use pain medications in search of relief and a better quality of life.
Opioid addiction has become an epidemic in the United States, and takes the lives of nearly 100 people every single day. Healthcare professionals are in search of alternative solutions that are safe and non-habit forming.
Virtual Reality is one possible therapy that could offer relief, as it has been documented to help reduce pain by 25 percent. Evidence shows that “Medical VR” — virtual reality therapy — can prohibit the brain from processing pain, particularly for patients who are admitted in the hospital. The domino effect is that patients can have a shorter stay, continue healing at home, which ultimately reduces the cost of healthcare.
Virtual reality within the healthcare space is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
Over 240 hospitals in the U.S. are using virtual reality to assist various health-related procedures, and support patients in helping understand their treatment options. The virtual reality market in healthcare is projected to reach $6.9 Billion by 2026.
The terms ‘augmented reality’ and ‘virtual reality’ are sometimes confused.
According to Healthcare Weekly, Virtual reality creates an immersive experience by providing the user with images of 3D-environments. “As part of this virtual experience, the user can sometimes change or alter the appearance of the environment. As for augmented reality, this simply adds graphics or sound to a real-life environment and augmented reality glasses are then used to bring the experience to life.”
Prominent healthcare systems are leading the way in this effort. Here are the top four predictions on what we can expect to see over the next year when it comes to the patient experience.
Leading hospitals will utilize technology to produce more cost-effective programs, such as an EMR-integrated customer relationship management (CRM) platform where insights are assembled and saved for future reference. This data will include documentation from patients’ previous visits, to predictors of potential future health concerns.
Improving the patient experience is imperative in the competition for healthcare market share. Organizations must improve levels of convenience, access, and the overall customer service in order to thrive — no pressure, right? Here are the most relevant patient experience trends that will persist throughout 2019, and what can be done to make the most of them.
Healthcare of yesterday included going to the nearest facility, trusting your care provider without question, and following the protocol/advice that was given.
Healthcare of today includes going to a provider who has the best reputation on HealthGrades.com, and on your neighborhood’s Facebook community page, doing your own research in advance of an appointment as well as following the appointment, and seeing what other alternative approaches are available in addition to the advice that was given by the provider.
Our healthcare landscape has become more and more competitive, since patients and their loved ones are no longer riding shotgun, but rather are now sitting in the driver’s seat…steering their own healthcare experience.
Over the past year, we have witnessed several advances in the realm of telemedicine. From adjustments in the state / federal policies and reimbursements to providers implementing telehealth in their practices to the actual definition of telehealth changing.
The intersection of consumer purchasing transactions has evolved across multiple areas in our lives — how products are acquired, how we communicate with each other, and how we foster connections — the weaving of the tangible and digital is here to stay.
