The costs associated with current day health care systems have risen astronomically and continues to do so. Physicians, pharmacists, nurses, hospitals, hospices, clinics and intensive care facilities may be able to maximize their care if these costs are reduced. Electronic medical record implementations could also reduce costs. The overall cost reduction for health care requires an efficient integrated approach to help realize lower costs. Specifically, efficiencies, technology advancements, and patient care management are also needed in:Evidence based care
Duplicate testing prevention
Patient care coordination based on diagnosis
Service volume payment reform (Federal and State)
Electronic medical record care managementThe role of Information Technology (IT) is to integrate the electronic data applications transferring information between the providers needing patient information. The accuracy of a patient’s electronic data flow is an essential component to the success of reduced costs. Companies develop and design online forms containing patient information to maintain a level of quality and accuracy about a patient’s case. An electronic form with patient’s data is of no value unless it is implemented with improved patient care management and payment reforms.Establish Evidence Based CareHow often have you visited to the doctor for flu symptoms? Many of us receive medication but need repeat visits if it turns out not to be the flu. Physicians need better guidelines for identifying evidence of a condition to determine the best treatment for their patients. Without access to clinical research experience and conclusive diagnostic testing for a patient centered approach care based on scientific evidence is not always possible. But using the evidence available to create better methodologies for evidence based care could eliminate the costs associated with misdiagnosis. This could also increase the accuracy of electronic medical records used for patient care management.Avoid Duplicate TestingIf the health care system could provide and support self-management for ailments such as diabetes, needless hospital visits could be avoided with these patients. Educating the patient allows individuals to improve their quality of life and avoid the common mistakes leading to redundant hospital visits. These visits are costly and potentially represent millions or billions of dollars that should have never been spent. In many cases, the patient making redundant visits can receive better care by visiting their primary care physician instead. Redundant emergency room visits often cause duplicate testing or other redundancies that escalate the cost of health care. Improving communication between the emergency facilities and medical groups may also help ensure an efficient integrated approach to lowering cost.Reduce Software CostsConsiderable time, effort and monetary cost can be efficiently optimized by using “smart forms.” These are forms that limit and enforce the entering of data and prevent misspellings, erroneous entries and omissions. It also removes the need to unnecessarily re-submit the same form multiple times to fix errors. Re-submitting forms that could have been done correctly the first time contributes to higher costs and lowers productivity.Cost Reduction MethodsHow do we begin to reduce the high cost?Seek methodologies to augment evidence based care
Encourage Federal and State payments based on the quality of patient care
Help patients avoid the frequent mistakes related to common illnesses
Take advantage of interactive “smart forms”Design health care work flows based on these principles and watch the high cost of health care start to decline.