Healthcare Software: Types of Healthcare/Medical Software
The implementation and use of digital healthcare software services are straightforward and provide many benefits. They improve the flexibility, agility, and efficiency of healthcare operations while reducing costs. Additionally, they improve accessibility by making healthcare services available in remote areas. Due to these advantages, digital healthcare is becoming increasingly popular among healthcare providers. It requires trained personnel, robust digital infrastructure, and a wide range of software and technologies to be effectively implemented.
An overview of the healthcare software and its main components
The healthcare industry has access to a wide range of technologies, from small point-of-care devices to large diagnostic and surgical robots. With the advancement of technology, virtual medical receptionist is another innovative solution that is gaining popularity among healthcare providers to streamline patient communication and scheduling.Healthcare providers are increasingly relying on digital technologies to improve their ability to manage patients and deliver enhanced care. Some examples of software that are providing support to healthcare providers include:
Different Types of Healthcare Software
Electronic health record software
EHR software is a health information technology solution used by healthcare providers to digitise all patient health records across clinicians and healthcare facilities.
Medical EHR software contains all patient health and treatment-related data, such as medical history, diagnosis, medication, immunisation records, and treatment, among other things. Patients, doctors, and authorised individuals can use EHR at any time and from any location, assisting in the accurate diagnosis and treatment of existing problems. Furthermore, when implemented on a broad scale, EHR can aid in the determination of illness prevalence and incidence as well as the support of public health policy.
Hospital management software ( HMS ).
These are low-cost digital solutions that aid in the resolution of problems and the streamlining of processes in a hospital’s operations, administrations, data management, and other departments.
Some major aspects are effective appointment scheduling, doctor schedules, pharmacy inventory, operation room availability, food for inpatients and cafeteria, other supplies and inventories, and so on. Patient registration, admitting, billing, insurance, credit tracking, and other functions are also supported by the programme.
Urgent care apps:
The proliferation of smartphones has raised the demand for urgent care apps. These are typically smartphone apps that allow individuals to communicate with a healthcare expert remotely in the event of an emergency.
It has the ability to make SoS calls to doctors and nurses. In a matter of minutes, the patient can interact with healthcare practitioners via video or audio calling, exchange information, and receive clinical advice. It allows for faster registration. Some apps can perform data analysis. They analyse patient data and connect them to the appropriate doctor automatically.
E-prescribing software:
The programme makes it easier for a healthcare professional to generate and deliver a doctor’s prescription to the nearest pharmacy.
Because there is no handwriting involved in this procedure, it promotes accuracy, patient safety, and transparency. Electronic approval, automatic notifications for hazardous drug interactions, prescription support and reminders, patient education, and formulary verification are among its features.
Healthcare CRM:
Healthcare CRM is a customer relationship management (CRM) technology created for healthcare professionals to manage and organise patient data. It collects patient data from several sources to offer a complete profile of the patient, including his or her activities and habits.
Its features include consolidated patient information storage, self-help and outpatient services, registration, appointment, and invoicing, as well as medical facility profiling and streamlining operations to ensure optimal human resource use.
Practice management software (PMS):
The digital application aids in the management of day-to-day activities in a clinic or healthcare facility.
Features include scanning and digitising insurance cards and other documents, processing insurance claims, eligibility verification, fraud prevention reporting, mass billing, patient balance tracking, automated claim submissions, reconciliation, and more.
Lab information management systems (LIMS):
The LIMS system assists diagnostic labs in managing data that is recorded and created in the lab. It unifies lab operations and improves stakeholder experience.
LIMS is useful in sample management since it records all information related to patient data and the journey of the sample from the centre to the labs. It also helps with workflow management, SOP implementation, and regulatory and compliance adherence.
Billing software:
Billing software plays a crucial role in optimising and integrating multiple procedures and operations in a healthcare facility, which generates thousands of bills across various departments.
Features: Hospital billing software aids in the management of patient and non-patient records, the generation and recording of bills, scheduling, compliance, electronic submissions, claim verifications, and, most significantly, the transparency of all financial activities.
Medical imaging software:
These are diagnostic software that aid in the enhancement and analysis of diagnostic imaging such as x-rays, CT, MRI, and others.
Image registration, segmentation, 3D and 2D display, and recording of all imaging data are all common aspects. Image fusion, detecting changes over time, and other applications are also possible.
Telemedicine software:
This programme aids telemedicine, which is a digital technology system that employs telecommunications and electronic information solutions to give healthcare treatments to patients in a remote location.
Audio-visual conferencing capabilities, clinical document generating, remote appointment scheduling, HIPAA compliant communication, patient history management and analysis are all standard aspects of telemedicine software.
Medical equipment management software:
The software tracks the lifecycle of all medical equipment in a hospital, including recording installation data, streamlining work operations, enforcing safety standards, scheduling maintenance, repair and sterilisation, and properly labelling instruments for optimal usage
Future of Healthcare Software
The healthcare industry is quickly adopting digital solutions, using software and technology to improve the accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of healthcare services. As a result, the healthcare software sector has a promising future. In India, the National Digital Health Mission was launched in 2020 to promote digital healthcare and with the growth of digital healthcare sector, the software, systems and programs that enable the transformation will also continue to shape the healthcare of the future.
