Health information management (HIM) is a field that is evolving rapidly. With the advances in technology, new treatments and regulations tightening, the industry is undergoing a significant boom, which is transforming the way healthcare institutions manage and store patient data. Here are five key trends shaping the future of health information management in the healthcare industry:
1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)
As institutions and providers work to keep up with big data, there is a growing demand for solutions that help automate the management of data. Artificial intelligence, along with machine learning, big data analysis, and predictive analytics, is being increasingly used by healthcare providers for decision-making, patient care, and data analysis. AI is helping to automate data entry, analytical reports, and mining so that complex medical data can be analyzed, accurately interpreted, and integrated with other data sets. It can help providers identify early intervention for potential health issues or automatically route patient behaviors to appropriate care.
2. Blockchain
Blockchain is a digital ledger, with encrypted transaction records that are resistant to corruption or modification, that is capable of revolutionizing HIM. The technology has been shown to provide the highest level of security and transparency to data sharing.
By using blockchain technology, healthcare providers can ensure the secure and efficient sharing of medical records between providers while also reducing the risk of hacks and data theft. The increased level of security provided by blockchain will make it easier in the future to manage and control health data and ultimately decrease the numbers of fraud and data breaches.
3. Remote Patient Monitoring
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is the practice of monitoring a patient from a distance using technology to collect and analyze data. RPM is quickly becoming a necessary solution as healthcare becomes more digital and people become less inclined to travel to receive treatment.
It is allowing healthcare providers to have ongoing discussions with patients and intervene early should an issue arise. With the increase of IoT enabled devices, patients will have more at-home healthcare options and can be alerted over a secure connection to their healthcare provider should their alert levels be a concern.
4. Electronic Health Records EHR
The electronic health records (EHR) are beginning to become a common place within healthcare institutions as there is a growing recognition for the need for more efficient patient data tracking utilizing record-keeping processes. Getting comprehensive treatment records is incredibly valuable when trying to understand overall health trends and their relationships to other medical conditions.
The EHR system is slowly eliminating the need for paper records, which have proven to be cumbersome and time-consuming to manage. Although there are still challenges associated with EHR usability and reusability, the future will see it becoming more interoperable and in sync with health data management best practices.
5. Patients Access to Health Data
With the growing demand for patients to control their health management, there will be a robust increase in personal health records that allow patients to access their health records securely.
As we see more data ownership shifts from the provider to the patient, the role of health information management will shift to one of tracking, integrating, and managing multiple data sources.
The future of health information management is exciting and filled with possibilities. With the development of innovative technologies and the increasing reliance on data, the industry will transform to provide better patient care and governance at scale. Healthcare provides to work in tandem with the advancements and determine where their needs lie, which will result in them providing the best data management practices. With this rate of transformation and the importance of quality healthcare across the globe, patients and providers alike are going into a world with many reasons to be optimistic.