How many times have you heard this mantra in the past few months: “the patient is now at the center of our business model.” It is true throughout healthcare. Any healthcare organization, from labs to hospitals to dentist offices, would be remiss to make the slightest decision without evaluating how this could possibly affect their patient clientele. Monetary-based outcomes are no longer the sole focus of the industry. Value-based care at the patient level is paramount to not only keeping your patients happy but also keeping your lab’s lights on.
For labs, it can sometimes be hard to know where you can add value when it comes to patient care. It can often seem like labs are apart or set back from day-to-day patient interactions, when in reality this is very much the opposite. Labs provide upwards of 80% of the data available in patient records. They are responsible for so much of the behind-the-scenes data gathering that they have come to play a downright crucial role in value-based patient care.
This is why all labs, regardless of speciality, should strive to ensure that the patient remains the primary focus above all else. So now the only question that remains is how. How can labs actually add ‘value’ to patient care?
Strive for best-in-class turnaround times (TaTs)
Waiting for test results is never fun – for patients or providers. Even taking the gauntlet of patient emotions out of it, here is where the lab can truly shine and provide maximum value. Increased TaTs can not only make the patient happier, they can also play a vital role in saving someone’s life. Gathering critical results and relaying those back to providers in below-average times can mean faster resolution times, faster solution planning, and even faster recovery.
This may seem like a daunting task, but innovative labs can take heart in knowing that technology is at the root of the solution. Ensuring all systems are integrated across your lab in a central laboratory reporting solution (LIMS) such as Pathagility allows employees to quickly and efficiently access patient and provider information. This not-insignificant time savings allows staff to focus their attention on critical issues and results – such as TaTs – without interruptions in productivity.
Keep the patient at the center of all decisions
Integrating various lab technologies, from LIMS to billing to lab instrumentation, allows labs to create an accurate and complete picture of a patient’s health. This in turn means that every decision – from what mix of tests to run to what physician to refer – is made with the patient at the center.
Now, with all relevant information at their fingertips, providers can give the best possible care, whether during a routine visit or a medical emergency. They can also direct better care to be given in the event of a serious medical condition. A HIPAA-compliant platform like Pathagility means patient information can be securely shared both internally with other physicians or even externally with key stakeholders or relations. This data can also be used to help diagnose health problems sooner, reduce medical errors, and provide safer care at lower costs – all with the intent to provide higher value patient care.
Provide providers with intuitive data & results
Referring physicians see upwards of 10 patients a day – often times, even more than that. In order to streamline data transfers out of respect for their time, labs need to create readable and intuitive reports. If a physician can easily interpret records, they can quickly help patients and resolve issues. Utilizing a LIMS system like Pathagility can help you create beautiful, easy to read reports that can help determine patient diagnosis’ and physician recommendations, and can even lead to healthier patients and better outcomes.
For more information on how your lab can add value to patient care, check out these recent Pathagility resources:
eBook: Built for the Lab of Today
Blog: How Your Lab Can Play a Vital Role in Improving the Patient Experience
Blog: Your Lab’s Role in Patient-Centered Care
To learn more about how Pathagility can help your lab contribute to value-based patient care, request a 30-minute demo.