In the era of big data, integration is key.
As providers increase their reliance on technology and their businesses continue to produce copious amounts and many different types of data, the key to success and efficiency will lie in the integration of their numerous systems. When software and systems are seamlessly integrated and healthcare organizations have access to consolidated data, we can realize the full potential of real time information and artificial intelligence.
A few years ago, our industry recognized that relying on data repositories spread throughout an organization could require a time-consuming hunt to track down specific information, making detection of changes to data difficult. This recognition moved the industry toward integration platforms and “Integration-as-a-Service” to effectively link these systems together in near real-time.
Ultimately, healthcare software has a long way to go in terms of interoperability and integration. Unfortunately, in some areas, there tends to be a lack of transparency and automated integration—aspects that have been commonplace for years in other industries like retail and finance. If healthcare providers and those who partner with them want to mimic the customer experience and efficient workflows of retail and finance, it's imperative that all partners and health systems address these integration shortcomings.
Successful partners of healthcare organizations must invest in technology that's built with the future in mind and that seamlessly integrates with other systems. This requires leading-edge technology experts who understand the complexity of healthcare and the need to invest in systems that make integration efficient and effective to help healthcare organizations become smarter through better data and insight.
In intra-company logistics, data integration is particularly critical. By integrating clinical, financial and supply chain data from disparate systems, costs are better managed, utilization is better tracked and products are procured and moved in an efficient and timely manner. Integration also provides greater transparency to allow us, as the partner to healthcare organizations, to better track the physical movement of items, ensuring that they're available at the right time, and that patients receive prompt, high-quality care.
