The integration of Epic Electronic Health Record (EHR) system with telemedicine technologies has significantly enhanced hospital remote care capabilities. This synergy facilitates seamless virtual consultations, efficient remote patient monitoring, and ensures continuity of care. Technology’s gains have shifted the patient experience in a positive light with operational efficiency leading to better comes.
Improved Virtual Consultations
Epic integrates telehealth functionalities directly into its platform, allowing healthcare providers to conduct virtual consultations within the existing patient record interface. This integration streamlines workflows for providers and enhances the patient experience by offering convenient access to care. Since the pandemic, telehealth utilization remains high. Greater access means previously underserved or stigmatized health specialties like mental health, have seen 37% of encounters conducted via telehealth as of the third quarter of 2023.
Efficient Remote Patient Monitoring
The combination of Epic with telehealth platforms supports robust remote patient monitoring (RPM). The global RPM market is projected to reach $4.07 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.74%. This growth is driven by the rising incidence of chronic diseases and the need for continuous patient monitoring.
Integrating RPM with Epic enables healthcare teams to monitor patients’ conditions closely, promptly address health concerns, and reduce the need for in-person visits, thereby minimizing exposure risks.
Continuity of Care
Integrating telehealth into Epic ensures continuity of care by maintaining comprehensive and up-to-date patient records accessible to all authorized healthcare providers. This integration facilitates seamless communication among care teams and provides patients with consistent and coordinated care. The adoption of telehealth has been significant, with 24% of Medicare fee-for-service users having a telehealth service in 2023.
Enhanced Patient Engagement
Epic’s integration with telehealth technologies also enhances patient engagement by providing patients with access to their health information and virtual care options. The “Happy Together” feature in Epic’s MyChart patient portal allows patients to view their healthcare records with a single login. The ability to access information across all Epic hospitals promotes transparency and participation in their healthcare journey. This integration has contributed to the sustained use of telehealth services, with telehealth utilization higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Summary:
The integration of Epic with telemedicine technologies has transformed remote care in hospitals by enabling seamless virtual consultations, efficient remote patient monitoring, continuity of care, and enhanced patient engagement. These advancements have been instrumental in adapting to the evolving healthcare landscape and meeting the increasing demand for accessible and efficient patient care.
How to capitalize with your partners:
In the current healthcare landscape, staffing firms like Mitchell Martin Inc. can play a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of Epic’s integration with telemedicine by addressing key areas in workforce management. Here’s how a staffing firm can make a difference in each of the sections above:
1. Supporting Seamless Virtual Consultations
With a robust database of qualified and vetted candidates, hospitals turn to Mitchell Martin to source experienced healthcare IT experts. Separating those who have skills in both telemedicine and Epic is how we ensure that our clients find talent that will help them create a better patient experience. This upfront work by Mitchell Martin helps create efficiencies in the end product.
With patients receiving high-quality care during virtual consultations, hospitals will see an improved patient satisfaction rate and a reduction in strain on in-person resources.
2. Bolstering Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Initiatives
To meet the growing demand for RPM, staffing firms can connect hospitals with specialized staff like nurse coordinators, data analysts, and health technology professionals experienced in monitoring patient data through Epic-integrated systems. This support ensures that hospitals have a trained team ready to handle the volume and technical requirements of RPM, optimizing the quality of remote care for chronic disease management and post-operative follow-up.
3. Maintaining Continuity of Care
Staffing agencies like Mitchell Martin can help prevent disruptions in continuity of care by ensuring hospitals have access to a consistent and qualified workforce, including locum tenens and part-time providers, who are Epic-trained. By supporting staffing flexibility, agencies allow hospitals to fill gaps due to staff shortages or turnover, maintaining smooth telemedicine and in-person care transitions that keep patient care uninterrupted.
4. Enhancing Patient Engagement
Beyond the technical aspect, our partners rely on us to recruit and onboard administrative and technical staff trained in patient engagement tools, like Epic’s MyChart. These staff members can help educate patients on accessing their health data, scheduling virtual appointments, and understanding remote care options, thereby empowering patients to take an active role in their healthcare journey. This support builds trust and helps sustain telehealth utilization.
Trust is the ultimate factor when it comes to a person’s healthcare choices and needs. While doctors, nurses, therapists, and hundreds of others contribute as the “face” of a healthcare organization, our most successful partners share that their impact starts before a patient thinks of a healthcare need.
When patients want access to their providers, have an emergency, or want to feel comfort in stressful situations, they want a hospital system that can provide information at the snap of a finger.
Why MMI?
Our partners understand Epic technology, telemedicine, and healthcare trends can be at the forefront of this user experience. Getting talent right to move their objectives forward is crucial. Mitchell Martin makes that need less stressful by providing access to qualified personnel and offering tailored solutions for evolving healthcare needs. We enable hospitals to maximize the potential of their Epic-integrated telemedicine capabilities, ultimately improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
Mitchell Martin provides comprehensive solutions across the entire healthcare spectrum—from healthcare technology to clinical staffing. If you’re looking to optimize your healthcare technology, contact us to learn how our HCIT staffing expertise can support your organization. In addition, Mitchell Martin’s clinical division specializes in placing skilled nursing and allied health professionals, ensuring your teams have the right talent to thrive. Learn more here.