Every clinic or medical practice uses connected devices with integrated medical software. They collect personal patient information and store this data as electronic health records (EHR). Medical device integration software can help to reduce issues due to the human factor and manual work.

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What does the integration of medical devices mean?

Integrating medical devices and healthcare software systems usually means creating an integration centre — a communication node for the entire network. The integration allows the whole system to work smoothly and the clinic to improve the quality of service. Most integration centre servers offer APIs that are helpful in getting and monitoring server performance data. They are useless if connected devices cannot communicate with the integration mechanism. IT administrators must carefully monitor how devices communicate and ensure they use the correct protocols.

Why do healthcare providers need to integrate medical software

Implementing the medical information system (EMR/EHR) will positively impact the organization's work. Firstly, it reduces the paperwork. There is no need to duplicate records and enter information into other documents: doctors and staff with access to the patient's record can get acquainted with the history of his illness, the course of treatment, research results, etc., from a single database. After medical device integration, there is also an increase in the quality of service and a decrease in the influence of the human factor.

It is much easier for doctors to diagnose, and the risk of losing necessary data is reduced. Doctors also get the opportunity to consult in real-time with colleagues and other specialists regarding the correctness of the diagnosis (especially in an emergency), prescribe and correct treatment, remotely monitor the condition of patients, etc. Finally, the consistency of work is increased. It is convenient for clinics to have an online registry, maintain hospital-wide patient databases, and distribute them among branches, considering specialists' workloads and schedules.

Medical device integration with EHR/EMR

As a rule, each EHR/EMR system consists of modules responsible for automating various components of the activities of a medical institution. These include:

• registry and electronic medical records of patients;
• medical research data;
• workplaces of a doctor and a nurse;
• distribution of resources of the institution, their schedule;
• financial management and accounting;
• administrative information and means of employee communication;
• medicinal prescriptions, prescription journal;
• standards of medical care and much more.

Many tasks can be solved with EMR integration software:

Data management and process optimization

The information system allows you to manage large amounts of data about patients and the results of a medical organization. All information entered into the EHR/EMR is stored and available at any time at any entry point to the system. The approach to patients is unified, and medical documentation is drawn up according to one sample.

Data merging and reporting

Healthcare integration services allow you to create electronic structures for hospitals, branches, and individual offices to combine several institutions into one electronic system. Most EHR/EMRs have flexible algorithms and intuitive reporting and reporting tools.

Availability of information

All information in the EHR/EMR is available for analysis and processing. It is, in fact, a vast electronic archive. The system allows you to provide access to different sections to different user groups (for example, support for a separate portal for patients or an internal portal for doctors with the ability to communicate and exchange information).

Integration potential

Integrated workflow

Medical facilities receive an efficient, easy, and understandable workflow to avoid duplicated data entry by incorporating medical devices. All the hospital sections are connected and controlled through a web-based system.

Better data quality and eliminating possible errors

To make the daily routine of the medical staff easier, healthcare facilities need to reduce manual work, primarily related to health records and clinical data. There is no need to collect the data manually since the integration software can automatically collect and analyze the data.

Optimized efficiency

Interoperable software is compatible with others and offers providers the chance to provide new services, receive lab results from anywhere, eliminate repetitive testing, communicate information to patients more effectively, increase patient payments, etc.

Improved quality of medical diagnoses

Medical workers have to gain the most patient information to enhance clinical decision-making and increase their patients' quality of care. Interoperability helps providers access information from other providers, other departments, testing/lab centres, and more. Interoperability also prevents providers from prescribing conflicting medications or forming redundant treatment plans. Providers can access patient data within other systems with improved access to information, making the most up-to-date decisions possible.

Remote control

Even if doctors aren't physically at the hospital, they can watch over each patient's health status. Patients can also check the information about their health (doctor's conclusions, analysis results, drug prescriptions) online.

Cloud-based storage

Now, doctors don't need to search for the required patient's data through all the devices. The system can collect data automatically and send the information directly to the storage. The received data will be filtered, stored, and secured online. The data will remain crack-proof if they use a proven and safe system.

Medical software integration difficulties

Medical software integration is a process that requires work at various levels, from software development to creating a network of bridges and gateways for data collecting and medical devices.

Various EHR software have different functions, interfaces, and operational systems. Therefore, integrating EHR software with medical devices should be HIPAA compliant, flexible, and match multiple medical networks and their internal network.

Medical software integration is complex since there is no "one model" software for establishing connections between all medical devices. Additionally, the local hospital databases also vary from one place to another. At VITech, we get back to our clients with custom healthcare software tailored to specific business needs.

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