The healthcare industry has made strides in efficiency in recent years, but the cost of healthcare and the size of healthcare systems still pose challenges. To provide high-quality, cost-effective care, healthcare providers must overcome these challenges. One solution that can aid in this is UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service). This article will explore how UCaaS can help address common challenges in the healthcare industry.
Increased yearly costs for healthcare
The rising cost of healthcare is driven by factors such as aging populations and chronic diseases. Diabetes is one such example, with 537 million people worldwide and 61 million in the European region currently living with it. This number is projected to reach 69 million by 2045.
Advances in medicine and treatments are resulting in higher costs, but also improving quality of life and extending life expectancy. Healthcare professionals seeking to improve communication, reduce expenses, and simplify processes for both staff and patients, can benefit from utilizing UCaaS (Unified Communication as a Service) solutions.
What is UCaaS?
As the number of communication channels continues to grow, it is increasingly important that they are able to interact seamlessly. This is where Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) comes in. UCaaS is a cloud-based solution that integrates all communication channels, including telephony, PBX, email, chat, and video calls, into a single platform. Additionally, other technical tools such as CRM systems, which store information about contacts and patients, can be integrated to facilitate smooth communication and increase efficiency.
UCaaS, or Unified Communications as a Service, is a subscription-based cloud solution that allows you to avoid high upfront costs and only pay for the number of users you require.
Common challenges in healthcare
Cloud computing
Despite the widespread adoption of cloud computing, some healthcare facilities are still resistant to the transition, clinging to expensive, hardware-based, non-integrated systems on-premise. Some may be hesitant to let go of these systems they have invested in, while others may have concerns about security in the cloud.
However, it’s important to note that secure and reliable cloud-computing is achievable today. In healthcare, cloud-based UCaaS solutions offer significant advantages such as streamlined and cost-effective operations, lower total cost of ownership and most importantly, improved patient care.
Internal communication
In some healthcare organisations, there’s still a need to migrate data endlessly between incompatible systems. Sometimes, incompatibility drives a need to duplicate data on various devices. As clinicians and caregivers sort through this morass, delays occur. Finding a patient’s history takes a lot of manual work. Test results may take too long to arrive. Sometimes results may not get to the patient at all. Clinicians may be making decisions based on incomplete or out-of-date information. All this can cause people to lose confidence. But if healthcare providers can avoid burdening the patient with a slow diagnosis and treatment process, the quality of care improves significantly. Seamless experiences lead to happier patients and increased trust, and a UCaaS solution can provide a smoother process.
In large and complex healthcare ecosystems, communication can be a major challenge, with a lack of standardization leading to increased risk of errors. Outdated tools, such as traditional phones and closed VoIP systems, are often still used, resulting in staff being overwhelmed by unnecessary alarms and notifications. Migrating data between incompatible systems and the need to duplicate data on various devices also leads to delays in finding patient history, delays in test results and clinicians making decisions based on incomplete or outdated information. This can cause patients to lose confidence in their care. However, by avoiding a slow diagnosis and treatment process, the quality of care can be greatly improved. UCaaS solutions can provide seamless communication and data management, leading to happier patients and increased trust in the healthcare provider.
9 ways in which UCaaS can help solve these challenges
1. Only a single call and number are necessary
Communicating with busy physicians can be difficult due to the use of multiple landlines (for the office and the hospital) and smartphones. UCaaS solutions provide a way to establish a single channel for communication, enabling family members and the health team to receive the latest patient updates in a timely and organized manner, this can also improve the coordination of care and reduce the workload for physicians.
2. A clear overview and faster communication
UCaaS solutions offer real-time access to the entire communication queue, making it easier to make data-driven decisions, such as scheduling. It allows for combining multiple call center services into a single platform, including voice and IP telephony, instant messaging, video conferencing, voicemail, IVR and more. This allows doctors in the field to easily access test results and set up online consultations, improving communication and coordination of care.
3. Smoother telehealth and eHealth
UCaaS enables remote examinations, consultations, and other forms of telehealth, which allows for high-level care even over long distances and in emergency departments. It does not require specialized hardware for video conferencing or medical examinations, allowing patients, doctors, and specialists to use the services via mobile devices, focusing entirely on care.
In countries like the UK, acceptance of digital care is increasing, with more people using healthcare e-services and e-prescriptions. As telehealth continues to grow, UCaaS can adapt resources to meet demand and in some cases, better manage doctor shortages than older systems.
4. Enhanced collaboration – even for mobile teams
Mobile communication is crucial in healthcare, as it helps to improve collaboration among team members. UCaaS takes mobile communication to a new level by eliminating the need for multiple communication systems, allowing for seamless collaboration among team members. Regardless of where the clinics and human resources are located, everyone can interact through a single number, making communication more efficient.
5. Simpler administration for the IT department
IT professionals in healthcare organizations have to deal with a wide range of demands and expectations in a constantly changing environment. UCaaS solutions can empower them by enabling them to spend less time on maintenance and more time on long-term planning. Integrations between various communication channels, CRM systems, and analytical tools become easy and efficient. In addition,
UCaaS can also lead to cost savings, improved system performance and increased security through features such as single-pane management, automatic technology upgrades, rapid security patches and enhanced disaster recovery.
6. Strengthened cybersecurity
According to IBM, the cost of a data breach has reached an all-time high, with the average cost for a single data breach in 2022 being USD 4.25 million. Furthermore, the impact of a data breach can last for several years.
In healthcare, cyberattacks lead to poor patient care and increased mortality, and outdated communication channels can contribute to the problem. Modern systems, such as cloud solutions, can help to prevent many attacks. By using cloud services, more resources can be devoted to identifying, isolating, and eliminating cyber threats.
7. Unleash the potential of IoHT
The Internet of Things is revolutionising many industries, and in healthcare, it’s called the Internet of Health Things (IoHT). An example of an intelligent IoHT service is that data generated by sensors can be migrated to the cloud. Remote monitoring and data collection can grow and be managed like never before without wasting resources, resulting in more informed decision-making. Now also comes fast 5G and other advances in wireless connectivity. The right UCaaS solution integrated with IoHT is just the beginning, and the value of IoT is expected to grow to USD 188.2 billion by 2025.
8. Finance and accounting
With UCaaS, the accounting department no longer has to monitor large capital investments in communication hardware. The cost of organization-wide, cloud-based communication is consolidated into a single monthly invoice. Additionally, the unpredictable costs of hardware repair, as well as the costs associated with training and re-training, are eliminated.
9. Match use to need
UCaaS is subscription-based, and when staff numbers change, it’s easy to adjust. Add new users, remove users when people leave, and avoid spendings on unused contract services.
Choosing the right UCaaS provider
Choosing the right UCaaS solution for your organization can be a challenge. Here are a few questions to consider when evaluating potential solutions:
- How well will the UCaaS solution integrate with your existing systems and processes?
- How closely does the solution align with your specific communication needs?
- What is the provider’s track record for reliability and uptime?
- Does the provider meet or exceed data privacy and security standards?
- What is the customer interest and retention rate for the provider?
- Is the provider actively developing and integrating new advances in technology? Answering these questions will help you to get a better understanding of the options available and how well they fit your organization’s needs.
Summary: UCaaS for healthcare
The need for tailored communication in healthcare is on the rise. UCaaS, or Unified Communications as a Service, offers secure, cloud-based solutions with lower entry costs, and easy-to-manage and maintain services. You only pay for the number of users you need. UCaaS solutions also meet the expectations of today’s patients, who want the same level of seamless communication they experience in their daily lives. They want access to information about their case at any time and any place.
For healthcare professionals, UCaaS provides many advantages, such as easy access to information, ability to focus on care and patient contact and IT department can outsource simple tasks and focus on the business.
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