HEALTH + SOCIAL SERVICES SMARTER SMALL BUSINESS REPORT Top tips you can t afford to miss

Transcription

1 HEALTH + SOCIAL SERVICES SMARTER SMALL BUSINESS REPORT Top tips you can t afford to miss

2 CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE: AUSTRALIA S HEALTHCARE SECTOR IMPROVE YOUR PATIENTS EXPERIENCE PROTECT PATIENT DATA IN AN E-HEALTH WORLD MEET CHANGING NEEDS AS THE POPULATION AGES PROVIDE BETTER HEALTHCARE ON LIMITED RESOURCES STORIES FROM SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY 2 3

3 UNDER PRESSURE: AUSTRALIA S HEALTHCARE SECTOR 26% GROWTH IN EMPLOYEES IN HEALTHCARE. Between 2005 and 2010 the number of people employed by this sector grew by 26 per cent. Of the 737,400 employees, 19 per cent are aged 55 or older and 75 per cent are female. Source Towards a Clever Australia - industry insights white paper (Health): Telstra (2013) BY 2051, NEARLY 20 PER CENT OF AUSTRALIANS WILL BE 70 OR OLDER. Our ageing population will place added pressure on the health sector. In 2009, 49 per cent of Australians aged had five or more long-term medical conditions. Source Towards a Clever Australia - industry insights white paper (Health): Telstra (2013) Australia s healthcare organisations, whether public or private, are being asked to do more with less. IBM reports in the 2013 article Reinventing Australian enterprises for the digital economy that our population is ageing and public funding is constrained, yet annual sector growth is expected to be 4.2 per cent over the next five years. As our health system moves away from acute care towards community services and support, smaller businesses and specialists must find new ways to meet changing patient demand. Technology will play a vital role in this shift. 1 TOP 4 DISRUPTORS FOR HEALTH 1 PATIENTS EXPECTATIONS 2 E-HEALTH 3 AGEING POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES 4 LIMITED RESOURCES 79% OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS BELIEVE IN E-HEALTH. They say the ability to diagnose and access patient data via online technologies will revolutionise health care for remote communities. Source The Australian: survey conducted by Hall & Partners (2013) 5.5% Source BY 2025, TELEHEALTH WILL BE A CORE TOOL FOR PROVIDING HEALTHCARE IN AUSTRALIA. Specialists will be linked on a phone or video call with the patient, providing access to quality healthcare regardless of location. Source Reinventing Australian enterprises for the digital economy: IBM report (2013) ANNUAL GROWTH IN AGED CARE. There is also increasing demand for aged care services, and this sub-sector has a projected annual revenue of $14.6bn by 2017/18. Australia s Health 2012 (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare) $121.4 SPENT ON HEALTHCARE. Healthcare spending is on the rise up 68 per cent in 2010 compared with 10 years earlier. It s said that s not sustainable, especially when it already consumes almost 10 per cent of our GDP. BILLION Source Australia s Health 2012 (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare), Towards a Clever Australia - industry insights white paper (Health): Telstra (2013) 1 Source Towards a Clever Australia - industry insights white paper (Health): Telstra (2013) A GP OR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRES ARE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT. However, there is little integration between services and a surprising amount of patient data is still on paper. Source Towards a Clever Australia - industry insights white paper (Health): Telstra (2013) NEARLY HALF THE POPULATION IS COVERED BY PRIVATE FUND MEMBERSHIP. As we expect faster access to the latest diagnostics and treatment, demand for privately funded health care will continue to grow - about 11 million Australians will be covered by private health insurance by Source Australia s Health 2012 (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare) #1 IS BETTER LONG-TERM HEALTH OUTCOMES. Earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments, especially for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, can prolong life expectancy and reduce cost burdens. PRIORITY 4 5

4 IMPROVE YOUR PATIENTS EXPERIENCE Many Australians say our health system is complex and hard to navigate. Long waiting times for appointments or the need for multiple specialist visits and tests are major problems. A Healthcare Access study in 2012 reported that 60 per cent of Australians say they have been frustrated by the process of booking a healthcare appointment, and half say they ve postponed treatment as a result. 1 That s why patients need to be at the centre of the care system. ON AVERAGE, EVERY DAY 342,000 PEOPLE VISIT A GP IN AUSTRALIA, AND 742,000 MEDICINES ARE DISPENSED BY COMMUNITY PHARMACIES. Source Australia s Health 2012 (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare) COLLABORATION ACROSS THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY By using smarter ways to share knowledge and data, you can make sure your team and referral network have all the information needed to provide the most appropriate care and advice. Digitise patient records, including scans, in secure password-protected files and share them with other care providers with the patient s permission Make sure you have fast access to a directory of trusted specialists for referrals or expert advice. The National Health Services Directory ( is available as an app for use by consumers and practitioners for local provider information Quality video conference technology makes multi-practitioner consultations possible, reducing travel needs for patients, an important benefit in rural areas. A technology generation gap means elderly customers may hang up rather than leave a message. Now if they don t leave a message, we ve got their number from the missed calls list and can call them straight back. Katheran Pettigrew, Complete Mobility Plus MAKE IT SIMPLER TO GET AN APPOINTMENT Many GPs find their incoming phone call load peaks first thing in the morning with many patients on hold, and those already in surgery waiting at the front desk while staff are tied up on the phone. Check your phone system is capable of handling multiple calls, voic and diversions, and link to after-hours support Give patients the option to self-serve online including appointment booking and medical information Make sure your online appointment system works across a range of devices and platforms, is easy for staff to manage and syncs with your existing systems so you can quickly update rosters and patient records. IMPROVE ACCESS TO COMPLEMENTARY SERVICES From a patient s perspective, having all the services they need at one site is ideal. In urban areas, some clinics are joining forces to create one-stop shops with extended hours for convenience. In regional areas, a virtual healthcare network is possible, with doctors on call via video conference or mobile phone even when they re many kilometers away. If you have multiple sites or patients in remote locations, mobile technologies and secure data and voice networks can reduce travel needs Share patients records, with their permission, staff rosters and clinic knowledge through a secure Cloud server so you can access this information in and out of the office Encourage your patients to register for an ehealth record. This new nationwide system lets patients and healthcare providers view and securely share personal health information, so you can provide the most appropriate care and improve outcomes. Less than 25 per cent of Australian doctors say patients can use to contact them. 2 1 Source 2 Source Towards a Clever Australia - industry insights white paper (Health): Telstra (2013) 6 7

5 PROTECT PATIENT DATA IN AN E-HEALTH WORLD It may be some time before all Australians have a personal ehealth record, but the vision is there. We ll be able to carry our medical history on our smartphones, and clinicians can access our ehealth records through a secure Cloud server. Protecting patient privacy is a big challenge for the sector, and tight controls are needed so that only authorised users can access records. High-speed broadband access throughout Australia will be the catalyst for ehealth record keeping. 52% OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS HAVE RECENTLY INVESTED IN E-HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES, MAINLY IN DATA CAPTURE, SCANNING AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. GET READY FOR E-HEALTH The Australian Government is investing $466.7 million over four years in a Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record system (PCEHR). 1 The National Broadband Network, with high-speed broadband access throughout Australia, will simplify storage and sharing of electronic records. So if your practice still depends on paper files, it s time to get ready. REDUCE CLINICAL RISK AND BOOST PRODUCTIVITY Paper files carry an inherent risk of human error and data loss. Digitising your records will minimise risk of losing patient records, and make it easier and faster to source the information you need, in and out of the office If you re using the Cloud to store and share files, make sure the infrastructure is located in Australia under Australian law, and is certified to stringent privacy compliance standards such as ISO Source The Australian: survey conducted by Hall & Partners (2013) Make sure your Wi-Fi and broadband connections are reliable and secure Check your practice management system will integrate with the national PCEHR (Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record) system Use password-protected Cloud services to securely store and share patient files and images, and develop permission to share protocols. USE PATIENT DATA TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES Once you have a digital record of patient data, with the right systems you can be more proactive about the management of ongoing or recurring conditions. Reduce the incidence of no shows and help patients better manage chronic diseases by using regular prompted communications via or SMS Set up automated reminders for repeat appointments this is ideal for infrequent visits such as the annual dental check-up or allied health services. 1 Source National Primary Health Care strategy: Building a 21st Century Primary Health Care system 8 9

6 MEET CHANGING NEEDS AS THE POPULATION AGES 49 PER CENT OF AUSTRALIANS AGED IN 2009 HAD FIVE OR MORE LONG-TERM MEDICAL CONDITIONS. Source Towards a Clever Australia - industry insights white paper (Health): Telstra (2013) PROVIDE BETTER HEALTHCARE ON LIMITED RESOURCES The ageing of Australia s population is a fact, and 46 per cent of healthcare professionals agree that this ageing population is one of the sector s biggest challenges. 1 A 2013 Productivity Commission report estimates that by 2026 the number of high-care residential places will need to double. To deliver personalised care, professionals need access to detailed knowledge of patients or residents. Streamlining the administrative burden also means less paperwork for staff, and more time with patients.there are other demographic changes ahead as well. Consumers increasingly depend on online information sources to manage their health in fact, 84 per cent of Australians search online for health information. So where is your practice placed in the digital world? 2 CREATE CLINICAL AND CARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS To deliver personalised care to more people, you need access to detailed knowledge of your patients or residents. Streamlining the administrative burden will also mean less paperwork for your staff, and more time with patients or clients. Cloud-based rostering for community care workers or clinicians make sure they can track, review and update their schedules for client visits, and you can quickly fill any gaps with a mobile workforce Aged care client portals give clients and their families secure (password protected) access so they can update contact details or make requests online Provide training to staff via video, reducing travel costs. 1Source The Australian: survey conducted by Hall & Partners (2013) 2 Source HealthDirect Annual Report (2012) 3 Source just-launched-our-2012-consumer-healthapps-report/ EMPOWER PATIENTS TO SELF-MANAGE CHRONIC DISEASES Effective management of chronic diseases requires a collaborative approach between health providers, a strong network of community resources, and patient access to useful information and support. Online access to registers of patients with chronic diseases, and an automated reminder system for repeat prescriptions or tests Educating patients on the best tools for self-management, including mobile health (mhealth) apps such as heart rate or glucose monitors and nutrition diaries. There were 13,600 health apps in April 2012, and by 2016 this is expected to be a $20billion industry worldwide. 3 PROVIDE A CHOICE OF CHANNELS AND SUPPORT By offering a range of ways to connect, you ll be better placed to provide the support your patients need, whenever they need it. Older Australians may prefer to talk over the phone, while busy workers want to access information online, or via an app. The answer is to offer a range of methods for clients to connect with you Offer remote consults by video conferencing. This can broaden your practice to more areas Make sure your phone systems divert when busy, so a patient can always be reassured by speaking with a real person Give regular patients an address they can reach you on with any questions or requests. With increasing demand for health services amid tightening budgets, technology can help you manage the juggling act between urgency, accuracy, privacy and protocols. A recent survey by Hall & Partners revealed that 52 per cent of healthcare professionals have recently invested in ehealth technologies, mainly in data capture, scanning and management systems. 1 Mobile tools can also help you respond to test results in near real-time, such as downloading high-quality digital scans for a rapid diagnosis, even when away from your clinic. And telehealth could lessen the burden for in-person emergency care, especially when local healthcare providers are closed at night or on weekends, or during times of peak demand. Video conferencing helps us connect health professionals to meet local needs and it will save $25,000 per year for an investment of around $4,000 per year. The money we save goes into more service delivery. Julie Scheuber, CEO, Townsville Mackay Medicare Local MOBILISE YOUR MEDICAL CARE Every minute you spend tethered to a desktop computer or phone trying to track down patient data or the results of a diagnostic test is a minute you aren t spending with a patient. Upgrade your team s communications toolkits to include tablets and 4G smartphones If you provide services in remote and rural areas, check your coverage is reliable enough to support sharing of large files such as X-rays. 3 million calls have been received by HealthDirect, Australia s 24/7 helpline, since its launch, with more than 15,000 over the Christmas period. 2 1 Source The Australian: survey conducted by Hall & Partners (2013) 2 Source HealthDirect Annual Report (2012) CHECK YOUR CLINICAL RISK PROTOCOLS Although the focus of patient care is shifting away from big hospitals to local providers, community support and ehealth, the same strict clinical governance procedures need to be in place to guide the quality and safety of healthcare decisions. To maintain clinical governance standards, you may need to set up separate guidelines for video consultations, online health information and operational processes Make sure your staff can access the latest medical databases on the go including The Merck Index, MIMS and UpToDate, all available on smartphones and internet enabled tablets

7 STORIES FROM SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS ACHIEVE AUSTRALIA DOES MORE IN THE FIELD Disability service provider Achieve Australia has hundreds of predominantly field-based employees working across multiple locations, so accessing reports and client information from outside the office is essential. With smartphones connected to the Telstra Mobile Network, Australia s largest mobile network, staff can access rosters, create reports and share updated client information while out of the office. Click below to find out more. EMERALD MEDICAL GROUP HOME-DELIVERS SMARTER SERVICES Dr Ewen McPhee is the principal of Emerald Medical Group, based in Emerald in central Queensland. He and his team travel far and wide to see patients and their remit is far different from city doctors. We look after emergencies, we visit hospitals, aged care facilities and people at home, explains Dr McPhee. Our extended scope is in delivering babies, giving anaesthetics and surgery. McPhee upgraded his on-call team s kits to include tablet devices and Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G devices (which automatically switch to the fastest available 3G speeds on the Telstra Mobile Network when outside 4G areas). They can access medical databases including The Merck Index, MIMS and UpToDate, and use applications to connect remotely to a shared desktop to check patient files. And the benefits for McPhee, his team and their patients, are huge. Using his tablet, Dr McPhee can record consultation details and photograph the progress of a patient s condition, then upload the information into a patient s file. Mobile technology is also closing the distance gap through the use of video conferencing with specialists in the major cities, while Telstra s high-speed mobile network makes it practical to share large files, including X-rays and scans, with specialists. In the past I would be looking through paper patient records, and [often] I d be relying on memory. Now, I have remote access to a patient s records and it s fast and accurate, McPhee explains. During an emergency when we often fly blind delivering critical care we can access a patient s records and help save lives. The Telstra Mobile Network offers 4G in all capital CBDs and associated airports, many surrounding suburban areas and in over 300 regional areas. You ll automatically switch to our fastest available 3G in other coverage areas around Australia. Check coverage at telstra.com/coverage. COMPLETE MOBILITY PLUS CATCHES MORE CALLS Complete Mobility Plus s commitment to personalised service has made it the go-to healthcare equipment provider for private customers and community health organisations. Talking about the equipment in human terms is their strength, and most customer calls require in-depth consultation. To capture more calls, they use a Virtual receptionist and voice2 messaging, and by combining it all on one bill their bills have more than halved. Click here to find out more. TMML LINKS TEAMS ACROSS MULTIPLE SITES With over 130 staff spread across nine sites and 400km in North Queensland, Townsville Mackay Medicare Local (TMML) needed better communication and collaboration tools. Now it has data access, smart IP phone tools and video conferencing and has saved as much as $25,000 in travel costs alone. Click here to find out more

8 BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE 1MOBILISE YOUR TEAM Technology can help make home visits or staffing remote clinics more efficient and cost-effective, and this can also relieve the pressure on our acute care facilities. Remote monitoring and mhealth apps with alert triggers let community care providers monitor patients across large distances, and also let patients self-mange chronic diseases. For example, you can get near real-time data from continuous glucose monitoring kits and get clinicians out in the field with handheld screening devices and make use of telehealth. 2INTEGRATE YOUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Bring all your patient information and processes into one system and save time looking for data, or managing cases and billing. Link your practice management system with HICAPS to simplify Medicare and private health fund claims and reconciliation, and automate appointment or annual test alerts to make it easier for patients. FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY 1 MAKE IT EASIER TO CONTACT YOU Check your phone system can handle multiple calls and diverts to a mobile or a remote answering service if you re busy or out of the office. Look into an online or app-based booking system that syncs with your practice management system, so patients can make an appointment at a time that suits them rather than having to wait until 9am. Allow patients to contact you via set up a separate address for patient contacts so you can filter and divert it as needed. 2 SWITCH FROM PAPER TO DIGITAL Digitise patient files so you can check medical histories quickly during an appointment or in discussions with specialists. You ll also save time (and money) spent on faxing or couriering scans if you can send them via . Automate SMS or alerts such as appointments or test reminders. and archive patient scans and test results so they, and their health providers, can access them when needed. 3 CREATE SHARED KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS Here are a few simple, readily available digital tools that you can begin implementing today to help you start building for your business s future. Speed up diagnosis, make better treatment plans and co-ordinate specialist appointments by giving clinics, care providers and specialists access to the information they need. 3BE PROACTIVE WITH PATIENT DATA Use patient information to make better diagnostic and treatment decisions, analyse health improvements to build shared knowledge of outcomes, and build stronger relationships with your patients. Help colleagues work more efficiently by using secure tools for sharing ehealth information, and empower patients to self-triage with guided self-management programs and health apps. 4PAY ATTENTION TO PRIVACY Make sure your Cloud server is reliable and secure, is located in a suitable country, and certified to stringent privacy compliance standards. Check your systems are ready for the nationwide roll-out of Personally Controlled ehealth Records (PCEHR) Create a secure portal for sharing patient files (with permission) or medical insights. Make sure your team in the field has mobile access to the latest medical guidelines, such as MIMS, on their compatible smartphones or tablets. 4 ADD VIDEO TO YOUR TOOLKIT IP telephony and wider access to high-speed broadband makes video calls an affordable way to provide medical consultations. Bring together a range of specialists on one call to resolve a complex case without the need to travel and use physical cues from patients to make a more accurate, yet virtual, diagnosis. A reliable, fast network can give you the sound and visual quality you need to help assess patient needs. Use video to train staff across multiple locations, and create a stronger team environment. If you d like to discuss your communication needs or get more ideas on how to work smarter, feel free to drop into your nearest Telstra Business Centre

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