Digital Hospital

 

Introduction

The system is aimed to help doctors as well as patients. Our system is a standalone system that can be installed on doctors and patients android phone to be used for further login, doctor understand patient related difficulties such that patient get replied as possible early and he save his precious life in few second. Here no need patient has to meet doctor physically in some case, he can get all facilities what he need in few seconds, just by sending message for appointment or getting prescription from doctor this can be done by our standalone sophisticated device android Smartphone. Here our project mainly concentrated on government hospital because government provide the facilities with which people are unaware, due to which we are unable to take all benefits of government ,but our app provide all the updates related to government facilities to poor people and also for people suffering from disease. This application consists of twelve features which are more important for patients and doctors to overcome their problems by just pressing some buttons on application. It gives overall features which are necessary for people, before entering in the hospital and it also provide direct communication to government health care officer for queries related to hospital management.

Objective:

The objective of this proposed system is to develop an Android-based medical care system to deal with disease prediction, appointments and reminders, to ease the process of taking appointments, provide an easy interface to users and doctors alike, and store information securely in a data base.

Our system has the following features

1. General schemes.

2. Bill Details.

3. Alarm intimation.

4. SMS based appointment.

5. Scheme eligibility with respective user information.

6. Patient information transferring.

7. Availability and searching of drugs.

8. Searching for doctors and FAQ’s.

9. Specimen verification and report.

10. Bar-coding techniques.

11. Queries from patient to government.

12. Treatment Details.

Methodology:

1. General Schemes:

Government has provided many schemes which are helpful for poor people. Here the patient will know the schemes provided by the government based on their diseases.

2. Bill Details:

The system saves the patient’s related data in the android phone. The patient can see all expenditure spent for both the tablets and treatment can be viewed in the smart phone using this application.

3. Alarm Intimation:

This application provides alarm to patient which is set by person with specified time for drugs with name, so that patient can take his medicines on scheduled time.

4. SMS based appointment:

System provides facility for patient’s to send SMS to doctor, to get appointment and patient get reply from doctor if appointment confirmed.

5. Government Scheme eligibility with respective user information:

Patient can know about government scheme details based on their age and respective category.

6. Patient information transferring:

Transfer of information related to the patient, when doctor want to shift patient from one hospital to other, if treatment is not successful.

7. Availability and searching of drugs:

It gives facility to search for drugs which are available in near hospitals.

8. Searching for doctors in emergency and FAQ’s:

Searching doctors who are available in their near places and that doctor details. Also patient can ask any queries related to his health.

9. Specimen verification and report:

Here doctor will provide prescriptions based on image which is sent by patient for some physical injury visible to patient.

10. Government/private report:

Government will get report from hospital like how many patients are suffering from different disease, etc.

11. Bar-coding:

Person will get identified by specific barcode this code help to create card, here we provide achieve security so that no one can misuse.

12. Queries to government from patient:

Here patient can complain related to hospital which patient can get all facilities provided by government.

13. Treatment Details:

Here patient will get all treatment details from his/her android cell after login to Application.

1. The platforms used in our project are Android and web.

2. The languages used are HTML, Java, PHP and SQL.

 

Paperless Hospital Management Systems – An Overview

 

Steps to Establish a Paperless Hospital:

Leveraging the Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) the healthcare players are expected to meet the ever-growing consumer expectations while keeping a tab on economies of scale. While a paperless healthcare management system sounds as exciting and promising, establishing and bringing it into practice requires lot of training and understanding by the staff. You could always seek the support of the healthcare consultancies who are experienced in hospital digitalization process.

Here are a few steps involved in the digital transition to set up a seamless paperless hospital operations system.

Creating the Digitalized SOP – The patient information is collected the moment the individual steps inside the hospital environment. The patient trajectory needs to be understood at each point and the staff at various patient touch points should be familiar with the same.

Implementation of the EMR System – The availability of advanced EMR softwares eases  most of the pain-points involved in generating the patient information and safeguarding it. The healthcare providers should have clear understanding of the applications of these softwares.

Migration of Data – The critical yet crucial step in the whole transition process is the migration of zillions of data from its physical form to digital formats. The transferring process requires an integrated approach that is beyond just scanning the existing records.

Securing the Patient Information – Various check points needs to be ticked to retain the patient information as per the healthcare ethical practices and to protect it. Even though digital records are almost nonperishable, they could become easy prey for the unauthorized sources. The protection of this information requires various digital certifications and software that safeguard.

Advantages of Paperless Hospital Management System:

Here are a few ways in which a paperless environment in hospitals could help the mankind for greater good.

Access Medical Documents Remotely – In this generation that is enabled by Cloud Computing, the healthcare providers will have access to medical documents from almost anywhere with just an Internet connection.

The electronic communications in a healthcare system puts the patients at the forefront of knowledge with the ease of access to their medical records at their fingertips. It not only save the time of both parties but also opens doors for the quality medical care even from the remote areas.

Storage and Security – The most important functions in a hospital operational setup are storing the medical records and securing them. Storing the medical records in paper forms would be the most strenuous task as it is space and time consuming. The paper medical records are  easy to lose and hard to find a particular file from the pile. Electornic records save time in finding the required document as well as they are stored in an organized fashion. The best thing about the digital document management systems are that they are saved in cloud and it is almost impossible to lose them.

Time Saving and Efficient – The hospital is a fast-paced environment and demands access to the medical files as quickly as possible. With the help of electronic medical records (EMR) you already save lot of time by simply using a few buttons on the system. Managing the bundles of hard copies has already been reduced, thanks to the EMR and EPR.

The paperless appointments, doctor notes and prescriptions save up on the time. For example, the pharmacy could access the prescription that is entered on the online database by the support staff.

This reduces lot of time and eases the process of patient flow within a hospital management system.

Cleans Up the Clutter – The disorganization of the medical records could be alleviated with the help of paperless operation systems in hospitals. As medical records tend to pile up day by day, space allocation for these files would be a real challenge. Instead, digital files will take less space and the setting up the IT infrastructure is simple, thanks to the advanced cloud computing facilities.

 Disadvantages of Fully Digitalized Hospitals:

The digitalization of hospitals is a big leap in healthcare world, without a second thought. However, there is other side of the coin too.

The cost of implementation could be high based on the software.

Security of data in cloud and in digital format poses a great risk for unauthorized access.

Training and application of the software could be a challenging task especially in a setup where the staff is used to the conventional operational methods.

Complying with the software upgrades and regulations requires a constant tab.

Overcoming the fear of new challenging that the staff may have is important in the migration process. They need to understand the perks of digitalization and should be well trained to welcome the change. Also, complying with the upgrades and with the regulation processes need to be observed beforehand, once the paperless hospital is established.

Even though the idea of paperless offices and hospitals seem easy to adopt, the integration process is time consuming and demands great attention to detail. There pain points in digitalization of hospitals but they should not be seen as obstacles to take a leap towards the world of digitalization.

1 – Mapping of processes and workflow

A hospital or clinic service starts generating information as soon as the patient checks in at the reception. Mapping the workflow and the patient’s trajectory within the institution will make it clear to the managers the amount of paper generated and the processes that can be automated. In this case, a hospital management software combined with consulting services will enable the implementation of the project.

2 – Acquisition of hardware and software

For the institution to be able to provide healthcare without using paper, it requires the entire scanning in both the healthcare area (Emergency Unit, Hospital Admission, Operating Room, ICU and technical areas such as blood bank, clinical laboratory and pharmacy), and administrative areas (finance, human resources, accounting and legal). For this, the hospital may choose to purchase the equipment required or hire a company that outsources this option, called IT outsourcing.

3 – Implementation of Electronic Patient Record system

In addition to acquiring new computers, printers and servers (or outsource the workstation), it is necessary to purchase a EPR software (Electronic Patient Record). It can automate all processes in the hospital admission and accommodation systems, drug delivery and pharmacy, and eliminate all paper documents, such as medical and control records of patients and hospitalizations.

4 – Training

A change of culture is essential to the success of the project. Without paper, it is necessary to know how to operate the systems that store the medical records and patient information. For this, all employees involved in the process should undergo a periodic training on the technological systems and new practices required in the project.

5 – Digital certification

In an environment where documents are no longer perishable, the information must be reliable and the access to patient data needs to be online, digital certification is essential. In addition to providing legal guarantee to electronic documents, it offers security gains for physicians and, together with the electronic medical record, it greatly reduces printing costs. The implementation of SOUL MV ensured Hospital Unimed Recife III  a paperless operation. All consultations are registered in the electronic patient record, digitally signed with digital certificates, allowing the standardization of processes, integration of areas and better monitoring of the performance indicators of the institution. 

 

HOW TO CREATE A PAPERLESS HOSPITAL

 

The digitalization of client check-in and medical records should not only make hospital workflow processes more efficient but also decrease manual errors and keep personal patient information more secure than ever.

 

Medical facilities are one of the industries that use the most paper, coming in second to legal firms. Although going completely paperless right away may not be possible, reducing the use of paper at medical clinics and hospitals is a step in the right direction.

The digitalization of aspects such as client check-in and medical records should not only make workflow processes more efficient but also decrease manual errors and keep personal patient information more secure than ever.

Taking the First Step

If switching from consistent paper use to complete digitalization was easy and instant, every industry would go paperless. Digitalization requires having a detailed plan and begins with recognizing where digital processes could improve workflow.

The administration side of medical facilities, particularly patient check-in processes, would be a beneficial spot to begin digitalization. Similarly, storing patients’ medical records electronically would not only free up physical storage space but provide more security for sensitive information.

Patient and doctor communication is also an opportune area for going paperless. Clinical communication software can assist with digitalizing doctor-patient correspondence, prescription ordering, appointment setting, and the patient’s access to their own medical information.

You can’t begin the hospital-wide process digitalization all at once. After deciding what to digitize, ensure you have the proper digital software and tools, then establish a process for document workflows and finally, begin training hospital staff on how to use different paperless processes such as new software and the handling of electronic medical records. Establishing a step by step process for total digitalization in waves will make things run smoothly as everyone gets adjusted.

Getting the Right Tools

IT Staff

Creating a paperless hospital means introducing new technological tools such as digital software, computer programs, document scanners, and more that may run into technical issues. Having a 24/7 IT support team on staff that knows how to set everything up as well as address and fix issues quickly and confidently will keep your hospital running smoothly — and help keep you on the right track to providing excellent patient care.

Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Software

Electronic medical records (EMR) software will be crucial to your paperless workflows. EMR is a systematized collection of patient data and records stored in a digital format. Having patient medical records stored digitally frees up physical space by eliminating physical file storage areas, makes it easier to share information across medical departments and doctors, and also stores data more securely with less possibility for manual error.

Clinical Communication Software

Gone are the days of messy handwritten prescriptions and waiting for days to hear back from your doctor. With clinical communication software, patients can instant message their doctor or an online health representative, send emails, request appointments and prescription refills, and access their own medical records at the drop of a dime.

Investing in clinical communication for your hospital is an excellent way to eliminate paper use, streamline workflow processes and communication, and make your patient feel involved, secure, and happy.

Document Scanners and Software

Digitalizing existing records and being prepared to convert future paperwork that comes in starts with choosing the right software and document scanner for a medical facility.

Medical document scanners need to be able to scan patient records and different types and sizes of documents easily, such as identification cards and insurance papers. Your scanners will ideally have optical character recognition (OCR), making it simple to search through scanned documents for certain keywords or information, and eliminating the need to go back and sort through everything you’ve just scanned.

Crucially, your scanners must also adhere to any compliance legislation governing the handling of personal data. See our picks for the best document scanners for health care, both in terms of compliance and the other necessary features.

Sharing information across departments, whether to a cloud-based server or email, is another aspect of medical document scanners that is essential to streamlining workflow and decreasing the need for paper documents. Capture software helps you integrate paper and images originating from existing patient records, new patients and other vital documents into servers and EMR workflows. The right software will capture the information from scanners, mobile devices, faxes, emails, or MFPs and extract the data required to automatically associate them with the right EMRs. It can identify the information in a patient record, such as a medical record number, date of birth, patient name, etc.

What to Know: TWAIN Standard

TWAIN is a graphic and imaging standard initially created in 1991 by the TWAIN Working Group in order to standardize communication and compatibility between home computers and document scanning software. The TWAIN Working Group aims to provide multi-platform support, encourage ease of use, and foster a universal public standard for the way image acquisition devices, such as document scanners, work with applications and home computers.

When going paperless and using document scanning software, look for products that offer TWAIN compatibility. A TWAIN driver is usually included as part of the software package to ease the compatibility between the scanned document and its digital copy. The driver allows users to scan the document directly into whichever application they need to work with.