The world is going mobile. Smartphone use is constantly rising and with so many patients using mobile devices to get involved in their personal healthcare, it comes as no surprise that an increasing number of small healthcare clinics are doing the same. A survey conducted by Black Book Market Research shows that about 52% of the ambulatory care physicians used mobile devices to access patient records or reference data.
While implementing a Wi-Fi network might present HIPAA compliance challenges for smaller resource-strapped healthcare clinics, growing evidence suggest that increases in efficiency, quality of care and patient satisfaction scores can quickly outweigh the costs.
Increased efficiency
With mobile access to electronic healthcare records (EHR) physicians are no longer tied down to a specific workstation. They can access medical records in the exam room, share lab tests with patients and push prescriptions to the nearest pharmacy. Nurses can upload patient's vital information and other status updates – all from a mobile device or tablet. One of the factors that can make or break a practice is internal communications and access up to date patient information. By bringing EHR onto a mobile platform physicians will be able to easily share records with colleagues and staff leading to more coordinated and efficient care experiences.
Improved patient satisfaction scores by rolling back the wait
Having a small staff doesn't mean lower quality of customer service. The timing of care is just as important as the care itself. Wi-Fi enabled clinics can reduce time patients have to wait to enter the examination room, receive test results or pick up medications. Patient portals are also key in improving the quality of care and patient satisfaction. With EHR customers can access patient portals to communicate with their doctor, view the latest test results and get approval for prescription refills, eliminating the need for appointments that might only last a few minutes.
Attract new business
A patient's working life doesn't stop when they enter the doctor's waiting room and once settled the most likely thing they will do will be to pull up their mobile device and scan for Guest Wi-Fi. Today this is often considered a basic expected service that tends to positively impact patient satisfaction scores. With more users shopping around for new healthcare services on the Internet, these evaluation scores are becoming increasingly vital in driving new business.
Adding Wi-Fi to a small healthcare clinic doesn't have to complex. When evaluating Wi-Fi networks for smaller clinics consider a controllerless Wi-Fi solution like the Aruba Instant that offers affordable 802.11ac gigabit Wi-Fi performance and can prioritize critical healthcare and collaboration applications on the network. Look for solutions that offer built-in security such as a Policy Enforcement Firewall and integrated wireless intrusion detection and prevention to ensure the network is fully HIPAA compliant and offer the ability to segregate guest traffic to safeguard patient privacy. Lastly, make sure the solution is easy to implement and can easily evolve with the business as network requirements change.
Learn more about Aruba solutions for midsized businesses.
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