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Clinic Management System: A Quick Guide For Busy Doctors
People primarily rely on clinics for any medical consultation or first-aid. Hundreds of patients flow into any clinic every day, making efficient management crucial. Additionally, running a clinic is more than just providing excellent patient care. It involves scheduling appointments, managing finances, ensuring regulatory compliance, and keeping your staff organized – all while delivering a seamless experience for your patients.
We all have seen rapid technological advancements in the Indian healthcare sector, especially in the last decade. So, opting technology is no longer optional; it’s essential for survival and success. This is where a Clinic Management System (CMS) comes in, acting as your digital backbone and streamlining every aspect of your practice.
As we said earlier, for modern healthcare providers, a CMS is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. In fact, 10% – 15% of clinics have adopted some form of clinic management system, and the CMS market is projected to reach a staggering $230.6 million by 2027.
Initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) encourage digitization in healthcare, potentially driving CMS adoption further.
What exactly is a Clinic Management System?
A Clinic Management System is essential software designed to streamline and optimize clinic operations and enhance healthcare delivery. Beyond patient care, clinic operations and administration involve maintaining the clinic premises, staffing records, and overseeing various departments (such as laboratory, pharmacy, and housekeeping). Additionally, clinics manage inventories, coordinate with diagnostic labs, and collaborate with medical equipment vendors.
The dynamic nature of clinics involves repetitive tasks, data generation, record-keeping, and adherence to regulatory policies. A Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) clinic management system seamlessly integrates these functions, enhancing efficiency for both patients and Staff.
The typical workflow in a clinic encompasses several steps:
Appointment Scheduling and Management: Patients schedule bookings with an online scheduler accessible to them 24/7. Practitioner manages appointments, calendars and sets reminders to reduce missed appointments and streamlines waiting room management.
Electronic Health Records (EHR): EMR and EHR software are main features of clinic management systems. EHR provides secure storage and access to patient medical records, including medications, allergies, and lab results.
Medical Consultation: The doctor meets with the patient, provides medical advice, and recommends necessary diagnostic tests or medications.
Billing and claims: Automate insurance claim submissions, generate invoices, and track payments electronically. This reduces administrative burden and improves cash flow.
Access to Clinic Services: Patients can access the clinic’s laboratory and pharmacy as needed. The clinics can facilitate tele-calling and tele-medicine to their patients with the help of the solution.
Reporting and analytics: Gain valuable insights into clinic performance metrics like appointment volume, staff productivity, and financial trends. Data-driven insights help you make informed decisions for improving efficiency and profitability.
Communication tools: Stay connected with patients through secure messaging, appointment reminders, and telehealth options. Streamlined communication fosters patient engagement and satisfaction.
Security & Compliance: Features to ensure patient data privacy and HIPAA compliance.
Why Do You Need a Clinic Management System?
Improved Patient Experience: Did you know that 72% of patients do not visit clinics after booking their appointments due to scheduling difficulties? A CMS eliminates this frustration with online appointment booking, automated reminders, and telehealth options. Additionally, secure patient portals allow for easy communication and access to medical records, fostering trust and engagement.
Convenient online scheduling, easy access to records, and efficient communication contribute to a 92% increase in patient satisfaction, according to Software Advice.
Enhanced Operational Efficiency: Gone are the days of paper charts and manual tasks. A CMS can automate appointment scheduling, billing, and claims management, freeing up your staff to focus on what matters most – patient care. Streamlined workflows and real-time reporting empower you to make informed decisions and optimize resource allocation.
Studies show that CMS can reduce administrative tasks by up to 40%, freeing up valuable time for patient care.
Financial Optimization: A CMS helps you stay on top of your finances with automated billing, claims submission, and payment processing. You can track revenue and expenses in real-time, identify areas for improvement, and ensure accurate and timely payments.
According to the Medscape Physician Compensation Report for 2023, physicians spend an average of 15.5 hours per week on paperwork and administration. Studies also show that CMS adoption can lead to a 20% reduction in administrative costs.
Regulatory Compliance: Navigating the ever-changing healthcare regulations can be overwhelming. A CMS simplifies compliance with built-in features for data security, privacy protection, and reporting requirements. This peace of mind allows you to focus on running your practice without fear of penalties or violations.
Reduced Costs: Did you know that administrative inefficiencies cost healthcare providers $360 billion annually? A CMS helps control costs by reducing paperwork, optimizing inventory management, and improving billing accuracy.
Data-Driven Insights: Clinics can measure how many patients are coming and from which place. Patient’s information is stored in the system, so clinic’s can provide an area estimate for any service. To identify new and returning patients, the system tracks patient history. Appointment data shows how many new patients are booking compared to returning ones.
Clinics can track which doctors have the most appointments booked and they can conduct surveys to see which doctors patients prefer. This data-driven approach empowers you to make informed decisions about resource allocation, marketing strategies, and overall clinic growth.
Industry statistics further highlight the need for CMS adoption:
- 73% of healthcare providers believe investing in technology helps them deliver better patient care.
- Patients are willing to pay 10-20% more for services from a clinic with a user-friendly patient portal.
Choosing the Right Clinic Management System: Key Considerations
With numerous CMS options available, selecting the right one is crucial. Here are some key factors to consider:
Ease of use: The first and very important feature of the clinic management system is its user experience. The software should be intuitive and user-friendly for both staff and patients to navigate.
Your clinic’s size and needs: The CMS available in the market are different to cater varying practice sizes and specialities. You have to choose a solution that aligns with your specific requirements.
Scalability: Ensure the system can accommodate your future growth needs and easily integrate new features as your practice evolves.
Integration capabilities: Check if the system integrates with existing software you use (e.g., accounting, lab services) for seamless data exchange.
Vendor support: Reliable and responsive customer support is vital for troubleshooting and ongoing assistance.
Take the Leap
The benefits of implementing a clinic management system are undeniable. By empowering your practice with an efficient, integrated platform, you can focus on what truly matters that is delivering exceptional patient care.
Want to make your clinic run smoother and reach new heights? Our clinic management system can help! See it in action with a quick demo and learn how it benefits your practice. Let’s chat!
EMR/EHR Software Explained: A Beginner’s Guide
Rapid technological growth has changed the way we deliver and receive healthcare services. Some of the most crucial advancements in healthcare technology include Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Electronic Health Records (EHR) softwares.
Modern day hospitals have adopted EMR and EHR softwares for the purpose of managing patient medical records and automating clinical workflow. The government has also taken initiatives under the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) program to create a unified digital health ecosystem in India, including nationwide EHR implementation.
As per a report by insights10, India’s EHR market size was valued at $514 Mn in 2022 and is estimated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% from 2022 to 2030 and will reach $884 Mn in 2030.
This report estimates that the total number of hospitals using EMR/EHR software in India was around 15-20% in 2022. This translates to roughly 12,000-16,000 hospitals out of the estimated 80,000-90,000 hospitals in the country.
So, EMR and EHR softwares are becoming increasingly popular among medical practitioners and healthcare professionals as these software systems optimise the workflow of hospitals/clinics and enhance the patient outcomes.
The question which may be striking right now is “what is EMR/EHR” and why healthcare institutions are interested in adopting this software solution. We will also discuss the challenges/barriers in the implementation of EHR softwares.
A robust EHR/EMR software is a fast, efficient, and paperless system to record & monitor patient medical history, prioritise tasks, schedule appointments, send alerts to patients and much more. The system has a dedicated physician dashboard through which medical practitioners can ePrescribe and consult patients, get daily MIS reports to know where you stand, streamline lab procedures and more.
EMR Vs EHR | Difference Between EHR and EMR
Looking similar, EMR (Electronic Medical Records) and EHR (Electronic Health Records) have different meanings. Often, EMR and EHR are used interchangeably but a thin line separates both.
A key difference between EMR and EHR is that EMR’s objective is to take care of a patient’s medical conditions while EHR is a more comprehensive view into the patients health and history. EHR also includes the reports and data from other electronic health systems. Telemedicine, billing, electronic faxing, lab results and other features are supported by EHR software.
Features and Capabilities of EMR/EHR Software
Seamless Integration with Practice Management
EMR and EHR software integrates with physician’s practice management seamlessly. Appointment schedules, patient information, charges, etc. automatically populates in the EMR/EHR system and vice-versa.
Electronic Prescribing
EMR provides the facility to doctors to e-prescribe patients. At the time of e-prescribing patients, doctors can see medication history of the patients. The prescriptions are sent to the patient through What’sApp and SMS. Now, patients have prescriptions, reports and medication history on the go, while they are visiting a drug store, clinic, hospital or laboratory.
A 2021 study by the National Digital Health Mission found that only 15% of healthcare providers were using e-prescribing solutions.
Online Consultation
EMR facilitates a portal for online consultation. The patients who are not willing to go to hospitals or having minor problems can avail online consultation facilities. This could be best for the patients who have visited the hospital physically but have some queries.
As per a report published in McKinsey & Company, In India, 50 million Indians accessed healthcare online from March to May 2020, with 80 percent of all telemedicine users and patients using it for the first time.
Timely Reminder and Alerts
EMR and EHR software systems provide hospitals facilities to send reminders/alerts to patients for their appointments, follow-ups, next meetings, test reports and other. Even, the alerts could be for the unavailability of the doctor on any particular day.
Customizable Templates
Templates are predefined structures of prescription for any specific condition. These templates are created by actual doctors to optimise the clinical workflow. These templates are customizable and can be accessed through Electronic Health Records (EHR) software by the doctors.
Electronic Fax
Electronic Fax in EHR and EMR software refers to the elimination of and paper documents. The system allows healthcare providers to send and receive patient information electronically. The feature improves efficiency, security and collaboration while reducing the cost and time.
Multi-Speciality Support
The electronic medical record (EMR) and electronic health record (EHR) are equally useful for general physicians, dentists, gynaecologists, neurologists and other specialties. The system can be implemented for one or many specialists and manage operations as a single business.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine is a boon for the patients who are in rural areas, developed chronic conditions, or due to any other reason they are not able to come to a healthcare facility. Through telemedicine, doctors can attend more patients in less time. Furthermore, this feature of EHR decreases the costs for patients and physicians both.
Easy Appointment Tracking
Appointment tracking is an essential feature for hospitals and clinics so that they can plan their day properly. Furthermore, they can send them reminders for pending follow ups and next meetings.
As per a 2022 draft Version 2 of National Digital Health Mission, 40% of patients in India miss appointments due to various reasons, leading to loss in revenue and patient dissatisfaction.
Physician Dashboard
The EHR/EMR system provides a dedicated dashboard to the physician where they can check their schedules, appointments, MIS reports, patient reports, and much more in real time.
MIS Reports
EHR and EMR software generates multiple MIS reports on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Healthcare institutes can analyse these reports to understand where they stand now and what measures they should take in order to stay ahead.
Clinical Decision Support
Integrated with EHR software, the Clinical Decision Support feature helps healthcare providers make informed and evidence-based clinical decisions for the patients to achieve better clinical outcomes, optimize treatment plans and ensure adherence to best practices.
Benefits of EMR and EHR system for Hospitals
Benefits of EMR and EHR system for Patients
Challenges/Barriers in Adopting EMR and EHR Software
Implementing EMR and EHR software systems bring considerable benefits to the healthcare facility, but it has its own challenges or barriers. Here are some key challenges/barriers in adopting EHR and EMR software:
High Upfront Cost: The cost to set-up server and purchase hardware is high. On top of that, the EHR and EMR software purchase cost is also very high. To put aside this problem for the short term, hospitals can opt Open-Source Softwares.
An article published in Deloitte shows that 84% of Indian healthcare leaders and professionals have plans to increase their budgets on digital solutions and technology initiatives in 2023.
Maintenance Cost: Apart from purchasing software, technical support, hardware and server maintenance cost is ongoing cost. To reduce some of the cost and headache, web based software or cloud EMR and EHR softwares will be good choices.
Data Security Concerns: Low quality or open-source EHR and EMR software generally have data security concerns. Data of patients, physicians, and healthcare institutions is precious and security of the data should be on top of the list of software providers.
Skilled Staff Required: To operate software, hospitals should have skilled staff. The vendors provide training and documentation of the software but staff should be skilled enough to grasp that knowledge.
Interoperability Issues: The EHR pulls the information of the patient available at different portals, so the EHR software should be flawless for any device and portal.
Regulatory requirements: EHR or EMR software should comply with government rules and regulations. These regulations depend on several factors like location, type of organization, purpose of the software, etc. For example: A hospital in the US should comply with HIPAA, in Europe with GDPR and in Canada with PHIPA.
Selecting the Best EMR and EHR Software System
There are many EHR and EMR software in the market and generally these software are customizable as per the client’s needs and requirements. So, instead of looking for the best EMR and EHR software in the market, you should look for the EMR and EHR software that fits best to your healthcare institutions.
Simply put, selecting EMR/EHR requires careful planning, investment, ongoing maintenance and vendor support. By understanding your own needs, requirements, budget and areas to improve, you can identify easily which EMR/EHR software is best for you. With such a system you can reap the benefits of improved patient care, efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.
Why Adopt Aarogya’s EHR (Electronic Health Record) Software System
At Aarogya, we understand the challenges faced by healthcare providers in today’s digital age. Managing patient records, ensuring accurate billing, and delivering efficient care can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve developed a comprehensive EHR software system designed specifically to address your needs in a cost and time effective manner. It is a secure software system with user-friendly interface and easy documentation facility. Our team provides 24/7 technical support, in case any problem occurs.
Aarogya’s EHR is more than just software; it’s a partnership for success. We are committed to helping you deliver exceptional patient care, improve practice efficiency, and achieve your financial goals.
Cost and Pricing of EMR and EHR
The cost of an EHR/EMR software is decided on the basis of your requirements and number of users. The software can be used by small clinics, mid-size hospitals, large hospitals, hospital chains and healthcare institutes. Furthermore, the pricing varies vendor to vendor.
Apart from the software cost, hospitals have to invest in hardware of the system i.e. CPU, monitor, local severe etc.
Conclusion
In summary, having EMR/EHR software is the need of the hour for the hospitals. These software solutions offer many benefits to both patients and providers. Choosing the right EHR/EMR software system is crucial to optimize your practice workflow and enhance the patient outcome.
Interested in EHR/EMR software systems? Explore the resources available on our website or contact us directly – Get a Free Demo Today.
How Radiology Information System Elevates Healthcare
Radiology information system is at the centre of modern healthcare as it provides a critical link between patient care and technological advancements in medical imaging. It is a specialized software solution designed for the busy and sometimes messy environment of hospital radiology departments. The primary objective of the Radiology Information system is to efficiently manage the vast amounts of imagery data generated daily in the lab.
Why Radiology Management Matters
A RIS system is not just a way to store your digital files, it’s a powerful tool that helps you manage your patient records, orders and billing with ease. By implementing this system, radiology departments can overcome the challenges of manual work and embrace a streamlined digital approach. This means you can save time on administrative tasks and spend more time on what matters the most– diagnosing and treating patients.
So, the question is: what exactly does this automation software (RIS) do?
1. Patient Records & Orders
Suppose a doctor orders an X-ray for Mr. Ashish. With an RIS, that order gets digitized, passing through the system within seconds. After which, Mr. Ashish’s record, complete with past scans and medical history, pops up on a screen, ready for the technician to review. Here, he need not be scrambling through paper files or communicating with doctors. All required information is there, neat and clean, saving time and reducing errors.
2. Efficiency in Billing
A proper and smooth billing process is imperative for any radiology laboratory. The Radiology Information System makes billing a piece of cake. The system keeps track of every process from scans to procedures so that you get accurate invoices, faster payments, and satisfied accountants (and maybe even satisfied patients, who can understand their bills without a PhD).
3. Image Archive
The Radiology information system RIS turns Ultrasounds, CT Scans, MRIs, X-Rays etc. into a neatly organized digital library. Scans are stored securely, easily accessible to authorized personnel, and these scans can even be shared with other hospitals electronically. So, the fear of missing a file or losing images can be alleviated.
4. Streamlining Every Step
It’s not just storage and billing, the software makes the entire radiology workflow smooth and flawless. The system schedules appointments, tracks test progress, and even sends reminders to patients and doctors for respective work. It’s like having a personal assistant for every aspect of the department, ensuring smooth operations and happy staff.
5. Patient Referral Management
Patients are generally referred by doctors for check-ups and laboratories have to enter and track the doctor’s referral for each patient. RIS systems provide a secure interface to manage referrals efficiently.
Studies show that’s exactly what hospitals achieve with Radiological Information Systems (RIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), slashing test completion times by a whopping 52% to 35%.
Integration and Workflow Optimization
One of the standout features of the RIS is its ability to integrate seamlessly with other software systems, including those managing image archives. This integration ensures that all patient information and imagery are accessible in one place, eliminating the need to switch between multiple platforms. As a result, the workflow is smoother, and the process of retrieving and reviewing images becomes faster and more efficient.
Step-by-Step Workflow of Radiology Information System
Step 1 : Registration and patient referral management.
Step 2 : Integration of Radiology Machines with the software
Step 3 : Sample collection and Investigation Request. Department/Consultant wise analysis of investigation.
Step 4 : Billing integration of RIS.
Step 5 : Generation of Reports and payment Settlements.
The Benefits of Radiology Information Software
- Enhanced Diagnostic Capabilities: With all relevant data at their fingertips, radiologists can make more informed decisions, leading to better patient outcomes.
- Improved Patient Experience: Quicker turnaround times for imaging results means patients receive their diagnoses and treatment plans sooner.
- Cost-Effectiveness: By reducing the need for physical storage and streamlining administrative processes, hospitals can cut costs and allocate resources more effectively.
Data Security: RIS solutions often come with robust security measures, ensuring that sensitive patient data is protected against unauthorised access.
Also Read: Hospital Pharmacy 101: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Manage It
Conclusion
In conclusion, the radiology information system is not just a technological upgrade—it’s a catalyst for better healthcare delivery. By embracing these automation software, radiology departments can enhance their service quality, improve patient satisfaction, and contribute to the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.
Until then, happy scanning!
Top 5 Hospital Management Software in India
Modern lifestyle has made us prone to diseases & a frequent visitor to hospitals. With the increasing number of patients at hospitals, the burden of managing medical facilities and task handling is also increasing for healthcare professionals or doctors. But, tools like best hospital management software systems help them to manage all their hospital operations in real-time from a single dashboard.
Now, the question that is very common here is how to find and select the best hospital management software in India to optimize hospital operations efficiently. Before you start, you have to identify specific needs and requirements of your hospital.
For example, your specific needs could be
- An easy-to-use online or mobile appointment scheduling facility.
- Faster and paperless patient registration process.
- Secure platform to store and view patient health information, medication history.
- Telehealth consultation facility.
- And the list goes on…
After having a fair idea about what you want in software, the second crucial point is deciding the best hospital management software for your hospital.
You can always opt for open source softwares if you want to give it a try. They are cheaper to use and some are even user friendly. The only cost that you have to bear is that of the hardware.
However, even though these open softwares may do the trick for you in the short term we always recommend to go for paid ones. Sounds like another marketing gimmick? Let’s dive deeper into the reason why having a paid HMS is always the best choice over a free/open source HMS software solution.
Why always Opt for Paid Hospital Management Softwares (HMS)
Before we dig deep into the reasons to opt for paid hospital management software, here are some key stats you should know.
- A 2020 report by Black Book Research estimated that open-source solutions accounted for only about 2% of the market, but that this number was expected to grow in the coming years.
- As per a 2020 report by CPSQ, 82% of the open source components found were out of date (i.e., unpatched or not well supported).In general there are 2 types of upgrades in Softwares.
- Product Based : New Features, New ways of Managing WorkFlow, New Integrations
- Service Based : Scalable, Fast, Secure, Robust, Training/Support
The open source softwares supports the first Type which is the Product Based upgrades. They do get richer in terms of feature and are probably the fastest to adapt to the changing market trends. Integrations with other machines is something where these softwares lag again. The software has to be up to date with the latest HL7 and DICOM Standards.
The second leg of the upgrades which includes Scalability, Security and Robustness is often the lacking ground for any Open Source Implementation. This is fairly easy to understand because they are serviceable in nature. We have yet not been able to technologically advance our systems to an extent that they can take care of these vulnerabilities on their own. Which software services will be used more and which system requires more resources have to be manually adjusted. Every now and then hackers find out a new way of exploiting vulnerabilities and for this some human intervention is required to continuously keep a track of the changes and keep on updating the software from time to time.
On top of that, paid hospital management software comes with benefits such as zero down time, dedicated customer support and compliance with healthcare regulations. The features of paid software includes:
- Comprehensive patient management
- Data analytics and reporting
- Security and compliance
- Telemedicine consultation facility
- Robust EMR/EHR system
- Multiple Integrations facility (for RIS and LIS)
- Customization
While free HMS solutions offer limited features and basic security with community support, in the long run it’s always the paid softwares that covers your needs. Hospitals are places where small errors can pose a risk to your patient’s life, therefore, it is advised to research properly and go for paid solutions. At the end of the day, you do not want to stop your services or get stuck in between processes because of some technical issue. To get a seamless experience and give the best healthcare facilities to your customers, always go for a paid hospital software. Here’s a detailed comparison between the two.
Paid Vs Free HMS Solutions
Difference |
Free |
Paid |
Suitable for |
Temporary basis(2-3 weeks) to understand workflows. |
All industries serving in the long run (>2 weeks) |
Cost |
Free |
Licencing fee, ongoing subscriptions |
Features |
Limited Basic Features |
Wide Range of Features and advanced functionalities |
Security |
Insecure |
Robust |
Compliance |
User responsibility |
Vendor responsibility |
Implementation & Support |
Self-reliance, community support |
Dedicated support, training and maintenance provided |
Scalability & Reliability |
Limited scalability, may require technical expertise |
Highly scalable, reliable, suitable for complex needs |
Up to this point, you have noted down your specific hospital needs/requirements and determined whether to opt for a free or paid Hospital Management Software solution. So, at First, let’s explore the top 5 paid hospital management software in India.
1. Aarogya Hospital Management Software
With exceptional customization facility, superior security, ease of use and all essential top-notch features, Aarogya HMS is the first choice among doctors and healthcare professionals looking for a robust and best hospital management software in India. The solution is best suited for any kind of hospital, from small clinics to large multi-specialty hospitals, laboratories, radiologies and polyclinics.
Aarogya is a cloud-based Hospital management software that provides modules for OPD, IPD, EMR, lab, pharmacy, radiology, blood bank, OT, TPA and more. The software provides a unified platform for patients, doctors, nurses and admins. It enables online appointment booking, telemedicine, e-prescription, e-billing, e-claim and more. Its advanced reporting tools (MIS Reporting) facilitates valuable insights into hospital performance, enabling data-driven decision making.
Aarogya offers SaaS, Cloud-based and Offline Versions to cater to each and every type of healthcare institution. The best part about Aarogya is that it is one of the few softwares that provides a solution for all the departments of your hospital integrated under a single hood. The software is HL7 and NABH compliant and has integrations with more than 200+ different Lab/Radiology/Diagnostic machines from 30+ manufacturers.
As per 2024, Aarogya successfully generates 1,00,000+ EMRs every single day with 0 down time across 1000+ healthcare institutions all over the world.
Also Read: Top 12 Features to Look for in a Hospital Management System
2. Saral Pro HIMS
Saral Pro HIMS manages various hospital operations offering a range of modules within the system. Some of these modules are Patient UHID, OPD billing, IPD billing, OT management, store inventory, patient EMR, and nursing desk functionality. The software solution can be deployed on local servers or cloud-based servers. Hence, it provides flexibility in terms of accessibility and data management.
This complete hospital management system software comes with dedicated support and short-term training to the hospital staff. Clients may ask for customization in the software as per their needs.
Saral Pro HIMS ensures increase in operational efficiency, patient care and patient satisfaction by automating the processes like patient management flow, bed management and management of all stationery templates.
It also supports digital prescription transfers and report management, ensuring seamless communication between pharmacies and diagnostic centers.
3. Hospilogix Hospital Management Software
HospiLogix is a web based hospital management software that has been designed by Nextgen eSolutions. It helps hospitals of different types and sizes to manage their operations efficiently and effectively. The software is built on open source technologies and provides a user-friendly interface.
HospiLogix hospital software offers a range of modules that covers different aspects of hospital management such as patient registration, pharmacy, discharge, billing, and more. The modules are divided into 3 different parts which are general modules, additional modules and special modules. The user can decide which and how many modules they need for their hospital.
The system is compliant with HL7 and DICOM standards as well as NABH and NABL accreditation. It provides MIS reporting which helps in better decision making. The software is considered among the top 5 hospital management software in India as it is a reliable, scalable and customizable software system.
4. Medstarhis Hospital Software
Medstar HIS is among the best hospital management software in India. It is a comprehensive hospital management software (HMS) that integrates various hospital systems, processes, and machines into an intelligent information system. The system is designed to improve the patient care and workflow of hospitals and healthcare professionals.
The system supports decision making through real-time reporting, management information system (MIS) and analytics. This hospital software aims to create a paperless hospital environment and manages daily activities such as patient admissions, discharges, doctor listings, pharmacy management, report generation, HR, and payroll.
Apart from the efficiency in hospital operations, Medstar HIS offers data security at every level, along with reliable storage and backup facilities.
Medstar HIS has mobile compatibility, and compliance with NABH standards. It provides dedicated support and can be deployed on the cloud, allowing users to access data without geographical limitations.
5. Hms365Cloud
Hms365Cloud is a web based hospital and clinic management software designed for very small and small healthcare institutions, individual doctors, and physicians. The system is considered among the best hospital management softwares in India as it aims to improve the quality and management of hospital health care and clinical care.
The system offers various features that are sensitive to the needs of hospitals, such as patient records, doctor records, pharmacy information system, in-patient service, out-patient service, operation theater, e-prescription, and more.
Hms365cloud hospital management software is compliant with HL7 and DICOM standards, as well as NABH and NABL accreditation. The software also provides comprehensive and dynamic MIS reporting with statistical analysis, accessible remotely for better decision making by management.
The software is a configurable, customizable, and modular solution that can be integrated with any HL7/R232 compliant medical equipment and third party applications. It is a reliable, scalable, and affordable solution for hospital management.
Above were a few HMIS systems recommended by industry standards. Now, let’s explore the top 5 free/open source hospital management software in India.
Top 5 Free/Open Source hospital management software
Chikitsa is the best open-source hospital management software. It is a PHP-based, self-hosted HMS solution designed for clinics and small hospitals to manage clinical workflows efficiently. The solution supports extensions and integrates with various other open-source CMS solutions like WordPress and SMS.
With this software solution, healthcare professionals can facilitate the appointment scheduling facility to their patients along with their follow-ups and notification alerts via SMS. It also includes patient records management, allowing doctors to access visit histories, diagnosis, and medications while safeguarding patient privacy through user access controls.
Chikitsa’s inventory management module aids professionals in stock monitoring, and the billing management feature allows for the customization of bill and prescription templates. The reporting function provides data on appointments, bills, and treatments, which can be exported to Excel. Additionally, Chikitsa supports multiple user groups and permissions, ensuring that staff have appropriate access to functionalities.
Overall, Chikitsa Hospital Management Software offers a modular and scalable solution for healthcare facilities seeking a cost-effective way to manage their operations and patient care.
OpenEMR is a leading open-source electronic health records (EHR) and medical practice management solution. The solution is known for its flexibility, offering a feature-rich platform that supports over 30 languages and numerous customizations.
The software includes advanced scheduling, e-prescribing, medical billing, CMS reporting, and lab integration. Its clinical decision rules engine aids in providing high-quality patient care. OpenEMR also emphasizes security with fine-grained access control and industry-standard password hashing.
OpenEMR’s vibrant community of volunteers and contributors maintain its critical features and provide free support. The software is suitable for outpatient and inpatient users, offering hybrid support, advanced billing, FHIR integration, cloud offerings, and quality reporting. It also connects low-cost medical devices, meeting the diverse needs of healthcare providers worldwide.
OpenMRS is an open-source Electronic Medical Record System (EMR) that offers a flexible and adaptable platform for healthcare facilities. It is designed to be customizable to meet the specific needs of various healthcare environments, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
The system is built on a modular architecture, allowing for easy expansion and integration with third-party libraries. It supports multiple languages and provides a robust API for further development. It includes features such as patient repository, embedded patient workflows, and role-based permissions, ensuring comprehensive management of patient records.
OpenMRS is not only a software solution but also a community-driven project that continuously develops new features and modules. It is written in Java and comes with extensive documentation to assist with development and deployment. The platform is ideal for users who require a customizable and scalable EMR system that can grow with their healthcare facility’s needs.
Bahmni is an open-source hospital management software that integrates OpenMRS, OpenELIS, and OPENERP to manage patient records across various healthcare domains. It is designed for low-resource settings and is accessible to staff with varying literacy levels. The Bahmni Coalition periodically updates the software, ensuring it remains relevant and efficient. The system supports data export in multiple formats, including CSV, PDF, HTML, and XLS, catering to different reporting and record-keeping needs.
Bahmni emphasizes a community-supported structure, relying on user feedback to guide development and ensure continuity. This approach has led to successful implementations in hospitals across countries like India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Ethiopia, and the Philippines. The software’s features include patient registration, records management, in-patient management, lab management with sample tracking, stock management, billing, accounting, and a reporting system compatible with Microsoft Office applications.
OneTouch EMR is a cloud-based, free hospital management system that emphasizes ease of use and flexibility. It allows healthcare providers to enter data through touch, typing, or dictation, catering to different user preferences. The system integrates laboratory functionalities to streamline workflows and improve patient care.
The software supports online medical charting, data import from external systems, and drawing and annotation features, providing greater flexibility in recording patient observations. OneTouch EMR is designed to be intuitive making it an ideal choice for small clinics and solo practitioners who need a straightforward and efficient EMR solution.
OneTouch EMR stands out for its user-friendly interface and the ability to adapt to various medical practice needs without requiring hardware or server installations. This makes it a cost-effective and accessible option for healthcare facilities looking to digitize their patient management processes.
Why Aarogya HMS
Here are some key points that make Aarogya a leader in the industry.
- Superior Security
- Dedicated Support Team
- Flexible
- Endorsed by Authorities
- Comprehensive Functionality
- Incredibly User Friendly
Unmatched Integration Facility
With its unmatched integration capabilities, Aarogya allows the system to connect with various external systems and devices.
ABDM
Aarogya supports ABDM, which is a national digital health mission that aims to provide universal health coverage and digital health records to the citizens of India.
As of December 2023, over 52 out of 919 health tech innovators participating in the ABDM Sandbox have achieved full integration across three levels, and Aarogya is among the first ones
Tally
Aarogya integrates with Tally, which is a popular accounting software that helps to manage the financial transactions and reports of the hospital.
Biometric
Aarogya software supports biometric authentication, which is a secure and convenient way of verifying the identity of the staff and patients.
KIOSKS
Aarogya HMIS supports KIOSKS, which are self-service terminals that allow the patients to check-in, register, pay, and print receipts without any human intervention.
WhatsApp and SMS
Aarogya HMS supports WhatsApp and SMS, which are effective communication channels that enable the hospital to send reminders, alerts, reports, and feedback to the patients and staff.
According to results of a survey from Accenture, 73% of patients prefer receiving appointment reminders via text message.
Also Read: 5 Ways Hospital Billing Software Can Save You Money
Wrapping Up- Best Hospital Management Software
In conclusion, Hospital management software is a crucial solution for enhancing the performance and quality of healthcare services. It can help you to automate business operations, manage data, streamline workflows, and improve patient satisfaction.
Among given hospital management software, we recommend Aarogya HMIS as the best choice for your hospital. It offers a cloud-based deployment option, which can save you the cost and hassle of maintaining hardware and software. Aarogya HMIS is trusted by more than 5000 hospitals across India, and has received positive feedback from its users.
If you want to experience the benefits of Aarogya HMIS, you can request a free demo or a quote from the website.
Hospital Pharmacy 101: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Manage It
If you work in a hospital, you know how important it is to have a well-functioning pharmacy department. The pharmacy department is responsible for providing medicines and medical devices to the patients and staff, as well as ensuring their safe, effective, and efficient use.
But managing a hospital pharmacy is not an easy task. It involves a lot of planning, organizing, implementing, and monitoring of various policies, procedures, and systems. It also requires a lot of coordination and collaboration with other departments and units of the hospital, as well as with external stakeholders and partners. And it demands a high level of knowledge, skills, and professionalism from the pharmacy staff and other members of the health care team.
That’s where the role of the pharmacy management software comes in that can help you run your hospital pharmacy more smoothly and effectively. These systems are designed to meet the specific needs and challenges of hospital pharmacy, and to offer you a range of benefits and features that can make your work easier and more rewarding.
In this blog, we will tell you more about what hospital pharmacy is, why it matters, and how to manage it. We will also show you how our pharmacy management software can help you improve your hospital pharmacy performance and outcomes.
What is Hospital Pharmacy | Hospital Pharmacy Definition
The department of the hospital that deals with procurement, storage, compounding, dispensing, and distribution of drugs is hospital pharmacy. These pharmacies are located within the hospitals or healthcare facilities. Apart from dispensing medicine for IPD patients, a hospital pharmacy may also dispense medicine over-the-counter and prescription medicines to OPD patients.
Also Read: OPD vs IPD
As per a patient’s medication schedule, hospital pharmacies provide medications to the wards and to ICU. Hospitals dealing with a larger number of patients use Pharmacy Management Software to speed up the process of medicine distribution.
Hospital pharmacists are the experts on medicines and medical devices in the hospital. They work closely with doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment and care.
As per Guidelines on World Health Organization, hospital pharmacy is defined as “the area of pharmacy concerned with the science and practice of rational medication use in hospitals and other health care facilities”.
Also Read : LIMS(Laboratory Information Management System) and Its Function
But first let’s discuss the difference between a Hospital Pharmacy and a General Pharmacy.
How Hospital Pharmacy is different from General Pharmacy?
Typically the functions of a Hospital Pharmacy are wider and need more organisation. They serve as the backbone of healthcare institutions. Let’s see some of the important functions of a hospital pharmacy.
Hospital Pharmacy | General Pharmacy |
Serves IPD and OPD patients of a hospital or medical center | Serves the general community, thus have a wider patient range. |
Provides specialized or investigational medications | Provide common and over-the-counter medications |
Prepares and dispenses sterile products like injections, fluids etc. | Prepares and dispenses Oral and topical products like tablets, creams etc. |
Works closely with other departments of the hospital and health professionals | Works directly with customers to provide drug information and advice |
May require additional education and training to develop advanced skills and specialization | May require customer service and business skills to manage the pharmacy |
Functions of Hospital Pharmacy
- First and foremost comes the selection of inventory. Your hospital pharmacy should be capable of medication therapy management (MTM) for your patients. This means that hospital pharmacists work closely with physicians, nurses, and other health care providers to select, prescribe, monitor, and adjust medications for each patient, based on their individual needs, conditions, and responses. Accordingly the pharmacy should maintain the stocks of medicines and handle the regular procurement.
- Hospital pharmacies have to supply and distribute medications and medical devices throughout the hospital across all departments. This involves managing the inventory, storage, and delivery of medications and devices. Also it is the job of these pharmacies to take care of the quality, safety, and security of these medical paraphernalia.
- Since these pharmacies deal directly with your patients it becomes their duty to provide information and education to patients and health care professionals. They have to ensure that they are communicative enough and understand the local dialect of your patients, so as to give them the best medical advice. Your pharmacy team is your D2C sales force, so the management has to be fast and efficient in handling operations.
These pharmacies are seemingly small but a crucial part of your hospital. Now that you know the functionality, let’s have a look at the challenges faced by them.
Challenges in Hospital Pharmacy Management
These are some common challenges that most hospital pharmacy management face:
Medication errors: These are mistakes that occur in the prescribing, dispensing, or administration of medications, which can cause harm to patients or reduce the effectiveness of treatment. Medication errors can be caused by factors such as human error, communication breakdown, system failure, or lack of knowledge. We all have heard jokes on Doctor’s handwriting. Funny however they may seem, this actually is one of the reasons behind incorrect medication. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) estimates that medication errors occur in 1 in every 135 medication doses administered in hospitals. This translates to a staggering number of incidents every year, with potentially serious consequences.A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that a 10% increase in drug shortages was associated with a 5% increase in medication errors
Drug shortages: These are situations where the supply of a medication does not meet the demand, either due to insufficient production, distribution, or availability. Drug shortages can affect the quality and continuity of patient care, as well as increase the costs and risks of treatment.
A French study of data on Adverse Drug Reactions(ADRs)
Complex medication regimens: These are treatment plans that involve multiple medications, doses, routes, or schedules, which can be difficult to manage and monitor. Complex medication regimens can be necessary for patients with multiple or chronic conditions, or who require specialized or individualized therapy. They can pose challenges, such as medication adherence, patient education, drug monitoring, or medication reconciliation. About 30-50% of elderly patients in India take 5 or more medications (polypharmacy), while 10-20% take 10 or more. Studies show that adherence to complex medication regimens can be as low as 40-50% in India, leading to poor health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. More than 6.7 million Indians suffer from adverse drug events (ADEs) annually, often due to complex regimens.
Ok, so the Hospital Pharmacy has its fair share of challenges and problems. These are not general issues that can be taken care of once and forgotten about. These are real life problems occurring in day to day lives caused due to human error, scarcity of resources or regular emergencies. To overcome these challenges, the hospital pharmacies should be prepared with an efficient Pharmacy management software. The usage of such tools however does not guarantee an error free solution always but helps the hospitals adhere to regular compliance and reduce the risk of emergencies.
Advantages of a Hospital Pharmacy Software
Medication order entry and verification systems: These are systems that allow pharmacists to enter, review, and verify medication orders electronically, using standardised formats, protocols, and alerts. These systems can help reduce medication errors by eliminating handwritten prescriptions, detecting potential errors, and providing relevant information and guidance.As per a report published in the National Library of Medicine, Hospital pharmacies dispense an average of 3.5 million doses per year, equivalent to roughly 9,500 doses per day. That’s enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool with medication bottles!
Real-time inventory tracking and alerts: Pharmacy softwares allow pharmacists to monitor and manage the inventory of medications and devices, using barcode scanning, RFID tagging, or other technologies. These systems can help prevent drug shortages by providing real-time data on stock levels, expiration dates, and usage patterns, as well as generating alerts and reports on supply and demand.
Clinical decision support tools: The system provides pharmacists with evidence-based recommendations and feedback on medication therapy, using clinical guidelines, algorithms, or databases. These tools can help optimize medication regimens by suggesting the most appropriate, effective, and safe medications, doses, and schedules for each patient, as well as identifying potential problems or opportunities for improvement.
Automated dispensing systems: These are systems that allow pharmacists to dispense medications and devices automatically, using robots, carousels, or cabinets. These systems can help improve efficiency and accuracy by reducing manual tasks, saving time and space, and ensuring the right medication and device for the right patient at the right time.
Enhanced dispensing accuracy: The solution helps hospital pharmacists verify and validate prescriptions, calculate doses, and label and package medicines and medical devices. It can also help them track and record the dispensing history and status of each patient. This can reduce dispensing errors, improve patient safety, and ensure compliance with legal and ethical requirements.
Increased productivity and efficiency: With the help of pharmacy management software, hospital pharmacists can automate and simplify their routine tasks, such as data entry, billing, and reporting. It can also help them integrate and communicate with other systems and departments, such as electronic health records, laboratory, radiology, and billing. This can save time, reduce workload, and improve workflow and coordinations.
Better decision making and quality improvement: Pharmacy management software can help hospital pharmacists collect and analyze data and information on various aspects of their pharmacy practice, such as drug utilization, drug costs, drug outcomes, and patient satisfaction. It can also help them generate and access reports and dashboards that can provide insights and feedback on their performance and progress. This can help them identify and address gaps, issues, and opportunities for improvement, and enhance the quality and value of their pharmacy services.
Also Read: 5 Ways Hospital Billing Software Can Save You Money
Wrapping Up
Hospital pharmacies are essential for providing safe and effective medication therapy for hospitalized patients, as well as for supporting other healthcare services and activities. However, hospital pharmacies also face many challenges and complexities that require innovative and efficient solutions. Pharmacy management software is the perfect solution for hospital pharmacies that want to improve their performance and quality of care.
If you are interested in learning more about our software and how it can transform your hospital pharmacy operations, please contact us today for enquiry or a free demo.
Understanding IPD vs OPD | Difference Between IPD and OPD
Most of us have come across the terms IPD and OPD in the context of hospitals. Although they may seem similar, these are actually two different departments within a hospital offering different types of medical services to the patients. But, What exactly is the difference between IPD and OPD? Moreover, how does a robust Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) efficiently manage IPD and OPD?
What is IPD?
IPD Full Form: Inpatient Department
IPD refers to the section of a hospital where patients are admitted for at least 24 hours or more. IPD patients require constant medical supervision and care, and they usually have serious or chronic conditions. These patients occupy beds in wards, rooms, or intensive care units (ICUs).
What is OPD?
OPD Full Form: Outpatient Department
OPD refers to the section of a hospital where patients visit for consultation, diagnosis, and treatment. OPD patients do not require admission or overnight stay, and they usually have minor or acute conditions. OPD patients are seen by doctors in clinics, laboratories, or radiology departments.
Difference Between IPD and OPD
The main difference between IPD and OPD is that IPD patients are admitted and stay in the hospital for treatment, while OPD patients visit the hospital for consultation and leave after treatment. Some other differences are:
Departments | IPD | OPD |
Full Form | Inpatient Department | Outpatient Department |
Hospital Stay | More than 24 hours | Less than 24 hours |
Admission Required | Yes | No |
Treatment Intensity | Intensive and complex | Less intensive and complex |
Monitoring Frequency | Continuous | Intermittent |
Cost | Higher | Lower |
Services | Comprehensive medical care, including room and board, nursing care, physician visits, diagnostic tests, medications, and treatment procedures | Consultations with doctors and specialists, diagnostic tests, minor procedures and treatments, immunizations, and prescriptions for medications |
HMIS Focus | Bed management, clinical workflow, medication management | Appointment scheduling, registration, laboratory and imaging workflows, patient portals |
- IPD patients require constant medical supervision and care, while OPD patients require occasional or periodic medical attention.
- IPD patients usually have serious or chronic conditions, while OPD patients usually have minor or acute conditions.
- IPD patients occupy beds in wards, rooms, or ICUs, while OPD patients are seen by doctors in clinics, laboratories, or radiology departments.
Importance of HMIS in IPD and OPD Management
In today’s competitive healthcare landscape, efficient IPD and OPD management is crucial for optimising patient care, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring financial sustainability. HMIS plays a vital role in achieving these goals by:
- Improving patient satisfaction: HMIS reduces wait times, enhances communication, and provides patients with greater control over their healthcare journey.
You can determine the importance of patient satisfaction as shown in Becker’s Healthcare scores which showcases a 0.17% increment in hospital revenues for every 1% increase in patient satisfaction score.
- Optimising resource utilisation: HMIS data helps hospitals allocate resources efficiently, reducing waste and improving cost-effectiveness.
- Enhancing data-driven decision-making: HMIS provides valuable insights into patient demographics, treatment outcomes, and operational performance, enabling informed decision-making.
- Ensuring compliance with regulations:HMIS helps hospitals comply with various healthcare regulations and standards.
- Improving communication and collaboration:HMIS facilitates seamless communication between healthcare professionals, streamlining patient care delivery.
Also Read- What is HMIS & Why Every Hospital Should Have An HMIS
How does HMIS help you manage IPD?
A hospital management information system (HMIS) is a system that automates and streamlines the administrative and clinical processes of a hospital. It can help you manage IPD effectively by:
- Registering and admitting patients: An HMIS can capture the basic details of a patient, such as name, age, gender, address, contact number, medical history, etc. It can also assign a unique identification number and a bed number to each patient. This helps to avoid duplication and confusion and to track the patient’s progress throughout the stay.
- Managing beds and wards: An HMIS can display the availability and occupancy of beds and wards in real time. It can also help you allocate and transfer beds according to the patient’s condition and preference. This helps to optimise the utilisation of resources and to improve patient satisfaction.
- Scheduling and performing surgeries: An HMIS can help you plan and execute surgeries efficiently. It can help you book operation theatres, arrange equipment and staff, record preoperative and postoperative details, monitor vital signs, and generate bills and reports. This helps to reduce errors and delays and to enhance patient safety and quality of care.
- Improving medication management: With the help of HMIS, the administration of medicine becomes more efficient and reliable. The system allows the doctors to set a schedule for each patient’s medication and send it to the nursing station. HMIS also provides reminders to the nurses about the dosage and timing of the medicine.
- Generating comprehensive reports: HMIS provides insightful data on patient demographics, diagnoses, treatment outcomes, and resource utilisation, enabling data-driven decision-making.
- Billing and accounting: An HMIS helps you generate and print bills, invoices, receipts, and statements for the medical services and facilities used by IPD patients. It helps you connect with the payment gateways and insurance companies to facilitate online and offline payments to the patients.
How does HMIS help you manage OPD?
A hospital management information system (HMIS) can help you manage OPD effectively by:
- Booking and confirming appointments: An HMIS can help you schedule and confirm appointments for OPD patients. It can also help you send reminders and notifications to the patients and the doctors, and to handle cancellations and rescheduling. This helps to reduce no-shows and waiting time and to improve patient convenience and satisfaction.As per a report published in Accenture Digital Health Consumer Survey 2020, 70% of patients prefer medical providers who use emails and text messages for preventive and follow-up care.
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR): One of the crucial features of HMIS is the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system, which enables you to digitally store and retrieve medical records of OPD patients. EMR includes information such as prescriptions, test results, reports and other clinical data. It also allows the admin to share and update the data with other departments of the hospital, and to access it remotely and securely. This enhances data security and availability and supports the diagnosis and treatment facilities.
- Prescribing and dispensing medicines: An HMIS can help you prescribe and dispense medicines to OPD patients. It can also help you check the availability and expiry of the medicines, and to order and manage the inventory. This helps to avoid stock-outs and wastage and to ensure the quality and safety of the medicines. HMIS helps automate prescription writing, ensuring proper dosage and reducing medication errors.
- Enhancing laboratory and imaging workflows: HMIS facilitates seamless integration with laboratory equipment and imaging devices, ensuring rapid delivery of test results and reports.
- Providing patient portals and telemedicine: Secure online portals allow patients to access their medical records, schedule appointments, and communicate with doctors through video calls or chats.
FAQs – Difference between IPD and OPD
What is IPD also known as ?
IPD stands for In-Patient Department. It is also known as inpatient service or inpatient care.
Can I get my bills reimbursed in IPD ?
Yes, you can get your IPD bills reimbursed if you have taken valid health insurance and follow the claim process. Note that your hospital should be supporting the concerned TPA.
What is OPD also known as?
OPD stands for Outpatient Department. It is also known as Outpatient Service or Outpatient Care.
Can I get my bills reimbursed in OPD ?
Some health insurance plans provide the facility for OPD treatment, but, in general, OPD bills are not reimbursed.
What is the conversion rate from OPD to IPD ?
The conversion rate from OPD to IPD is the percentage of patients who visit the outpatient department (OPD) of a hospital and are advised to get admitted to the inpatient department (IPD) for further treatment, and who opt for admission.
According to IJNRD, the typical OPD to IPD conversion rate for Indian hospitals ranges from 10% to 15%.
Wrapping Up
IPD and OPD are two important sections of a hospital that cater to different types of patients and their needs. A hospital management software (HMIS) can help you manage IPD and OPD effectively and efficiently, and to deliver quality and safe care to the patients.
We provide a comprehensive and customized HMIS that can suit your specific requirements and budget. We can help you transform your hospital into a smart and digital hospital. Contact us today for more information and a free Demo.
5 Ways Hospital Billing Software Can Save You Money
Hospital billing softwares deals with automating the process of generating, sending, and collecting invoices for medical services. It can help hospitals save money by reducing errors, improving efficiency, and increasing revenue. Here are five ways how hospital billing software can benefit your hospital.
1. Gain insights and improve performance
You need to get the big picture. This is one of the key aspects that decides your growth and your business. A Hospital billing software can help you analyze your data and measure your performance by:
- Providing dashboards and reports to track and visualize your key performance indicators (KPIs).
- Offering benchmarks and comparisons to evaluate your performance against industry standards and best practices.
- Enabling data-driven decision making and strategic planning to improve your processes and outcomes.
- Identifying trends and opportunities to grow your business and increase your profitability.
According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, data-driven organizations are 23 times more likely to acquire customers, have 6x customer retention, and are 19x more likely to be profitable. By using hospital billing software, you can leverage your data and improve your performance.
2. Ensure security and compliance
You ensure security and compliance. Since medical data is of utmost importance and critical, these softwares are designed to help you protect your data and comply with various laws and regulations by:
- Encrypting and backing up your data to prevent unauthorized access and data loss.
- Implementing role-based access and audit trails to monitor and control user activity.
- Following the standards and requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), and other relevant authorities.
- Providing support and updates to keep your software up to date with latest compliance laws and regulations.
According to a report by IBM, the average cost of a data breach in the healthcare industry is $7.13 million, the highest among all industries. By using hospital billing software, you can avoid the risks and costs of data breaches and non-compliance.
3. Reduce errors and claim denials
One of the major challenges of hospital billing is to ensure accuracy and compliance with various rules and regulations. A single mistake or omission can result in a claim denial, which means lost revenue and wasted time. Hospital billing software can help you reduce errors and claim denials by:
- Validating data and checking for errors before submitting claims.
- Updating codes and rules automatically to comply with the latest standards.
- Providing alerts and reminders for missing or incomplete information.
- Generating reports and analytics to identify and correct common errors.
According to a study by the American Medical Association, claim denial rates can go as high as 35.2%, depending on the payer and the specialty. By using hospital billing software, you can lower your claim denial rate and increase your revenue.
4. Improve efficiency and productivity
Another way hospital billing software can help you save money is by improving efficiency and productivity. Manual billing can be time-consuming and labour-intensive, requiring a lot of paperwork and human intervention. Hospital billing software can help you streamline and automate your billing workflow by:
Integrating with your electronic health record (EHR) system and other software to share data and avoid duplication.
- Generating invoices,payment reminders and statements automatically and scheduling them to patients and payers.
- Processing payments and reconciling accounts faster and easier.
- Reducing staff workload and allowing them to focus on more important tasks.
According to a report by the Healthcare Financial Management Association, automating hospital billing can reduce the cost per claim by 40% to 60%.
5. Increase revenue and cash flow
Hospital billing software can help you save money by increasing revenue and cash flow. The software can help you optimize your revenue cycle management (RCM) by:
A recent study by AKASA found hospitals could slash your bill collecting costs by as much as 20%.
Finding the Right Hospital Billing Software
Whether it’s a small, medium or large hospital, effective billing is a significant concern. Aarogya Hospital Billing Software by Dataman is among India’s leading hospital billing softwares. Consult with our experts and get a free Demo today.
Wrapping Up
As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, the role of hospital billing software becomes increasingly paramount. By embracing this transformative technology, healthcare providers can navigate the complexities of medical billing with greater efficiency, accuracy, and transparency, ensuring financial sustainability and fostering patient satisfaction.
Top 12 Features to Look for in a Hospital Management System
If you fall into any one of these categories:
- Currently managing a hospital and want to digitise your workflow.
- Have recently started up a new venture in the healthcare industry.
- Are not satisfied with existing hospital solutions and are looking for better alternatives.
This article is probably suited for you. It discusses modern practices to help you manage your everyday operations digitally and distribute the workload of your resources efficiently through a hospital management system(HMS).
In this blog post, we will discuss 12 essential features in a hospital management system that can bring more productivity to your hospital. (On a side note, a HMS can reduce your operational costs by up to 50%.) But, before we dive deeper into the features of the Hospital Management System, let’s discuss what a HMS is.
Also Read: What is HMIS? Difference between HMIS and HIMS? Benefits of HMIS
What is a Hospital Management System (HMS)?
Hospital management system (HMS) is an integrated software solution that helps hospitals to manage their day-to-day operations. It typically includes modules for patient records, appointments, billing, inventory, payroll, pharmacy, laboratory etc. thus giving you an overall packaged solution to manage your healthcare business.
HMS can help hospitals:
- Improve efficiency by automating tasks and reducing manual processes.
- Reduce costs by optimising resource utilisation and eliminating waste.
- Improve patient care by providing practitioners with access to real-time patient information and enabling better coordination of care.
Features to Look for in a Hospital Management System (HMS)
1. Patient Appointment and Registration:
In the landscape of modern healthcare, the procedure of booking an appointment as a patient or registering a patient into the hospital is a cakewalk.
Patient Appointment:
Based on availability of your doctors it allows you to schedule your patient’s appointments. Furthermore, if there are changes in your plan, you can cancel or reschedule appointments after which a notification will be sent to the respective authorities (here doctors and patients). Thus, making the entire process real time and automated. These smart systems also send reminders through emails or SMS/WhatsApp so your patient never misses an appointment. This increases the turn around rate of your patients and saves a lot of time for your doctors.
Online Appointment Booking System in Aarogya Hospital Management Software
At first glance it seems how significant the outcomes can be with online patient registration. Well, this stat from the 2019 Accenture survey might change your perspective. About 70 percent of patients choose providers who send emails or text messages when it’s time for preventive or follow-up care.
As per another Appointment Scheduling Statistics (published by Financeonline.com), 42% of patients and 60% of healthcare professionals prefer online appointment booking as it encourages them to follow up informatively.
Patient Registration :
Whenever a new patient signs up, their information gets saved, with a unique registration ID (UID). All future EHR (Electronic Health Records) will be linked to this UID.
Particularly for the healthcare industry of India:
Some software solutions like Aarogya HMS can take you a step further by providing direct and seamless integration to ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Record) platform. This integration enables the secure and convenient transfer of patient medical records between the hospital’s database and the ABHA portal, making them accessible from anywhere and anytime.
2. OPD/Day Care Management
OPD or Out Patient Department is one of the busiest places of a hospital and its management is essential to save cost and increase productivity of your medical staff. It is recommended that consultants have a dedicated dashboard to schedule appointments or handle walk-ins. Since the number of patients visiting is typically high, these dashboards ensure prevention of any human error and give them authority to control the workflow.
Modern day softwares even provides specialised prescriptions based on patient needs. A doctor can create templates for particular common epidemic diseases like dengue, malaria, covid-19, etc and can save time without needing to type the prescription.
These templates reduce the appointment consultation time by 10%.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine shows Of 55,992 new prescriptions, 532 (0.95%) contained inconsistent communication, leading to hazardous medical emergencies, thus saving hospital its precious time.
A good HMS also manages procedures like dialysis, chemotherapy, and physiotherapy, ensuring timely care. It seamlessly links with outpatient billing, streamlining the process. It interfaces with the queue management system, reducing wait times and enhancing the overall patient experience.
3. IPD Management
This system efficiently handles admissions, transfers and discharge of patients within the hospital. It’s not just about paperwork; it simplifies patient care from the get-go.
When patients are admitted, their initial assessments and medical observations get recorded, making sure every detail is on record for the best care possible. Plus, the system allows for package allocation, simplifying the management of different care plans and services. At discharge a patient gets a comprehensive discharge summary, ensuring a clear transition before leaving the hospital.
Critical reports like bed occupancy analysis, makes it an invaluable tool for hospital management, providing insights into bed utilisation and giving accurate forecasting for you to grow your business.
5. Operation Theatre (OT) Management
HMS solution efficiently schedules surgeries based on both availability and priority, ensuring that critical surgeries are prioritised while considering all aspects.
Before surgeries, the system handles preoperative assessments like maintaining anaesthesia records, any analgesic administration, medications administered, etc thus giving a comprehensive patient history for a smooth and safe surgical experience. Additionally, the inclusion of digitised multilingual consent forms ensures clear communication between medical staff and patients, regardless of language barriers.
During surgeries, the system records detailed surgical notes about the proceedings of the operation. This ensures a well-documented and organised surgical process, contributing to safer and more efficient patient care
Sterilisation Management and Inventory: Comprehensive HMS like Aarogya, provides linking of sterilisation with inventory. This gives a real time update about current medical facilities in the hospital and helps in preventing any shortages of equipment by raising timely alerts.
6. Laboratory & Radiology Management
Streamlines patients coming from in-house consultation or referential consultation.
It manages sample collection and generates barcodes, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in sample tracking. This simplifies the process for patients and staff, minimising errors and enhancing overall patient care.
Once samples are collected, the system efficiently prepares test reports, making the information readily available for medical staff and patients. It doesn’t stop there; it meticulously tracks the consumption of reagents and films, ensuring a smooth supply chain within the laboratory.
Moreover, the system seamlessly integrates with laboratory machines, fostering a harmonious connection between technology and healthcare. For eg. Aarogya can currently be integrated with 100+ machines from more than 40 different manufacturers.
The lab integration removes any manual errors from the tedious process of Data entry while helping you process samples for more clients. On average these integrations help you scale your clientele by 3 times.
7. Purchase & Inventory Management
Your hospital can have multiple stores. Linking them to nursing stations, theatres, and other departments to streamline the flow of supplies across the hospital is a big task in itself. The HMIS tools can do this for you.
In real-time, the system enables requests for stocks from various sub-stores and oversees their disposal, ensuring that necessary supplies are readily available and eliminating unnecessary stockpiling.
Moreover, it streamlines the ordering and billing processes, optimising the administrative aspects of managing inventory. The system handles approval management, ensuring that the right protocols are followed for stock requests, orders, and disposals, maintaining a transparent, structured and controlled inventory system within the hospital.
8. Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Management
Hospital management system software maintains record of patient files and their storage locations, ensuring easy access to crucial medical information when needed.
Moreover, it oversees the movement of patient files across various hospital departments. It takes care of the sharing of information among different sections, ensuring that all involved in a patient’s care have access to the necessary records. This enhances communication and coordination, ultimately leading to more comprehensive and effective patient care.
Compliance:
NABH offers accreditation to healthcare organisations on a voluntary basis. The accreditation process involves a comprehensive assessment of the organisation’s infrastructure, processes, and outcomes.
There are a number of NABH compliance requirements that healthcare organisations must meet in order to be accredited. These requirements are based on international best practices and are designed to ensure that healthcare organisations provide safe and high-quality care. Your HMS easily takes care of your NABH credentials and gives you a single point access to all records.
Also Read: How Hospital Management Information System Can Improve Your Administration
9. Payroll Management
One pivotal benefit of a Hospital Management System is its payroll management. This system efficiently handles the complex task of managing payroll for the diverse staff within the hospital.
Linking it with your attendance tracking system can make your life simpler. It ensures accurate and timely payment to employees, encompassing various aspects such as salary calculations, deductions, allowances, and bonuses. The system maintains detailed records of employee information, making the payroll process smooth and error-free.
Moreover, it aids in compliance with labour regulations and tax requirements, ensuring that the hospital meets all legal standards and maintains a fair and transparent payroll system for its employees.
10. Pharmacy Management
A significant advantage of a Hospital Management System is its comprehensive management of medication across the healthcare facility. This system efficiently accepts requisitions of medicines from different departments, ensuring a smooth flow of pharmaceutical supplies.
It meticulously manages medicine stocks based on various parameters like company, batch, category, specific drug, and generic types, ensuring an organised and efficient inventory system.
Once requisitions are received, the system handles the distribution of medicines from the nearest possible store to patients and wards, streamlining the process and ensuring that patients receive the necessary medications in a timely manner.
With timely alerts for expiring medicines, expired medications can be promptly identified and removed from the inventory, maintaining the safety and efficacy of the supplies.
To get analysis of sales and insights into medication sales and trends you can use detailed ABC/FSN/XYZ analysis reports.
Additionally, the system ensures GST compliance, adhering to taxation regulations, and ensuring that the hospital’s medication operations meet the required financial and legal standards.
11. Financial Accounts
HMS integrates with billing departments to provide a seamless flow of financial data, including information on the general ledger, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. This integration enables hospitals to generate key reports that offer statistical details essential for informed decision-making. These reports provide insights into the hospital’s financial landscape, aiding in strategic planning and resource allocation.
Furthermore, HMS efficiently generates the final book of accounts, offering a comprehensive financial overview. This capability ensures accuracy and transparency in financial records, contributing to the smooth functioning and financial health of the hospital.
12. Emergency/Ambulance Management
Efficient emergency response is crucial for hospitals. Hospital management systems (HMS) can save labour intensive jobs in emergency/ambulance management by scheduling ambulances, tracking daily usage, scheduling maintenance, managing patient information, allocating care packages, handling billing and discharge, generating discharge summaries, and analysing bed occupancy.
You get an accurate estimate of the number of vehicles you have, their current position and based on their availability an immediate response can be given to any emergency. Since the billing is taken care of by the software itself, you can use the precious time of your resources effectively.
In this blog, We’ve explored the features of hospital management software. To discover the key functions of an effective hospital management system.
Wrapping Up
The Hospital Management System is the heartbeat of modern healthcare, weaving together every aspect of a patient’s journey. From scheduling appointments to handling emergencies and managing records, it’s the system powering efficient patient care.
The system ensures that patients get the right care at the right time. It helps hospitals run smoothly, managing everything from medicines to finances while keeping a close eye on patient well-being.
What is HMIS & Why Every Hospital Should Have An HMIS
Exponential technological advancements have changed the way we work, live and interact, especially in the healthcare industry over the past 15 to 20 years. We have entered into a new era of how hospitals manage information, streamline operations and increase profitability. Hospitals and medical practitioners are relying on HMIS software to help them efficiently manage business aspects and day-to-day operations. In this article, we will discuss what is HMIS, the importance of HMIS, functions and uses of HMIS in detail.
HMIS Full Form | Difference between HMIS and HIMS
The terms “HMIS” and “HIMS” are widely used in the healthtech industry. They are often used interchangeably and are almost similar to one another. HMIS stands for “Hospital Management Information System”. On the other hand, HIMS stands for “Hospital Information Management Software”. These systems manage the accurate records of patients history, their treatments, reports, appointments and much more. Basically, these softwares are a hub of information and data for a hospital which can be used to digitise the operations at a hospital.
What is HMIS in Healthcare
Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) is a comprehensive software solution designed to empower hospitals and healthcare institutions to efficiently manage all aspects of a hospital’s operations. It helps digitising the different operations including medical, administrative, finance, legal, etc.
Introduced in 1960, HMIS software has significantly evolved over the years to improve the patient care while minimising the operating cost and maximising the revenue.
Importance of Hospital Management Information System (HMIS)
As per the Journal of Medical System HMIS systems help reduce medication administration errors by 50% to 80%. HMIS systems have made significant contributions in the development of healthcare infrastructure. These systems optimise the complex and confidential management of paperwork across all of the departments of the hospital.
HMIS helps the healthcare institutions and hospitals to track the level of patient satisfaction score, their readmission rates, and how often they are being infected. This crucial data is very useful to identify current pain points in a hospital and help it identify emergencies efficiently.
Hospital management information system (HMIS)-
- Manages the entire operations of the hospital and improves efficiency.
- Ensures smooth flow of information within departments.
- Improves quality of services and effectiveness.
- Automates processes thus reducing manpower.
- Easier health data assessments improve patient care and satisfaction
Benefits of HMIS Software
We have listed a few key benefits of having a HMIS in a healthcare institution :
A Single Hub for Patient Information
An average of 5 papers/records are created in a hospital for each Out-Patient/ In-Patient visit. From the admission of a patient to its discharge, there’s a lot of paperwork involved in the process of the treatment. One of the major problems is to keep this data organised at one place for future use and derive useful insights. Integration of HMIS in any healthcare institution works as a single hub for patient information. It enables medical representatives to access patients’ entire history instantly with just a few clicks.
Security and Compliance of Data
Data generated at a hospital is of utmost importance to the patients. The data not only should be organised but also, should be super secure as it contains vitals, details and insights of an individual’s day to day curriculum. As per the reports published by Economic Times, 60% of healthcare organisations have witnessed a cyber attack and have been affected by it. A robust HMIS software system keeps the data and information secure from any kind of unauthorised access from hackers, spammers and other potential threats.
Resource Management Done Right
Resource management is a crucial part of any hospital or institution as it affects the efficiency and productivity of the organisation. Whether it is inventory control, minimising wastes, averting shortages, or appointing duties, HMIS system manages all resources efficiently. Improved resource management guarantees the growth of the organisation.
According to the National Library of Medicine, an HIMS system improves the performance of the staff by 64.42% and this can go up to 81.85% in the case of an HMIS developed with proper strategy.
IMPACT OF HIS ON MEDICAL STAFF WORK EFFICIENCY BY AGE GROUP
Information Based on Data
The data gathered from patients, doctors, pharmacists, and visitors is of utmost importance. It serves as the foundation for making well-informed decisions, recognizing trends, understanding patient behaviours, and determining the necessary steps for enhancing the quality of healthcare services
Empowering Patients
The system is beneficial not only for the hospitals but also for the patients. The patient portal enables them to login, book appointments, consult doctors online, check and download their reports, prescriptions etc. So, patients are more engaged and directly in touch with the doctors thus enabling a better patient experience.
The National Library of Medicine study shows that among 5641 patients those who used the online booking service were more satisfied(by 21%) and had shorter waiting times than those who used the usual queuing method.
Integration of Telehealth
A major increase came in the telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic and it became a new normal after that. An HMIS solution provides the facility of telehealth services to interact and consult patients online via video conferencing. It is a boon for the patients who are located in the remote areas and could not come to hospitals.
An insight on report by McKinsey & Company shows the growth in telemedicine usage peaked during 2020 (because of onset of COVID) and was still 38x higher in 2021 post COVID.
Cost Savings
The amount of time saved by a good HMIS for hospital staff and patients helps in generating additional revenue for the hospitals. It reduces the unnecessary to and fro of resources and overall cuts down the cost incurred to the hospital administration by 80%. The challenges are mainly in the implementation of the software around the hospital and getting the staff accustomed with the modern methods. But the ROI is much greater than the implementation cost.
What are the Functions of an HMIS Software?
An HMIS system can be a complex software solution. Thus, for ease of implementation and to fulfil the specific requirements of clients, it is divided into different modules. Following is a list of modules used frequently by hospitals:
- Patient Registration
- Appointment scheduling
- Daycare/Emergency
- OPD Management
- IPD Management
- OT Management
- TPA Management
- Sterilisation Management
- Pathology Software
- Pharmacy Software
- LIS : Laboratory Information System
- RIS : Radiology Information System
- Inventory Management
- Payroll Management
- Finance and Accounting
- H.M.I.S. Reports
- Blood Bank Management
- Radiology Software
How HMIS helps Hospitals Deal with Patients
Quick & Accurate Patient Registration:
A HMIS solution enables hospitals to quickly register patients and collect accurate information, such as address, contact details, and insurance information.
Electronic Health Record Management:
HMIS manages and keeps the electronic health records (EHRs) of the patients. The patient can check and download their information such as medical history, test results, and treatment plans as and when they are required. With these records, the doctors can assess the patients and diagnose them in an efficient manner.
Reduced Waiting Time:
Patients and doctors can easily coordinate and schedule appointments as per their convenience. The slots get reserved and patients can avail a real time notification about their estimated waiting time before diagnosis.
Telemedicine & Remote Consultation:
Patients can avail the facility of telemedicine and remote consultation if they cannot meet 1:1 with the doctors. This saves a lot of time for doctors as well as for the patients.
How HMIS helps Hospitals Manage its Operations
Inventory Management :
The inventory of a hospital generally comprises medical tools, medicines, hospital room inventories and other devices. These devices and equipment need proper sterilisation and servicing. HMIS takes care of the service reminders and allows the hospital to never run out of equipment while working for its patients. It intimidates the management staff or the pharmacy managers about the slightest of alerts and ensures that the medicines have not reached their expiry.
Employee Payroll :
HMIS provides a centralised database of employee information that helps hospitals manage staff schedules, attendance, salary, benefits distributions, leave and work hours efficiently.
Performance Evaluations:
HMIS facilitates performance evaluations facility and tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs) for staff members. Down the line, these performance metrics indicate hospitals where they can improve in future and what all areas need immediate attention.
On-call Staff Management:
It enables hospitals to manage on-call staff in case of any emergencies. It keeps a track of the TAT (Turn Around Time) for any operation/task and gives hospitals a deeper insight into the daily activity.
Example of HMIS
Developed by Dataman Computer Systems, Aarogya is one of the most popular HMIS software in India known for its top-notch features and integration capabilities that allow healthcare facilities to seamlessly share data. It offers features for patient records, billing, scheduling, payroll, inventory, pharmacy, radiology, blood bank and more.
The software comes with on-cloud hosting services. The on-cloud solution is recommended for hospitals with 100+ beds.
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Wrapping Up
Every hospital has different needs and requirements, so it is very crucial to identify pain areas and search for a robust HMIS software solution matching your specific requirements. Given the benefits and features, a hospital management system is the best digital tool to speed up your work, maximise your hospital’s output, utilise your resources and expedite growth