By The Get Well Team
In today’s healthcare environment, effective Emergency Department (ED) management is critical for improving patient care and reducing operational costs.
By leveraging advanced technology such as predictive analytics, care coordination systems, and patient engagement tools, hospitals can streamline ED workflows, reduce overcrowding, and enhance overall patient experiences.
These three tech trends are transforming how healthcare providers deliver care, offering powerful solutions to the growing challenges faced in the ED.
1. Predictive Analytics for Early Admission Identification
Predictive analytics has emerged as a powerful tool for improving hospital operations, particularly in the ED. Predictive analytics is the use of data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data.
By analyzing data from various sources—including patient records, demographics, and clinical data—hospitals can develop models that predict which patients are likely to require admission upon arrival at the ED.
For example, healthcare professionals at Brown University used advanced predictive analytics modeling to improve the accuracy of ED volume predictions.1
By implementing predictive analytics, hospitals can expedite the admission process, ensuring that necessary procedures and resources are in place before the patient even sees a doctor.
2. Coordinate and Integrate Systems to Manage ED Workflows
AI-driven triage and care-coordination is becoming essential for managing ED patient care more efficiently. AI-driven triage and care coordination use artificial intelligence to assess patient conditions, prioritize care based on urgency, and streamline communication between healthcare teams to ensure timely, appropriate treatment and resource allocation.
By prioritizing patients based on the severity of their conditions, triage systems enable staff to focus on the most critical cases first, helping to reduce overcrowding and improve patient outcomes.
By ensuring real-time data is integrated from electronic health records (EHRs), specialists and primary care clinicians can access patient histories, providing care more quickly and reducing redundant tests and treatments.
For example, a U.S. healthcare provider implemented systems that automatically notify primary care teams when one of their patients is admitted to the ED. This real-time information sharing allows care coordination to begin as soon as a patient checks into the ED.2
By implementing AI-driven triage and care-coordination tools, hospitals can expedite the clinical process, ensuring that the patient moves through the ED efficiently.
3. Digital Patient Engagement Reduces Costs and Readmissions
A key challenge in reducing ED readmissions is ensuring that patients remain engaged with their care plans after discharge. One effective method to improve patient engagement is through mobile health technology that allows patients to stay connected with their care teams even after leaving the hospital.
Mobile communication technology, like automated text messages, can remind patients to follow up with their primary care providers, complete prescribed treatment plans, and refill their prescriptions, ensuring continuity of care and preventing future ED visits.
For example, a Southern California health system partnered with Get Well to enhance its emergency department (ED) operations and improve patient engagement. With over 146,000 annual ED visits, they needed a solution to better manage patient flow, improve follow-up care, and boost pharmacy utilization.
Get Well implemented a mobile-first patient engagement platform that delivered real-time communication from the waiting room to discharge. This personalized approach included setting clear expectations for patients, providing care team information, and offering on-site prescription services to boost adherence and pharmacy revenue. As a result, the health system reached 3 times more patients, increased text engagement by 29%, and saw a 25% boost in prescription orders.
The emergency department (ED) care transition journey is crucial in ensuring that patients receive timely, continuous, and effective care.
By integrating technology solutions into the ED, healthcare providers can streamline the process from the moment patients are admitted. Learn how our comprehensive approach can benefit your ED operations.
Learn more about how Get Well uses technology to engage patients in the Emergency Room and beyond.
- https://westjem.com/articles/the-accuracy-of-predictive-analytics-in-forecasting-emergency-department-volume-before-and-after-onset-of-covid-19.html ↩︎
- https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/media/document/aco-casestudy-reliance ↩︎
