A Guide to Using Healthcare Case Management Software to Audit Your Patient Care Program
If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you’ve probably already realized that having good healthcare case management software, such as Social Solutions ETO Software, is an important best practice for your organization.
But once you’ve selected your software system, you may be wondering, now what?
One of the most important steps after implementing this kind of technology tool is to first take stock of the current state of your patient care program. Finding out where you are is the key to being able to track and share improvements over time.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the key areas you will want to think about auditing and then dive deep into some of the recommended best practices. So whether you’re just starting out with healthcare case management software or looking to revamp your organization’s auditing practices, keep reading to learn more.
Metrics that Matter
Running a patient care program of any kind is a huge undertaking and involves a lot of moving pieces, so how do you know which ones are most important for your organization to evaluate?
Good question. While every organization will have different needs, here are some of our suggestions:
Patient Outcomes – Regardless of what sector of the healthcare industry you’re in, creating positive outcomes for your patients is a top priority, and one of the most important things to begin evaluating when you’ve got your healthcare case management software in place.
Employee Activity – Good patient outcomes are of primary importance, but even if your outcomes are good, it’s important to understand how much effort your employees are putting in. Measuring productivity can help your organization better understand staffing needs and how to allocate resources in order to produce the best possible outcomes for your patients.
File management – Administrative tasks, such as file management, are some of the most frustrating parts of the healthcare industry, so having solutions to these kinds of challenges can be extremely powerful. Utilizing case management software to help address your file management challenges is complex. However, it is important in learning how to best collaborate with healthcare plans, providers of specialty or primary care, certified case managers and more.
Best Practices for Using Your Healthcare Case Management Software
So now that you have a better idea of what to delve into first, how do you actually use these resources effectively and implement some best practices? While there’s no one right way to make your healthcare case management software work for you, here are some ideas.
Employ a certified case manager – Software can do a lot, but it’s only as smart as the people using it. That’s why a certified case manager, or CCM, implementing case management best practices can play a critical role in effective utilization of your case management software, helping translate its power and potential into positive patient experiences.
Think about both the macro and the micro – Case management software can play a number of roles in an organization, from coordinating an individual’s care across providers at the micro level to helping an entire organization assess its ROI at the macro end of the scale. Ignoring either side of the equation means not effectively harnessing the full power of the technology at your disposal.
Focus on patient outcomes – Sometimes an HMO or other healthcare providers will use the term case management and managed care interchangeably. However, while managed care focuses on reducing the need for health services, case management focuses on getting the right services to the patient at the right time and in the right combinations. By focusing on creating positive outcomes for those in our patient care programs, we can make sure we are using these resources to help us achieve our ultimate goals.
Your healthcare case management software can do a lot of things, but what it can’t do on its own is decide what to prioritize or how to make decisions that best benefit your patients, your employees and your organization as a whole. But with a focus on best practices and continued education and improvement, you can ensure that you will continue to provide excellent service for many years to come.
