Industries
Health Care
Knowledge Solutions International believes strongly that technology should never interfere with saving lives. Our goal as an established partner of the medical industry is to facilitate up to date training and solutions advising to your healthcare organization.
Our principals have delivered training to numerous healthcare systems and hospitals. We work on case by case basis with your organization to identify the best ways to train your staff. We are well versed in delivering training for HIPAA as well as maintaining security and confidentiality in records management.
As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, we have access to the certain programs and software before it is released to ready staff with upgrades and other new technologies.
» For more information, please contact us at 888-545-0010 or email info@trainwithksi.com
- » Hospitals
- » Managed Healthcare
- » Outpatient Surgical Centers
- » Physician Offices
- » Rehab Therapy Practices
Hospitals
About 6,500 hospitals operate in the US with combined annual revenues close to $500 billion. The majority of hospitals are tax-exempt entities operated by charities or government agencies; only about 1,400 are operated by for-profit companies. US personal consumption expenditures for hospitals are forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 5.3 percent between 2007 and 2012.
Before healthcare costs exploded, many hospitals were managed without regard for cost containment. New federal regulations and pressure from managed care companies have forced hospitals to become more cost-efficient.
Computer systems play an important part in hospital management, largely through patient records and billing systems. Many hospitals also have computerized inventory/purchasing systems that keep inventories low. Newer applications are medical information systems that help doctors with diagnoses and treatment, and prescription systems that help prevent drug interactions and medication mistakes. Some hospitals use wireless information systems that doctors and nurses can use at bedside. Hospital equipment is often expensive and may have a short useful life because of rapid technological advances, especially in imaging systems like MRI.
Hospitals have been slow to adopt IT tools because of the expense in implementation and difficulty in managing complex medical information. The healthcare industry is behind in IT investment, spending only 2 to 3 percent of revenues, as opposed to most industries at 6 to 8 percent. Electronic Medical Records, extranets, portals, and medical research sites allow hospitals a freedom of information access never before experienced in this industry. Electronic information management could help eliminate errors and many of the hours nurses spend charting patient data.
Doctors and patients demand the latest equipment and techniques which can be very expensive. Investments in computer systems have been especially important to comply with the records regulations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and to improve clinical information flow.
Knowledge Solutions International has Solutions Advisors that specialize in working with Hospitals and healthcare. The budgets, the constant upgrading of equipment and the need for knowledge in the many rapid advances in technology require us to have staff devoted to this industry. To us, it is never about having the business – it is about helping businesses serve their customers and industries better. In this case, your business is to save lives. That is why staff is devoted to the industry.
Hospitals are responding by implementing new procedures and information systems aimed at preventing errors. Hand-held, wireless computer technology and bar-coding, updated billing systems and electronic medical record implementation are all contributing to hospitals control costs and improve the quality of care.
Electronic medical records (EMRs) hold great promise for hospitals to control costs and improve quality of care. As a result, the federal government has made widespread adoption of EMRs a national priority, and is considering incentive programs to speed adoption. However, a recent survey by the American Hospital Association on EMR use finds that most hospitals fall into the “getting started” or “low usage” groups. The most frequently cited barriers to adopting EMRs: initial and ongoing costs, interoperability with current systems, acceptance by clinical staff, and availability of well-trained IT staff.
Given the cost and impact on work processes of large-scale systems, many hospitals are taking an incremental approach to IT adoption by implementing IT systems within individual departments and planning to connect them over time. Without proper planning, integrating these department “silos” into an enterprise-wide IT system will be challenging. Also problematic will be sharing this clinical data with physician offices, laboratories, and health insurers. Adoption of industry standards by IT vendors can reduce the integration effort, and is evolving.
Knowledge Solutions International is here to help identify what will be best for your facility. We have been helping hospitals integrate IT with the proper planning for years and look forward to working with you. For more information, please call 888-545-0010 or email info@trainwithksi.com to speak with one of our Healthcare specialists.
Managed Healthcare
The US managed healthcare industry includes about 3,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $350 billion. US personal consumption expenditures on health insurance premiums, an indicator for managed healthcare services, are forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 3.1 percent between 2007 and 2012.
Computerized information and communications systems are vital to managed healthcare companies to process claims and manage records, and for statistical collection and analysis.
Most jobs in managed healthcare companies are clerical, but involve computer skills or technical knowledge of insurance products and government regulations, and are therefore fairly well-paid. The investment is made in well paid employees and to retain that investment, keeping them up to date and trained on all new software and programs is mandatory.
Healthcare providers and insurers need expert advice to stay current with regulations and considerable staff to process required forms and data.
Knowledge Solutions International has worked with large and small firms alike in instituting a training system for employees. Multiple plans are offered that employees need to know intricately. Most office functions are automated, so customer service and claims representatives are trained in computer skills and insurance products. Periodic refresher courses on applicable government regulations and publish digests of new federal legislation such as Medicare reform and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are needed.
Solution Advisors at Knowledge Solutions International have experience in setting up these refresher courses, but more importantly, indentifying the best way for this testing to be delivered. Training can be done via classroom, eLearning, Mobile labs or Live Distance Learning. We can also help your organization with adopting electronic systems and interactive websites.
Adopting electronic systems that link medical professionals and pharmacists can save time and reduce medical errors. Using electronic systems, companies can computerize patient files, enable prescriptions to be sent electronically from physicians to pharmacists, search for drug interactions and reactions, and track whether patients have bought prescribed medications.
Also very important, managed care plans use sophisticated interactive websites to lower costs and enhance member service. Such sites provide a range of advice about medical conditions and current research, in addition to administrative information, and private information specific to each member. A study by Fulcrum Analytics shows that 80 percent of Internet users want to manage their health insurance benefits online.
To speak with a Solutions Advisor about training, adopting electronic systems or website administration, please call us at 888-545-0010 or email info@trainwithksi.com.
Outpatient Surgical Centers
The outpatient and ambulatory surgical center industry in the US includes about 1,500 companies that operate 3,500 freestanding centers, with combined annual revenue close to $9 billion. A typical center has 30 employees and $5 million of annual revenue.
US personal consumption expenditures on hospitals, which includes outpatient surgical centers, are forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 5.3 percent between 2007 and 2012.
The profitability of individual centers depends on efficient operations and good marketing. Outpatient surgical centers are a lower-cost and more convenient alternative to hospitals.
ASC are implementing high-tech operating rooms (ORs) to increase productivity and attract patient referrals. Centralized OR controls combine software, hardware, and wireless technology to allow surgeons to use voice commands and touch screens to control digital cameras, lights, drills, fluid flows, and other devices. Voice-activated controls free up nurses for other duties.
Equipment pre-sets can be saved for each surgeon to speed setup times; voice and video recording allow surgeons to dictate notes while in the OR.
Ambulatory surgical centers, like all healthcare organizations, are being forced to evaluate and change processes and information systems to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and even stricter state medical privacy laws. These laws mandate specific physical, procedural, and technical security protections to ensure the confidentiality of patients' medical information. To comply, IT organizations are implementing password and access controls, installing firewalls and network security systems, securing printers and faxes, and minimizing unauthorized viewing of computer screens.
Knowledge Solutions International reach extends to all branches of healthcare. Although Outpatient surgical centers operate on a much smaller scale than hospitals, they share similar issue with technology, data management and data security. As important as an efficiently run operation is to profitability, centers must be outfitted with real time solutions and expertise when lives are at stake.
In addition to securing information, Knowledge Solutions International has other options to enhance the awareness of your center. Many ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) use the Internet to attract new patients and referrals from physicians. An American Medical Association survey finds that two-thirds of doctors use the Internet daily to find information. By listing their services and providing virtual tours of their facilities, ASC can educate potential patients and physicians on their capabilities. Many are also providing online versions of patient forms to speed the check-in process.
Solutions Advisors are standing by to speak with you about the needs of your Outpatient Surgical Center. Please call 888-545-0010 or email info@trainwithksi.com for more information.
Physician Offices
In the US, about 195,000 physician offices have combined annual revenue of $200 billion. The vast majority are small offices with fewer than ten employees averaging annual revenue of just under $1 million. US personal consumption expenditures for physicians are forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 6.3 percent between 2007 and 2012.
The administrative functions of most physician offices are highly computerized, relying on software created specifically to manage medical offices. Many visits to a doctor's office last only 15 minutes, but require scheduling, reminding, retrieving medical records, ordering tests, rescheduling, billing, billing reconciliation, reconciling payment and accounting. Without knowledgeable staff operating these systems and software, work can pile up and operating costs will rise.
The use of computers to aid medical treatment has become more common, especially as medical records become available in computerized form, providing doctors easier access to records and allowing "expert systems" to flag possible drug interactions and to suggest diagnoses and treatments.
Working with Knowledge Solutions International for application training can be very beneficial to your physician office. Our Microsoft Gold Certified Status gives us access to technology before it actually hits the market and we can pass along our expertise to the administrative staff.
Also, as electronic medical records (EMRs) become the main stream of maintain a patient database, security is a major concern. As small practices gain financially from EMRs through increased coding levels, decreased staff costs and paper savings, they are also being forced to change their business practices and information systems to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and even stricter state medical privacy laws. Written procedures and employee training are required on topics such as password management, database backups, and security of printers and faxes.
Although the size of a physician office may be small, the doctor needs a staff capable of scheduling, billing and accounting, along with the complexity of reimbursement systems from multiple health insurers. A solid foundation of computer skills is vital to a well run office. Solutions Advisors are available to discuss options for your training needs. Please call 888-545-0010 or email info@trainwithksi.com.
Rehab Therapy Practices
The rehabilitation therapy industry in the US consists of about 20,000 practices with combined annual revenue of about $11 billion. The output of other US ambulatory health care services, which includes rehabilitation therapy services, is forecast to increase at an annual compounded rate of 6.6 percent between 2007 and 2012.
Accurate and timely billing and reimbursement processes are critical for therapy practices, since nearly all services are paid for by managed care programs, commercial health insurance, Medicare/Medicaid or workers' compensation insurance. Computers are used to automate some treatments by occupational therapists and speech therapists, particularly treatments to help clients improve decision-making and problem-solving.
Computer systems are also used to schedule appointments, track treatments and outcomes, and automate billing and reimbursement processes. Therapists working with hospitals and physician offices may also enter clinical data into an electronic health record for the patient.
Therapy practices are investing in automated systems to reduce billing errors and speed reimbursement payments. The use of pull-down menus containing codes for therapy procedures can reduce data entry errors. Electronic filing of claims can speed the payment process. These automated systems can be expensive to implement and must be updated whenever changes occur in reimbursement policies or rates.
Data management again shows just how important it is to an efficiently run office and keep costs down. With most rehabilitation offices using ten or less employees, proficient and error free computer skills can mean the world to a private practice.
Knowledge Solutions International has seen private practices thrive when making the significant investment in new technology for these automated systems. The common trait among these successful practices is having a staff educated on the intricacies of these computer systems.
The increased use of therapist aides and assistants to reduce costs and overcome the shortage of licensed therapists requires training assistants and aides on clinic procedures. Our Solutions Advisors have helped see through the proper implementation and training for such an investment in technology. For an office with a small staff, learning complex software may not be the best use of time.
Knowledge Solutions International can facilitate time effective training on-site or via eLearning to allow staff to train at their convenience. Our Professional Services Team can even develop the content for the training of the new software.
As the movement to "evidence-based treatment" requires that clinical data on treatment tasks and patient outcomes be captured and shared, this recorded data will be shared on many levels from your practice to national insurance companies. Our Solutions Advisors are standing by to make this transition as seamless as possible. Please call 888-545-0010 or email info@trainwithksi.com for details.
