The market for Medical Travel has seen explosive growth over the last decade in more parts of the world than imagined. As healthcare systems around the world improve their use of technology within the service models offered to patients, the position of these healthcare organizations should improve to provide access to information in a timely, secure and accurate manner. Within the Medical Travel industry, this becomes a paramount factor when managing the entire Medical Travel Care Continuum.
The volume of information managed by healthcare provides should not be underestimated; technology solutions are often the glue that all patient information secure and organized on a consistent basis.
Cloud-Based Solutions in Medical Travel
Technology such as the Global Patient System, offered by Health Flights, provides a complete solution for international or domestic medical travel. The Global Patient System is a solution for any healthcare organization or healthcare hub anywhere in the world for streamlining a multidisciplinary approach to care, maintaining continuous insight to performance and possessing a feature-rich system, including business process management, CRM, patient management, quote generation, business collaboration and a host of other features from inquiry to after care.
Technology can also contribute to a quicker establishment of consistent best practices when managing the Medical Travel Care Continuum. The goal of these providers is to ensure service providers carry out efficient, secure daily operations and achieve their potential and better outcomes for their patients.
Medical Travel is driving significant change and reconsideration of how, where and when care is delivered to patients – further to this, technology is simultaneously creating a more aggressive consideration of outsourcing medical services for cost benefits. Depending on where you are in the world, the reality of outsourcing can result in lower costs, improved convenience and higher quality care. Self-insured employers are considering direct contracting models of care with Centers of Excellence or High Performing Networks.
Technology can be the Great Connector of clinicians across the world; however, the mapping and integration of how technology solutions may work together can be a steep mountain to climb when truly ensuring a seamless, secure transfer of patient information as well as ongoing communication between providers. Obtaining a solution such as Health Flight's GPS cloud-based platform can provide an organization a cost-effective investment towards pursuing or expanding an existing program to be successful.
Mobile Solutions in Medical Travel
While a broad range of patient engagement solutions exist in today’s healthcare consumer world, in Medical Travel, the focus needs to be on:
- Accessing comprehensive medical information regularly whether via a client portal or an app on a patient’s smartphone;
- Creating navigational solutions to aid in the accessing of appropriate and timely medical care;
- Facilitating a smooth logistical and travel experience for Medical Travelers;
- Reminders notices for medical appoints and scheduling matters; and
- Real-time alerts of travel logistics and/or safety concerns.
Although maybe not an immediate priority by most mobile solutions, Medical Travelers could benefit from engagement and use of solutions that engage ongoing management of chronic disease or immediate access to physicians via remote consultations.