Nowadays, having a highly skilled team is not enough to run a successful hospital, as you must also provide exceptional service. Satisfying this increasing demand requires utilizing a dependable hospital management system able to support doctors in their everyday tasks and free them from routine work that consumes their time. An exceptional hospital management system allows them to shift their focus on what matters the most, like providing outstanding patient care
What is hospital management system?
Hospital management software is computer software that helps hospitals manage their operations. The software provides an electronic tool for tracking patient care, financial information, and other hospital operations, allowing hospitals to track patient data, financial information, and other operational metrics.
While HMS can aid costs reduction in hospitals by improving patient care and efficiency, the ability to collaborate and share data between different departments within the hospital is among its essential benefits. Effective communication is key to improve productivity and enhance management.
A hospital management solution can not be considered sufficient without having the following data:
Doctors’ information
Including work schedules and emergency contact info
Patients
Their medical history and contact information
Staff
It should have all their contact information, contact details, and any professional information related to their positions.
Occupancy
It should have updated information about room availability
Laboratory
it should provide test results, previous tests for comparison, and test referrals.
Supplies
it should allow the hospital to track and monitor their stocks of medicine and other medical supplies needed in their work.
Billing
it should be able to calculate patients’ expenses for any treatment
Statistical reports
It should analyze data and generate accurate reports to provide clear insights into the business
Basic Functions of a Hospital Management System
A competent hospital management system should include a variety of elements designed to increase production and efficiency inside the medical facility. Which means, you need to look for the following features in your HMS:
Registration patients
The hospital management system (HMS) should automate the task of completing medical records and offer patients the option to schedule appointments online through a website or app.
Employing the HMS for patient registration not only streamlines the process but also provides valuable data regarding the number of patients scheduled to see each doctor and which days are the busiest. Furthermore, the system also prevents any duplicate reservations, thereby improving the overall quality of service offered by the hospital.
Appointment management
Aside from appointment registration, the hospital management system (HMS) should also have appointment management capabilities such as:
- Allowing physicians and patients to view planned dates
- Sending email reminders
- Allowing patients to confirm appointments
Surveys show that Patients frequently miss appointments because they forget they had one in the first place, and the use of an HMS can help solving this problem.
Financial Automation
The software should possess the ability to track payments and calculate the amount owed by each patient according to the services rendered. It would also be helpful if it can record payments in the respective patient files and maintain a payment history.
Such functionalities can prevent errors and help accountants track expenses and monitor the financial performance of the hospital.
Customer Relationship Management
Effective customer relationship management is vital for healthcare facilities, particularly for patients with chronic disorders who require regular visits for treatment, because doctors and other medical professionals must have access to patients’ files and data across all branches to offer superior treatment.
Furthermore, offering a mobile app or web portal that enables patients to contact the hospital and access their medical records from anywhere is a practical way to enhance the patient experience.
Inventory Monitoring
It is critical for hospitals to keep a steady supply of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment like braces, rubber gloves, plasters, and cotton wool on hand. Therefore, the app must guarantee that the hospital never runs out of these vital commodities and can quickly supply them when stocks are low.
Furthermore, the HMS must address the issue of pharmaceutical expiration dates by sending a notification when medications are about to expire.
Reports and statistics
The use of reports and statistics is essential to improve the operation of any firm or hospital. Numbers and charts provide vital insights for the management to measure the business’s progress, identify obstacles, and find the best solutions.
A good HMS should have the power to provide valuable reports fast whenever needed, not only in the financial department but also in others.
Custom vs readymade Hospital management solutions
The moment you search the web for hospital management system, many offers and ads for readymade solutions, and customizable ones will pop up.
To help you decide which is the right one for you: here are the differences between readymade and customized HMS systems
- Limitations
Ready made solutions are made to suit all hospitals, they are built with general features, while custom solutions vary depending on the client. These limitations are not problem for small hospitals, but for larger ones with multiple branches, they will create a struggle sooner or later.
- Flexibility
Ready made solutions are not made to be changed anytime soon, they may have regular updates to fix bugs and problems, but the core features will remain the same for long time. You can not expect them to add or edit any features if you need them, therefore, you may need to purchase and use other solutions simultaneously.
Customized solutions on the other hand are more flexible. They allow you to add more features, link other systems or apps to your system. You will be able to edit the software and get support whenever you need to.
- Cost
Customized solutions have higher initial cost due to the need to pay for the implementation and customization. However, many studies show that the majority the users recover the costs in 1 to 2 years.
Odoo Hospital management system
Odoo Hospital management system is a solution that is built specifically to meet the requirement of a certain hospital using the rich features provided in its modules. it comprises of a set of open-source apps, therefore it offers higher customizability and improved integration abilities with other apps and systems.
The Odoo HMS offers a wide range of features to manage hospital operations smoothly and increase productivity. As for the cost, Odoo is known for its affordable prices among customizable solution providers.
How to get Odoo HMS
The first step to get Odoo HMS is to contact an Odoo partner and discuss your needs and requirements. Odoo partners work with you step by step to draw a map for the perfect solution for your business, a one that ensures all your problems are solved efficiently.
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