IT Solutions for Healthcare: What You Need to Know about MDM and PIM
Secure Data Management: 4 Essential Steps
Healthcare, much like other industries, tends to borrow technology from the business world and adapt it to meet their needs. This was the case with PIM in the late 90’s.
Once MDM evolved, the healthcare industry picked up on the technology as well. If you are wondering what MDM and PIM are and what IT solutions for healthcare they offer, read on to find out.
What Is PIM
Product information management is managing information about products centrally. PIM began in the late 90’s as a way for companies to manage their inventory across many channels. When your business relies on the accuracy of inventory and you’re pulling from that inventory from multiple places, any discrepancy can be disastrous.
The same is true for healthcare. At hospitals, there are multiple locations for “products,” or medical supplies. Medicines are in a pharmacy and in each section of the hospital depending on the needs of the patients. A central location holds supplies, with smaller inventories distributed to each section based on need.
A PIM system allows each area to update their inventory in real-time. This method lets the workers in the central hub know what floor, or area, needs more supplies. The person in charge of ordering, instead of having to go to each floor to see what’s available, can look at a computer screen to see what’s on hand.
Smaller doctors offices also benefit from PIM technology. They save time and money by not having to run an inventory check every few days. Medical professionals are able to focus on patient care.
Master Data Management (MDM)
There are some that say PIM is a part of MDM, or that MDM consumed PIM after the early 2000’s. This is only partially true.
MDM is, at it’s simplest, the attempt to bring together multiple systems with various attributes and different truths into one “golden ticket”. The golden ticket it the over-riding truth that lies at the heart of each system.
In the case of the medical field, this “truth” is patient and inventory information. The multiple systems involved could range depending upon your facility. For hospitals, when someone checks in they get entered into that system.
The information is then available in each department they might visit. The surgeon doesn’t have to waste valuable time looking through paperwork. They can type the patient’s name into the computer and have the necessary information at hand.
After surgery, when the patient transfers to their respective floor, the information is available. This method limits the time needed to get information and lowers the opportunities for mistakes.
Limited paperwork means lower chances of someone seeing protected patient information as well.
Installing PIM And MDM As One Fluid System
Advancements in MDM technology allows for the integration of PIM. This has dramatic effects on the healthcare industry. There are a few ways that these two systems wrapped into one program under the banner of MDM creates intuitive IT solutions for Healthcare.
1. Multiple Locations Now Have Up-To-Date Patient Information
Many hospitals join networks. Networks allow them to collaborate together for patient care, research, and financial support. These hospitals might be in the same city or in different parts of the country.
The good thing about this arrangement is that a hospital that doesn’t have a specialist a patient needs can transfer them to someone within the same network. Thanks to MDM technology, the new specialist, even if they are hundreds of miles away, will have access to that patient’s information.
A surgeon in another state can look at a patients records and recommend the best course of action within minutes instead of days. Consultations take place between doctors without medical records leaving the central hub. This keeps patient information safe and error-free.
2. The Protection Of Patient Information
Every time someone handles a medical record, there is the chance of compromised patient information. HIPPA laws demand a high level of security, and rightly so.
By storing patient information in an MDM system, only those with the proper credentials can access this information. This saves medical facilities money in legal fees and keeps patients from worrying about their information.
3. Inventory Control
Problems with inventory make up a large percentage of costs in medical facilities. Part of the reason for this is that many facilities rely on outdated methods, including paper spreadsheets, to keep track of what they use.
This leads to mistakes and costs facilities money. An MDM system eliminates this by allowing for immediate tracking and updating of inventory counts.
4. Employee Productivity
If your employees are able to pull up patient information without searching through paper records, they save time. They can focus on patient care instead of inventory and mistakes.
Employee information is also protected using an MDM system. Transferring your paper records over to a computer-based system allows them to pull up their benefits and records faster than going to HR.
IT Solutions For Healthcare You Can Count On
Do you need to streamline your inventory, protect customer information, and improve your level of care? We’ve helped healthcare facilities like yours since 2000 with these same problems.
By using our MDM solutions, you’ll be able to rest assured that your meeting government regulations and safeguarding your business. Errors in inventory and patient records become less likely to occur with our help.
If you want to learn more about our IT solutions for healthcare, contact us today. We’ll walk you through our process and help you make an informed decision that will help your patients.