5 Reasons to Invest in Integrated Health Systems

Integrated health management is essential for meeting the needs of high-risk and acute care patients. It also improves physician workflows, enables individualized care, and helps reduce costs through specialty-based risk-sharing models.

Countries must make UHC a political priority and take action to strengthen resilient health systems with a primary healthcare approach while investing in the health workforce to promote equality.

Better Patient Care

Doctors and other medical professionals work closely in integrated health systems to ensure patients get the best care possible. They also share information more efficiently, leading to faster diagnoses and less waste of time, money, and resources.

For example, if an OBGYN notices that a patient’s chronic migraines might be caused by stress or depression, they will address those issues directly instead of just treating the symptoms. In turn, the patient is happier and more satisfied with their treatment.

Patients can also get all their care under one roof with an integrated healthcare system. This means that they don’t have to travel across town to different locations or pay extra fees for each visit. This also makes it easier for patients to keep track of their records, and it reduces the need for unnecessary medical tests or exams. All of these factors contribute to better patient care and satisfaction.

Better Health Outcomes

The interprofessional care provided by integrated health systems is a significant patient benefit. Doctors can work closely with home healthcare professionals, physical therapists, behavioral psychologists, and even insurance navigators to provide the best possible treatment for each patient. This can help address the whole range of issues that patients are dealing with, from chronic disease management to mental health concerns and physical therapy needs.

Another reason integrated health is such a big deal is that it makes it easier for doctors to get all the information they need about patients. If different specialists don’t have access to a patient’s medical history, it can lead to errors in treatment and missed opportunities for early detection of health problems.

Integrated health systems also make it easier for patients to manage their health. Providing them with a holistic approach to their treatment that addresses all their issues can improve overall satisfaction levels and encourage them to be more proactive about their health.

Better Financial Performance

While the benefits of integrated healthcare systems are clear, they’re not without their challenges. Several studies have found that integration is expensive and difficult to implement.

However, with proper strategic planning, integrated healthcare systems can provide better results than traditional care models. In addition, these systems offer better financial performance by lowering costs and boosting patient outcomes.

Integrated health management also helps improve physician workflows, reducing fatigue and burnout. This is important because physician burnout is a significant problem in the healthcare industry, leading to poor clinical outcomes and service delivery.

Integrated healthcare is critical to improving quality and providing a better patient experience. As more evidence of the effectiveness of integrated healthcare grows, decision-makers, funders, and advocates will be able to take advantage of its benefits. RTI is working to help develop this evidence base by researching the implementation of integrated healthcare. We aim to ensure that all individuals and communities have access to the quality of care they deserve.

Better Community Health

Integrated healthcare systems allow patients to visit primary care doctors, consult with specialists, and receive medication prescriptions all under one roof. This will save them time and money and ensure their medical records are appropriately shared and analyzed.

As a result, patients are more satisfied with their overall experience and are more likely to follow their healthcare treatment plan. Additionally, patients who work with a single team of healthcare professionals are less likely to develop a lack of trust in their providers.

However, many integrated health systems need help with funding and reimbursement. For example, many practices report that payers’ restrictions on same-day billing or a single service per day limit their ability to offer fully integrated services. Similarly, the lack of a prospective payment system for integrating behavioral health and primary care can impact their ability to sustain integrated services. Nevertheless, several solutions and companies provide ingenious healthcare integration systems that enable premium patient care delivery. Read more interesting articles on Theflipbuzz