A report from the Institute of Medicine suggests that science and technology could help to increase quality and efficiency and reduce costs in the U.S. healthcare system. The Committee on the Learning Health Care System in America, a panel of eighteen experts, was convened by the IOM to identify the challenges facing healthcare today and recommend solutions to improve these.
The report found three major issues with potential for change: increasing complexity in healthcare; rising costs; and care outcomes below the full potential of the system. It also notes that more powerful computers, interconnectivity between systems, and other advances in healthcare IT are already successfully addressing these major issues in pioneering healthcare organizations and can be implemented and applied more broadly, supporting a suggested “transition to a continuously learning health system, once that aligns science and informatics, patient-clinician partnerships, incentives, and a culture of continuous improvement to produce the best care at lowest cost.”
Mobile health technology (mHealth) and Electronic Medical Records systems like Lytec MD, McKesson Practice Choice, and Allscripts MyWay were noted for the ability to help obtain and share patients’ health data in this process. Microwize Technology, leading healthcare consultant, can assist with installing, implementing, and training on EMR systems.
