Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Healthbox – a three-month accelerator for healthcare startups – are hosting an intensive program in Cambridge that will bring together 10 medical startups and put their projects on the fast track to be exhibited at the program’s culmination in November.
Ideally, the efforts of the companies can help qualm the criticism the industry has been facing, as evidenced by a survey from Wolters Kluwer Health, a healthcare industry researcher.
The survey says that 30 percent of Americans have reported that either they or a family member have experienced a medical mistake. In addition, 45 percent reported to have received an incorrect bill from their healthcare provider.
“What is clear from survey findings is that there is a high level of concern among American consumers about medical mistakes, which could impact the doctor-patient relationship as well as how consumers approach their own healthcare,” said Dr. Linda Peitzman, chief medical officer at Wolters Kluwer Health. “Clinical decision support tools can play a significant role in reducing instances of medical errors and improving communication among parties involved in a patient’s care.”
It’s clear that there are some clerical and organizational issues plaguing the healthcare industry. These can be solved with updated custom database software that will allow administrators to keep a more accurate account of which patients must be charged for what. It will also help provide practitioners with better insight into their daily tasks and responsibilities.
Furthermore, staffing issues have proven to be a major concern to consumers. The survey found that 35 percent of consumers believe that miscommunication among office workers has resulted in a medical mistake. In addition, staff members being in a hurry, fatigued and worker shortages were also common citations from respondents on why hospitals may be underperforming.
Using a customized, intrapersonnel software can enhance communication between nurses and doctors can help keep the pace of work at a more reasonable rate.