by Dan Verel
As hospitals look to integrate the most advanced technology that will help them reduce readmission rates and improve outcomes, there is a lot to consider. Buzzwords abound, like big data and coordinated care, but what those things actually mean vary largely from one place to the next.
In the immediate term, the ECRI Institute has a list of the top 10 technologies that it says all C-Suite execs will likely want to know about.
In addition to some well-known items like telemedicine and post admission efforts, some of the highlights include:
Disinfection Robots:
Hospital-acquired infections are a significant cost driver and determiner of outcomes, and with every hospital faced with reduced reimbursements, getting a handle on HAIs is a major goal of the system as a whole. Indeed, the CDC estimates that one in 25 hospital patients has at least one such infection on any given day and that 75,000 deaths per year result from an HAI.
There are two main types of technology when it comes to disinfection robots – ultraviolet light and hydrogen peroxide vaporization. But another is emerging, antimicrobial coatings that have shown promise is disinfecting surface areas/
Of course, there’s the matter of cost, but “there is a direct correlation to reducing infection risk for inpatients, cost for treating HAIs, and patients’ length of stay,” according to the institute. The machines may be expensive – to the tune of $125,000 for some – but CMS may not even reimburse an HAI at all in the near future.
