Records systems for post-acute care settings rise in importance
Home care and LTC facilities look for more interoperability, analytics and care coordination to support transitions in patient care.
As value-based care tales hold, more attention is being paid to transitions of care, and ensuring that patient information follows patients as they move between different care settings.
The transfer of patients to post-acute care often has been challenging because the industry has lacked sophisticated records systems organizations providing care in patients’ homes or in long-term care settings.
That’s changing with the emergence and evolution of post-acute care product suites, according to a recent report from KLAS Research. And these providers are pushing for technology that’s appropriate for the care they need to provide, as well as the interactions they need to have with larger health systems.
“Most providers in post-acute care settings want technology built for their specific area, but they face challenges with interoperability, analytics, value-based reimbursements and care coordination,” the KLAS report notes.
“No vendor today has delivered solutions across the entire breadth of post-acute care settings, but there has been progress.”
REPORT: Post–Acute Care EMR Product Suites 2022, KLAS Research
However, the Orem, Utah-based organization contends that several technology vendors are focusing efforts on the market, “despite the highly varied, unique challenges associated with each care setting.” The KLAS report examines the various solutions, how they are being adopted and how well they meet setting-specific functionality needs.
In addition to niche technology providers, the report also looks at offerings from major enterprise acute-care EHR vendors – Epic, Oracle Cerner and Meditech – which have post-acute care components.
The KLAS report contends that “no vendor today has delivered solutions across the entire breadth of post-acute care settings, but there has been progress.” Post-acute care typically has been segmented into home-based or facility-based care, which include long-term, skilled nursing, senior living, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and other sites.
The report cites progress by MatrixCare, which it says has achieved broad adoption across several care settings as well as in home care. Other vendors reviewed include WellSky, Netsmart and PointClickCare.
Progress has been made by EHR vendors, KLAS also contends. “Despite many gaps across post–acute care settings, EMR vendors generally receive good marks for the post–acute care products they do offer; it is worth noting that leaders at the enterprise level tend to be more satisfied than users that work in the individual care settings.”
Information on the KLAS report can be found here.