“Paras Health has taken significant initiatives to integrate smart technologies”

Paras Health aspires to be the largest private healthcare provider in North India by 2031 with 9000+ beds under its network. The hospital network is implementing Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Digital Care Touchpoints, allowing patients to access key services from the comfort of their own homes.

Vineet Aggarwal, Chief Information Officer, Paras Health, shares insights on the initiatives being undertaken by the Gurugram based hospital group.

What are the latest trends in the adoption of smart technologies by the hospitals and its impact on operational efficiency?

The implementation of smart technologies in hospital settings serves several key objectives. Firstly, it aims to enhance the patient experience by streamlining processes, reducing waiting times, and improving overall satisfaction. Secondly, smart technologies are geared towards elevating care quality through real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and personalized treatment plans. Additionally, they seek to enhance the clinician experience by reducing administrative burdens, enabling remote consultations, and facilitating data-driven decision-making. Furthermore, these technologies contribute to cost reduction by optimizing resource allocation, minimizing errors, and preventing re-admissions. They also digitize and standardize processes, ensuring seamless data sharing and interoperability across healthcare systems. Lastly, financial efficiency is achieved through increased revenue generation, reduced operational expenses, and improved billing accuracy.

The latest trends involve AI diagnostics, IoT devices, telemedicine, and blockchain for data security, streamlining operations by expediting diagnoses, optimizing resource allocation, and enhancing patient outcomes.

Any specific examples how Paras Health has been taking initiatives to integrate smart technologies and so far, how have these positively impacted quality of patient care?

Paras Health has taken significant initiatives to integrate smart technologies, resulting in a substantial positive impact on the quality of patient care. These initiatives span various aspects of healthcare delivery:

Enhanced patient experience: Paras Health has introduced omnichannel patient engagement through a user-friendly website and patient app. This includes features such as e-prescriptions and health tracking, which allow patients to monitor their health conveniently. Integration with medical devices like Accucheck, Kardia 6L, and Omron provides real-time health data to both patients and clinicians. Additionally, the implementation of a virtual health and telemedicine platform has greatly improved accessibility to healthcare services.

Continuous patient engagement: The hospital employs Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools and Net Promoter Score (NPS) feedback systems to maintain ongoing patient engagement. Workflow-driven complaint resolution ensures that patient concerns are addressed promptly and efficiently.

Enhanced clinician experience: Paras Health utilizes an Electronic Health Record system across outpatient (OP), inpatient (IP), and emergency room (ER) settings, complemented by an AI-enabled Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) with ICD10 coded diagnoses. Clinicians also benefit from a dedicated mobile app that enhances productivity. Additionally, a Quality Management System helps improve nursing care quality.

Tech & process improvements: The hospital has implemented a cloud-enabled, centralized Health Information System (HIS) platform, streamlining data management and process efficiency across the organization. These technological advancements collectively contribute to elevating the overall quality of patient care at Paras Health.

How are the smart hospitals taking care of data management and data security?

In smart hospitals, stringent data management and security measures are in place to protect the substantial volumes of patient and operational data. This includes encrypting all patient data, both at rest and in transit, using the latest encryption standards. Additionally, robust security protocols are implemented across patient-facing applications, ensuring data integrity. Moreover, these hospitals rely on SOC II compliant cloud infrastructure, adhering to rigorous security standards. These combined efforts guarantee the safe and confidential handling of data, maintaining patient privacy and safeguarding against potential cyber threats in the smart hospital environment.

*This interview was first published in September 2023 edition of the BioVoice eMagazine.