The healthcare industry is at a critical juncture. Perhaps no sector has had to contend with as much impact to supply chain and information management processes as healthcare. Medical firms have been put through a boot camp of data, communication and compliance concerns as they become more digitally focused. It's a chicken-and-egg scenario - medical organizations' systems and infrastructure needs to be upgraded to contend with IT and data governance concerns, while new upgrades or strategies put more considerations on the plate. And with budgets concentrated on research and patient care, these entities often have little flexibility for supply chain transformation.
Electronic data interchange services offer critical support for healthcare organizations dealing with information overload. In few other sectors are the positive effects and untapped potential of data-driven processes more evident than they are in the healthcare industry, with smart devices and analytics applications theoretically capable of providing significant benefits for patient care, research and facility improvement. One of the major developments in healthcare is in the capacity to share information between providers and practitioners. It can improve treatment, enhance diagnostic efforts and automate key processes.
However, a variety of connectivity, continuity and security issues have the potential to derail data management and translation efforts, thus obscuring the benefits information sharing can offer. Few organizations have the IT resources and infrastructure suitable to eliminate all current and future barriers. By investing in managed EDI services, healthcare providers can ensure the integrity, protection and usability of their information as it moves across a collaborative provider system.
