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Patient’s Clinical Data Repository for personal care service

Manjith M — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 06:31:00 +0000

In the not-too-distant past, getting the full picture of patient history for an in-home care service provider or emergency care provider was practically impossible, as most data was in siloed systems, and data exchange between these systems was challenging. However, the recent introduction of services leveraging HL7® FHIR® standard by cloud service providers fueled the adoption of FHIR-based data exchange – making data storable across all care settings, which can be seen as a sudden change in pursuit of interoperability.

With the Interoperability and Patient Access final rule (CMS-9115-F) having come to effect in March 2020, there is much talk about FHIR across the industry, with the buzz causing interesting developments in the field. The new rules reorient the healthcare technology promoting a ‘patients first’ approach, with the primary focus being the streamlined flow of data to the patients, giving them (and healthcare personnel) the opportunity to be more informed, and will go a long way in expediting unnecessary burden and costs. In short, FHIR will be the next-generation standard by which electronic medical records (EMRs), digital health products, and patients use and exchange structured healthcare data.

A Reliable Healthcare Cloud Platform

Experion’s Healthcare and Life Sciences team recently built a Clinical Data Repository for a leading provider of home and community health care services in North America.

With over 100 locations across the country, including home care offices, pharmacies, and infusion clinics, the client has more than 13,000 staff members and provides care to over 350,000 clients. They are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life, dignity, and independence of all their patients by providing customized care plans and solutions that allow the patients to remain in the comfort of their own homes.

(Clinical Data Repository (CDR) is a database that consolidates patients’ clinical data from various clinical sources to present an aggregate view of a single patient).

Utilizing “The Azure API for FHIR®,” a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) that allows upload, storage, management, and analysis of healthcare data in the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) format, an FHIR-based Clinical Data Repository was created that made working with Protected Health Information (PHI) in the cloud much easier.

Some of the characteristics of the CDR are:

· Enterprise-grade, FHIR®-based endpoint for data access and storage in FHIR® format.

· SMART on FHIR for mobile and web implementations.

· Control on data at scale with role-based access control (RBAC).

· Audit log tracking for access, creation, modification, and reads within each data store to meet security standards like HIPAA.

The solution eliminates the need for investing in resources to build, run, and maintain FHIR services and enables care providers to leverage the power of clinical data. The CDR has become the primary ‘source of truth’ that sits on top of other systems and allows standardized data in the FHIR format. This helps to enable data exchange across multiple systems, including analytics, with a consistent data format.

Use cases and challenges of an FHIR service

As the FHIR standard expands and continues to garner more adoption across the globe, more use cases will evolve. Though they seem infinite right now, many of these use cases can be seen as the first strides in removing some of the major hurdles that limit healthcare providers from accomplishing greater patient engagement, developing fine health management systems at a large scale, and leveraging technology to mete out more intelligent clinical decisions.

A few use cases that can also be seen as a trend are:

· Third-party SMART on FHIR compatible apps that can be launched within, authenticated, and integrated with EMR/EHR Systems.

· FHIR Façade for legacy healthcare systems that speaks FHIR in front-end and directly talk to the backend in native data.

· Digital Health products and Healthcare IoT products leveraging fully managed FHIR cloud services as backend.

Yet this is not to say that FHIR interoperability comes with no challenges. In fact, one would not be wrong to wonder why the adoption rates of FHIR are so slow, despite the system presenting a slew of hitherto unseen solutions. One of the reasons is that even large organizations struggle to match their existing domain to match the FIHR’s concepts, effectively operating as a shock to the system, unsettling the current balance and causing problems in realizing the desired benefits. This means many healthcare operators will need to ramp up their digital infrastructure, which may not be economically feasible every time.

Healthcare providers must show a great deal of resilience and must attempt to uplift their digital whereabouts to suit the needs of tomorrow’s technological solutions.

To learn more about how you can utilize FHIR on your project, talk to a Healthcare and Life Science expert at Experion today.

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Digital transformation in wealth management

Raman Rajendran — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:00:35 +0000

Investopedia defines Wealth Management as an investment advisory service that combines other financial services to address the needs of affluent clients.

Traditionally, the business of wealth management is based on personal relationships and trust as client engagement involves several individuals and manual processes. The clients deal with an investment advisor who is supported by the middle and back-office staff – the opening of accounts, transfer of money and transactions are all performed by various individuals and thus prone to human error. While it appears to be a smooth functioning place to an outside observer, in reality, it’s hardly ever the case.

The current business model has poor scalability and efficiency – according to McKinsey, the need of the hour is a next-generation operating model that is supported by Data, Analytics, and Technology. The pandemic has catalyzed this inevitable change since it caused a shift towards digital modes for sales and delivery of advisory services. The clients seem to have accepted the change too and expect the best of the changes to continue post-pandemic.

We are currently at a juncture when the industry’s business models are getting disrupted, with digitization accelerating the change. Here are a few of the several drivers bringing changes to the world of wealth management.

Data & Analytics

The wealth management industry seems to be behind the curve in terms of the adoption of Data & Analytics. However, leveraging D&A for different business processes such as client advisory, portfolio building &management, risk evaluation, etc. could significantly enhance the value delivered by wealth management firms.

Data analytics benefits advisors and clients alike – better analytics and visualization tools can add value to the vast amounts of data that advisors deal with. Leveraging advanced data analytics tools and techniques, wealth management organizations can generate meaningful and actionable insights for their clients to make informed investment and business decisions.

Cloud Adoption

Most wealth management firms struggle with the complexities and inconveniences of legacy software systems – cloud computing allows for modernization without changing the IT landscape completely in one go, as it can be implemented in a modular manner.

The pay-per-user function also transforms the way in which wealth management firms create and offer customized applications and services.

Future-forward firms have begun planning their cloud transformation strategies, as they are well aware of the challenges involved in implementing one, while simultaneously being convinced of the many positives it brings, including the ability to help Wealth Managers use their resources more efficiently, plan their budget management and allocation, and help the organization to obtain flexibility by building an enabling IT infrastructure.

Robo-Advisory

Robo-advisors are defined as digital platforms that provide automated, algorithm-driven financial planning services with little to no human supervision – they collect information from clients about their financial situation and future goals through an online survey and then use the data to offer advice and automatically invest client assets – thus, they are also called Automated Wealth Managers.

They are an attractive option for young investors who don’t have a large sum to begin investing with, who don’t necessarily need the face-to-face human interaction and relationships that the older generations prize, and who would rather not spend a lot of money on wealth manager fees.

RegTech

Complying with industry regulations is a high-risk area for wealth management firms since any failure on their part can result in financial losses in addition to costing them their reputation as well as punitive measures by Governments. Firms have begun to employ technology to perform functions such as due diligence, transaction monitoring, regulatory reporting, data management, and so on to reduce regulatory risks as well as costs.

RegTech, or Regulatory Technology, not only eases the burden of compliance for wealth management companies but utilizes AI, data mining algorithms based on machine learning, offers services on the cloud and integrates with existing systems in organizations through APIs to make it easier for firms to adopt new technologies.

In conclusion, digital transformation services are already underway in the wealth management industry. However, the successful transformation and adoption would require the organization to adopt it with an open mind. Technology adoption may be risky, but those firms that can adapt and embrace the change would fare better in the long term.

Black Rock IT Solutions is a digital transformation service provider with over 14 years of experience working with clients from the Financial Services industry. We have been instrumental in the digital transformation journeys of several firms, equipping them with the advantages of D&A, AI&ML, and Cloud Adoption to build a more future-proof business. For instance, blackrock proposed a data analytics-powered investment advisory services platform as a solution to the challenges a leading wealth management firm in the US faced. Designed with an intuitive interface on Web, Desktop, Android, and iOS devices, the investment advisory services platform helped its users to manage different kinds of investment portfolios seamlessly. Read the whole success story here.

If you are looking for a reliable IT-partner who understands your domain, drop a mail to sales@blackrockdxb.com.

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COVID-19 and the Digital Acceleration: Key Trends That Shaped 2020

Mohamed Farook — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 07:30:00 +0000

Humanity was never prepared for the disruption COVID-19 brought with it; no visionary could have envisioned this, no analyst could have seen this coming. But their predictions about the “digital future” came true – COVID-19 accelerated digital adoption in almost every stream of life.

In this article, we are looking back at some of the key changes the pandemic brought to the world of technology – here are the digital trends that shaped 2020.

Automation

Enterprises across industries aggressively leveraged automation to reduce costs, increase performance, and become more productive during 2020. Though automation was on the rise before, this year witnessed widespread adoption of automation by organizations of all sizes and has climbed the ladder from being a low priority concern to a mission-critical area of interest. Organizations that adopted automation before the pandemic have weathered the disruption better than others. They have experienced fewer disruptions to their operational processes, supply chains, workforce productivity, and have continued to ensure an improved customer experience.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

2020 witnessed a staggering adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies. These technologies played a crucial role in building a digital ecosystem where humans and machines can collaborate to harness data-driven insights. With growing advancements in the technology spectrum, AI & ML technologies will change the way businesses operate and compete. Organizations must identify and embrace technological advances in the emerging technology spectrum to stay afloat and thrive in the coming years.

Cloud computing

In 2020, cloud computing has become a metaphor for modern computing, and enterprises continued to embrace cloud computing. With COVID-19, most countries enforced stringent lockdowns with stay-at-home policies, increasing the demand for cloud solutions and services. Enterprises realized the cloud’s potential as a reliable option for ensuring business continuity and embraced it because of its scalability and reach. To ensure maximum efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and to reduce the chances of vendor lock-in, enterprises adopted a hybrid cloud strategy to meet their end-to-end requirements. Enterprises that embrace the cloud intending to improve their flexibility, efficiency, and agility to their existing operations, will have a competitive edge over other industry players.

Data Analytics

Data is an untapped goldmine in the digital landscape, and business executives across industries are trying to unlock its real potential. Before COVID-19, though enterprises of different types and sizes were aware of data analytics and started adopting the concept, they haven’t integrated it into their daily operations. Enterprises that identified and adopted data analytics well in advance have successfully served customers, hired employees, streamlined demand and supply, and optimized operational processes during this pandemic. In 2020, data analytics has reiterated its position as a crucial factor for thriving and surviving in this digital business ecosystem.

Conclusion

These trends are likely to continue influencing and disrupting how business models are built and operated. To stay competitive in this ever-changing, fast-paced digital world and to be prepared for the digital disruptions in the coming years, enterprises need a reliable partner to consult and develop the solutions that will keep them future-proof.

At Black Rock IT Solutions, we are committed to ‘future-proof digitally’. We assist enterprises on their journey towards business resilience – we understand the changing patterns in consumer behavior and technology and can help you adapt to changes quickly and efficiently. Drop a mail to info@blackrockdxb.com to know more about how we can help you stay ahead of the ‘wheel of disruption.’

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Top 5 trends in healthcare IT technology

Aakash Binu — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 06:43:22 +0000

A recent article published by New York Times claimed that a deep learning algorithm was able to screen for lung cancer with 94% accuracy. The system was even able to match and sometimes even beat, 6 expert radiologists who were part of the study. This news might sound sensationalist for most outsiders, but for people in the Healthcare industry, it is a sign of the changing times. The industry is moving from products and services model to a solutions model. Preventive care and improving patient experience would be the focus of innovation as we go into the future and technology will play a huge role in accomplishing it. The future of healthcare lies in comprehensive healthcare platforms, big data and healthcare analytics.

Here are the top 5 trends which will revolutionize healthcare

AI and Deep Learning

AI and Deep learning (often used interchangeably) will bring some of the biggest innovations in the healthcare industry. AI systems are being actively pursued for drug development, early diagnosis, treatment protocol, personalized medicine and patient monitoring and care. AI has been extensively used in the field of Radiology as evidenced from the New York Times story. Some of the notable industry leaders who are developing AI/ Deep learning-based healthcare solution include:

IBM’s Watson:- It can diagnose, analyze scientific papers and even help in drug discovery
Microsoft’s Hanover project:- It analyses medical research and predicts cancer drug treatment approaches for patients
Google’s DeepMind:- Image analysis for cancer recognition and early health risk detection

The use of AI will help decrease the overall healthcare cost, as accurate diagnosis and preventive medical intervention using technological solutions become mainstream. Countries with very little access to experts can use similar technologies to democratize healthcare for the masses.

IoT/ Wearables

The tech industry has seen many devices being launched to satisfy even the most diverse of consumer needs. Devices now are so sophisticated, that it is almost as accurate as a professional ECG machine. Interestingly, IoT devices in the future will have much more potential than the off the shelf wearable tech available today.

Future devices could enable remote patient monitoring using smart sensors and integrate the data generated with the larger healthcare infrastructure wirelessly. 5G technology will certainly be a great boost to the infrastructure needs needed for the IoT ecosystem. When 5G becomes more common, IoT devices will get a lot more common and mainstream.

Let’s look at some of the examples of how IoT can influence the future of healthcare.

For Patients: – Preventive medicine enabled by wearables will be the big buzz of the future. Wearable devices would be able to monitor blood pressure, heart rate and glucose levels with very high accuracy that it would be classified as a healthcare device.
For Physicians: – Physicians can monitor and intervene more effectively by analyzing the data from wearable devices. Data collected can also be used to identify the best treatment approach for patients.
For Hospitals: – Hospitals can use IoT enabled systems for monitoring equipment, tracking pharma inventory among other things. Post-operative monitoring of patients is also a new area of research.
For Insurance companies: – Insurance companies are piloting programs which reduced health insurance premiums for people sharing data from their wearables and health apps. This will become common. Data from multiple devices can be used to calculate individualized risk profile and then corresponding premiums will be calculated according to a person’s risk profile.

Cloud Innovation

Even though the advantages of moving to cloud ecosystem are many, healthcare systems have been the slowest to transition due to the sensitivity of data and more importantly privacy legislations. As cloud becomes more and more acceptable in our day to day life, it is but natural that healthcare data would also transition to the cloud.

As HIPAA/ GDPR compatible cloud solutions become more common, it will become an essential part of the healthcare landscape. Some of the use cases of Cloud solutions in healthcare are:

Data Visualization tools would represent health parameters of an individual into usable forms for self & professional evaluation. Data for this can be collected from various sources including medical devices, wearables and even connected weighing machine.
Counterfeit protection of drugs, medical equipment, and other consumables.
EHR or Electronic Health Record could be used to track a patient history between physicians, hospitals and insurance companies.
Mobile apps can be used extensively in the healthcare industry for pre, during and post hospital care.

Blockchain

Blockchain’s main advantage is that applications built using blockchain algorithms will have very high data privacy and security. Blockchain technology will primarily be used in healthcare to store and transfer data securely.

If blockchain technologies are introduced to pharma supply chain, it could effectively reduce instances of fake and counterfeit drugs within the system. Areas which will see blockchain technology implemented are:

Medical data management
Supply chain management

AR/VR

Telemedicine has been one of the greatest successes of technology in the healthcare sector. With solutions available now, patients can access the services of a physician from anywhere in the world. This means that patients can get access to doctors who are otherwise not available to them. These technologies, even though great, has its limitations. AR and VR technologies can greatly augment these capabilities and improve the final user experience.

With the advent of AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality) and related technologies, Physicians can touch, diagnose and even conduct surgeries remotely using these technologies. AR and VR will enable the doctor to see the patient without being present near the patient. Some of the application of AR/ VR technology in healthcare include:

Telemedicine
Robotics and remote surgery
Training Physicians

Conclusion

The focus of the healthcare industry is slowly shifting from treatment to preventive care. This means the industry also is moving from products and services model to solutions model. To make this transition, it is important to adopt and implement technologies such as AI and AR. The advantage of using technology is that while it improves the quality of care for patients, it also reduces the overall healthcare cost. Using technology is a big win for all the stakeholders. Healthcare industry as a whole must rethink and transform their strategies to stay ahead of the curve.

blackrock has extensive experience working with partners and clients to implement AR/ VR, mobile, IoT and cloud technologies in the healthcare domain. We have worked with hospitals, ISVs and insurance companies to transform and aid their digital transformation strategies.

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