The adoption of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) devices is part of a drive for clinicians to meet patients wherever they are to provide clinical answers on the spot, at the bedside and beyond. But hindering this adoption of POCUS devices are cumbersome and convoluted workflow steps and protocols, outdated middleware, and un-integrated platforms that were never built for clinicians in the modern age.

These workflow challenges can lead to decreased productivity among clinicians, even as burnout is a concern for many hospitals. With the “Great Resignation” that has followed the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare has seen a shortage of primary care physicians, PAs, and nurses. Because of this, many people can’t get a simple appointment with these clinicians, and thus, some may use the local ED as their primary care site. As a result, the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of operations within the ED are paramount to reducing burdens on hospital staff as much as possible, which helps to ensure that patients continue to receive excellent care.

Too often strapped for resources, hospital administrators find themselves in a difficult situation of deciding where to invest hospital funds: do they invest in new equipment for clinicians, or do they pour most of those funds into transforming the technology infrastructure for the future? Sometimes the answer can be to do both at the same time. With this objective of maximizing investment in mind, why does POCUS workflow deserve a second look?

Here are some compelling benefits hospitals may realize if they invest in POCUS workflow software that is clinician-centric:

• Increased POCUS usage
• Real-time accurate documentation
• Increased reimbursement for POCUS usage
• Better security and compliance adherence
• Improved quality assurance (QA) and credentialing for POCUS exams
• Improved diagnostic accuracy
• Increased physician efficiency and productivity

Having an Easy-to-Use Workflow Helps Hospitals and Clinicians

When minutes could be the difference between life and death in the emergency department, clinicians must have a POCUS workflow process at their ready—a workflow that is both effective and easy-to-use, so that healthcare professionals can return their attention to patients. It must be a workflow with as few steps as possible, from start to finish.

Simplifying the POCUS workflow process can decrease the rates of burnout among clinicians because—with less time spent on documentation—clinicians can move more quickly between patients and, thus, see more patients. This can translate to increased productivity as well as more comprehensive documentation, which can mean more accurate billing. Exo’s webinar event, “Rethinking POCUS Workflow: Solving the Chain of Pain,” touched on this topic: watch the event here.

With the ability to document, review, and bill POCUS exams faster, clinicians will have more free time to dedicate to their families, friends, professional development, and other things that matter to them—which will contribute to a renewed spirit in the ED, and thus, will also contribute to reduced burnout and greater productivity.

How a Simplified POCUS Workflow Benefits the IT System

Far too many hospitals have thrown up their hands at documenting and billing for POCUS exams in emergency rooms because of the need to prioritize patients, not workflow steps. But not being able to properly document and recoup the costs of performing POCUS exams can have downstream repercussions for a hospital facility. Read our blog about understanding the total cost of ownership for your POCUS workflow here.

When a POCUS workflow breaks, it can suck up the IT department’s time that could be spent elsewhere—and when the IT team doesn’t respond quickly enough to technology needs, it could even encourage Shadow IT (when people skirt institutional tech policies). Building a simplified POCUS workflow can ease the burden on IT departments, which are often stretched thin with other priorities. When adherence to policies becomes the norm among clinicians, hospitals will benefit from greater compliance and security across the board. Plus, a reliable workflow does what it’s intended to do: keep things moving.

A Better Option Is Here

Simplifying anything is hard to do. For POCUS workflow, this is especially the case. If you are searching for the right option to evolve your POCUS workflow into the modern age, check out Exo Works™, our POCUS workflow solution designed with clinicians and patients at the forefront. Now you can document, review and bill all in one place, from anywhere—in seconds.

Learn more about Exo Works here.