James Muddimer, writer
Healthcare is an industry that really is surfing the wave of the digital revolution. New software has opened up new capabilities for businesses working in the sector, helping them to deliver the best care for their patients. Practitioners and administrators are changing the way they work to make the most of the potential of modern technology.
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Now, healthcare businesses can communicate with their patients and schedule appointments with a new found efficiency. But the move to digital in this industry hasn’t been all plain sailing. Data scandals have become far too regular occurrences, with institutions like the NHS being caught red-handed for irresponsible data protection measures. With so much sensitive information at risk, businesses offering healthcare services have to be highly vigilant.
There’s no getting round the fact that good software is critical for any healthcare business. Let’s have a look at some of the must-have programmes that are needed to keep things ticking.
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5 Software Essentials for Healthcare Businesses
1) Secure data protection measures. Having easy access to patient information is essential for practitioners. When practising on a patient, they need to know about any past or present conditions or allergies. But that doesn’t change the fact that the data that healthcare businesses accumulate are highly sensitive.
Companies working in this sector, both private and public, need to invest in the right data protection systems to ensure the safety of their patients. A secure algorithm protects your patients’ data from attempted breaches, and makes sure that your company doesn’t end up getting dragged into a preventable scandal.
2) Appointment scheduling. Digital software can enable your business to schedule in patients with minimum fuss. With the help of a software company, you can design appointment software that keeps things punctual and makes the booking process as straightforward as possible. Both patients and staff will benefit from the peace of mind that comes with knowing when they need to be on the premises and who they will be meeting.
3) Patient communications. Healthcare businesses also need to have communications software installed that makes cancellations and re-scheduling simple. Email software can be purchased which automatically generates responses to requests made concerning altering bookings. Having that digital resource at your disposal means that staff can be left to deal with more complex enquiries, and save your business unnecessary expense.
It is essential that all communications are designed for those with visual impairments in mind. With an increasingly aging population, hospitals and medical practices are catering more and more for the elderly. Any form of communication with them needs to be easily readable and, if possible, be accessible in an audio format.
4) Billing. To protect the banking information of your patients, you need to install HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant payment system. That’s the standard for the industry and demanded of all healthcare businesses. It’s also critical to make sure that your billing software is suited to both insurers and private clients, as both clients have different needs when it comes to making payments.
5) Health and safety. To monitor accidents and injuries at your practice, software is the right way to go. Digital archiving is the best way of organising incidents and making them as accessible as possible for those who need to access to them. With digital health and safety record, your healthcare business can learn from mistakes in the past and make improvements for the future.
Why start a Healthcare Business?
With the backing of the best software, you can make lucrative returns in healthcare. Many entrepreneurs are making the decision to invest in one of the world’s most profitable industries. Private healthcare is proving especially successful in the UK, where growing pressure on the NHS is pushing many patients towards other options.
The average age of a UK citizen is 40. With an aging population, we need the infrastructure to help keep people healthy. By starting a healthcare business, you can make a critical difference to people’s lives when it really matters. Whatever kind of healthcare you want to specialise, we have numerous opportunities on Point Franchise to help you get into the industry.
Healthcare Franchise Opportunities
Right at Home
One of these is Right at Home. This home care franchise has crossed the Atlantic from the US to the UK in 2010, when master franchisor Ken Dreary opened his first UK-based service in Preston. In the space of just nine years, Right at Home UK has grown to a network of 60 different franchises.
This home care franchise has grown to this size by delivering on its core promise to deliver ‘Quality care in your home. Its consistent dedication to a quality service has gained it the accolade of becoming homecare.co.uk’s most highly recommended care agency.
At Right at Home, 95 percent of its franchise partners do not have a background in the industry. All that the franchise requires is that you have the suitable business credentials and the ability to finance a minimum investment of £40,000.
In the space of two years, you can generate a ten-fold return on your investment of £400,000. These are the results that you can achieve with the backing of the rigorous Right at Home training and induction programme, which helps all prospective franchisees to get up to scratch with the company’s recipe for success.
If you’re interested in this high-potential business opportunity, then you can find out more information by visiting our directory.
Avant Healthcare
Avant Healthcare is offering a multi-territory franchise package to passionate entrepreneurs who want to launch a venture into healthcare. By utilising Avant Healthcare’s access to both local authority and private patients, you can expect to generate a turnover of £5 million once you have three sites up and running.
In its recruitment process, this healthcare franchise demands all applicants to be aspirational, accountable, nurturing and trustworthy. If these are character traits that you can identify with, and you are capable of providing £32,500 of start-up capital, then Avant Healthcare wants to talk to you.
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James Muddimer, writer