United Hospital to improve efficiency with diagnosis support software

Many hospitals were incentivized by the 2009 federal stimulus bill to update their patient files to electronic medical records. Electronic health records have myriad benefits including reduced costs and better patient health management. When utilized in conjunction with other electronic systems, they can also help boost efficiency and cut costs. United Hospital in Minnesota announced it will use Isabel Healthcare's software to better diagnose patients. 

Isabel's diagnosis decision support system helps doctors and nurses at hospitals to better diagnose problems their patients are experiencing; according to executives from the company, the system fully integrates with electronic health records and provides diagnostic support by illustrating potential diagnoses that otherwise may have been overlooked. Ultimately, the system improves hospital efficiency by ensuring patients are properly treated, minimizing the need for follow-up visits.

The medical director at United Hospital, Dr. Scott Tongen, said the system will help cut costs and improve patient care. "Isabel will be a great tool to assist our physicians with their diagnosis decisions, helping them research, verify and investigate patient cases more accurately," Dr. Tongen affirmed. "With mobile access and integration into our EMR system, our doctors will be able to access Isabel as part of their normal workflow, making them more efficient and accurate in their diagnoses.