Role of Hospital Management Systems in COVID-19

1. Role of Hospital Management Systems in COVID-19 Technology is vital for controlling COVID-19. Most successful countries controlling the spread of COVID-19 relied on adopting digital technology and integrating it into healthcare, hospitals, and policy. Hospitals being the intersection of treating COVID-19 and stopping the spread of COVID-19 to other patients must incorporate digital technologies into their day-to-day activities and operations. Trust has become the most prioritized emotion in the world after COVID-19, and hence the reflection of trust and transparency is possible through digital hospital management systems (HMS). Some of the ways how hospital management software can help hospitals for continuing operations in COVID-19: Contact Tracing Tracking the movement of patients and healthcare workers is necessary for hospitals to control the spread of COIVD-19. Suppose a patient or healthcare worker from the hospital reports positive for COVID-19, this tracing will help hospitals to test and treat people visited by that person quickly. The tracking feature in hospital management systems will also help generate heat maps to monitor and control crowds in hospitals, especially in places such as OPD, in-hospital pharmacies, and canteens. Assisting Technologies – GPS; mobile apps; real-time monitoring of mobile devices; wearable technology; Bluetooth beacons Planning and Tracking Planning daily activities at the hospital level must consider some new factors such as available PPE kits, ventilators in use, and staffing positions. Hospital Management Softwares must provide a platform for healthcare workers to report real-time data on volumes of patients with COVID-19, personal protective equipment, staffing, ventilator usage, and other resource information. Tracking healthcare workers through HMS-connected mobile apps effectively identify doctors who are available for a quick response with PPE kits. Assisting Technologies – Real-time data from smartphones and wearable technology Telehealth

2. Virtual care integration in HMS, using video conferencing and digital monitoring, is being used worldwide to deliver remote health care to patients as a means of reducing their exposure to COVID-19 in healthcare institutions. In Canada, clinician-to-patient video visits have increased from approximately 1000 visits per day in February 2020 to 14 000 per day by mid-May. If implemented and delivered appropriately, virtual care can increase healthcare access, but possible risks could be wrong diagnoses and equipment malfunction. Hospital management software with integrated Telehealth technologies helps doctors set up virtual meetings with ease and supports healthcare workers to do the pre-check through the same connection. Assisting Technologies – virtual care or telemedicine platforms Clinical Management Using AI AI can facilitate rapid diagnosis and risk prediction of COVID-19 for hospitals. A cloud-based AI- assisted CT scan service integrated with hospital management software can help in this cause. This technology processes CT scan images in seconds, differentiating COVID-19 from other lung diseases and substantially speeding up the diagnostic process. COVID-Net, an open-source deep convolutional neural network design available to clinicians worldwide, can quickly detect COVID- 19 cases from other lung diseases on chest x-rays. Machine learning algorithms can predict the likelihood of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome and critical illness among infected patients. These prediction models can guide clinical decision-making. Resource allocation in need of essential resources of care and medical supplies is a crucial output in AI integrated HMS on the hospital level. Assisting Technologies – Artificial intelligence for diagnostics; machine learning Having a Hospital Management System with all the latest technologies is vital for a hospital to provide rapid treatment to its patients and make the hospital brand stand out in today’s competitive landscape.