Originally Published MX September/October 2004

COVER STORY

When people think of healthcare delivery, they tend to focus on the doctor-patient relationship as the critical nexus for the provision and receipt of care. But the business flow of healthcare is actually much more complex, encompassing a large number of varied and interdependent processes.

The task of coordinating such varied processes can be a healthcare provider's nightmare—and it isn't always done successfully. Under optimal conditions, for instance, it might take 5 minutes to perform a CT scan, 5 minutes to read it, and 10 minutes to transcribe the report. But successfully managing workflow is a challenge for most institutions. For example, typical turnaround time from physician order to receipt of a CT report can be anywhere from 8 to 26 hours.

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Enter the concept of the integrated digital healthcare enterprise.