What Are Clinical Communication and Collaboration Systems?
A clinical communication and collaboration (CC&C) system is a tool that helps coordinate the workflow and activities of different healthcare team members, such as clinicians, physicians, surgeons, nurses, administrators, payors, integrated 3rd party care partners, home healthcare professionals, and other medical professionals. These collaborative health platforms integrate with electronic health records (EHR), scheduling software, billing, and in some cases, telehealth opportunities. They’re designed to help professionals within the healthcare industry collaborate in a way that positively impacts the overall delivery of care while keeping patient information secure.
When used correctly, the benefits of clinical collaboration software range from improved patient outcomes and enhanced patient privacy to a more significant potential for revenue and reduced strain on health systems IT infrastructure.
The Importance of Good Collaboration Platforms for Home Healthcare Professionals
The home healthcare industry may benefit most from secure communication and collaboration tools, as most staff are in the field and unable to speak face-to-face. This makes tracking your patient’s health and coordinating care even more challenging, especially when resources must be dispatched in real-time. Therefore, collaboration tools are of the utmost importance in upholding HIPAA compliance and protecting patient data while enhancing clinical workflows. Some of the biggest reasons your home health and hospice organizations need secure communication include the following:
- Increased productivity, responsiveness, and satisfaction, within existing staff
- Incremental revenue generation, reduced operational and IT costs
- Reduced bounce-backs (hospital readmissions) and increased patient volume
- Decrease the risk of data breaches caused by healthcare communication on third-party devices or apps.
- Guaranteed HIPAA compliance for the healthcare delivery process and beyond.
- Streamlined patient care with real-time updates and AI insights.
- Secure multimedia messaging tools for home care team members to share important information.
- Better patient care and more efficient follow-ups.
- Ability to streamline workflows by sending and receiving documents in real time.
- Remove the risk of a HIPAA violation and fines up to $27,000 per incident.
The Best Clinical Communication and Collaboration Tools to Help Streamline Healthcare Workflows
Buzz® from Skyscape® is an all-in-one platform that offers a range of features designed to help streamline healthcare workflows, especially those used in home healthcare organizations. The comprehensive tools allow for seamless communication and collaboration, efficient documentation, and better patient outcomes while remaining HIPAA compliant. Some of the most notable collaboration tools offered by Buzz® by Skyscape® include the following.
Real-Time HIPAA Secure Communication and Messaging
Nothing beats the ease and familiarity of everyday texting using SMS or iMessage, but even apps that claim to be “encrypted” don’t necessarily meet HIPAA standards. Buzz has innovatively merged traditional instant messaging capabilities with HIPAA-compliant texting and other powerful features to create a fully customizable experience.
Real-time collaboration can be done in Buzz using your favorite means of messaging, whether that be text, chat, or fax, to share images, messages, videos, or dictations. Buzz also offers free virtual phone numbers and caller-ID management, so medical professionals don’t have to share their personal phone numbers and patients will be more likely to answer the call.
Plus, everything shared via instant messaging is securely archived so it can be accessed by additional healthcare systems when needed.
Group and One-to-One Collaboration
Rather than dealing with 100 different conversations between staff members, third-party providers, or patients, Buzz allows you to create customizable groups and one-to-one communication channels. This can help you mimic your everyday workflow and allow information, medical reports, images, and insurance forms to be easily shared.
Thanks to flexible group options for continuous case management, you can add members or give them access to historical messages to catch them up for the most efficient patient care.
There’s even the option to create message templates to respond instantly to common questions. Another unique feature is the ability to broadcast information to a group while maintaining each member’s privacy.
Workflow Efficiency
Buzz enhances workflow efficiency by consolidating administrative tasks into a single platform. Team members can quickly retrieve essential information through automated workflows, group messaging, and easy document access without switching between multiple systems. The all-in-one approach offered by Buzz minimizes operational delays, making it easier for healthcare teams to focus on patient care. Some Buzz features that help improve workflow efficiency include:
- Document editor and e-signature capabilities
- File and image sharing and storage
- Polling and surveys for quick team decisions
- Scheduling and calendar management
- Electronic visit verification (EVV) for home healthcare compliance
- Location and geofencing to assist patients with pharmacy locations and more
- EHR integration
Telehealth Capabilities
Buzz also supports a range of telehealth options, providing tools for secure video calls and virtual consultations. These capabilities enable home healthcare providers to deliver quality care remotely, expand access to services, and maintain continuous patient communication.
Using Buzz, you can connect multiple parties or single users with encrypted video conferencing, allowing communication without hassle. Buzz users can communicate with non-Buzz users (i.e. patients and families) using BuzzLink™ which sends secure encrypted messages or raw text to emails or by SMS Recipients are not required to download additional software or licensing, making patient access as easy as clicking on the BuzzLink™ to launch the secure channel.
Telehealth integration within Buzz ensures that remote patient care is as reliable and secure as in-person visits, enhancing convenience and accessibility for both patients and providers.
AI Productivity Tools and Clinical Knowledgebase
Buzz’s AI-driven tools enhance clinical productivity by providing instant access to a comprehensive knowledge base, including medical guidelines, best practices, and automated responses. Using trusted medical and nursing resources, you can access dependable answers and use AI to complement your current practices. Skyscape Lightning™ also integrates AI to help create letters, outline care plans, summarize notes, and more.
White Glove Support
Buzz offers extensive in-context help to ensure you’re getting the most out of your collaboration tools—access 24/7 support on the Buzz concierge level.
How Can Buzz® from Skyscape® Help Your Home Healthcare Communication and Workflows?
Buzz® from Skyscape® is a unique HIPAA communication and collaboration tool with powerful features that enable your team to focus on their patients instead of worrying about technology (or the lack thereof).
Enhanced Patient Satisfaction and Improved Business Outcomes
With Buzz, home healthcare providers can expand their patient base without adding administrative burden. Its efficient onboarding process, featuring tools like group texting, fosters smooth communication among providers and patients. In fact, one Buzz partner saw a 33% increase in patients with a minimal increase in staff, allowing for stronger business revenues without compromising patient satisfaction and care.
Buzz’s ability to improve real-time communication and case management has even helped agencies boost their Medicare CMS Star ratings—one agency increased from 2.5 to a full 5 stars. Buzz’s secure messaging, video, and phone features enhance care quality and patient satisfaction by providing reliable, HIPAA-compliant communication options for everyone on the team.
Streamlined Document Management for Staff Efficiency
Buzz also integrates robust document workflows with tools like annotation and digital signatures, making working with Adobe PDF and Microsoft Office documents within the platform easy. Features like group management, referral coordination, and real-time staff collaboration reduce administrative burdens and enhance operational efficiency. With Buzz, staff can manage communication channels such as telehealth, video calls, bulk messaging, fax, and email routing, all from one platform—ideal for reducing staff workload and improving productivity across the organization.
Centralized Communication Across All Channels
When you have healthcare members out in the field, centralized communication is paramount. Buzz consolidates various communication channels into a single, easy-to-use platform. It supports direct and group communication, allowing the sharing of essential materials like messages, reports, documents, X-rays, audio, image and video files. Buzz also brings traditional forms of communication—such as fax, telephony with virtual phone capabilities, live video for telehealth, email, and SMS—into one comprehensive interface, enabling healthcare providers to access all critical patient information instantly.
A Perfect Companion to EHR Systems
To help complement every healthcare team’s existing EHR platform, Buzz offers seamless integration. This enables easy access to critical patient information such as medications, progress notes, allergies, immunizations, and directives. Patient interactions between providers and families are converted into accessible notes in the patient record, making Buzz an indispensable EHR companion that boosts healthcare efficiency and enhances communication among staff, patients, and families.
Learn more about Buzz features or contact us to see why Buzz is the most feature rich, easiest to adopt and easy on your budget with pricing equal to a cup of coffee!
