Transforming Patient Experience with Advanced Digital Healthcare Leveraging Advanced Tools for Enhanced Patient Care

Healthcare Tech Outlook, Celine Orhond, Px Patient Relations and Experience Director, CLINIQUE PASTEUR Toulouse, shares her thoughts on the modern digital healthcare. She also sheds light on how companies today leverage emerging technologies to streamline the clinical workflows and improve the overall experience of patients and healthcare professionals.

Please walk me through the journey you have had and your current role and responsibility?

I have had diverse experiences that shaped my expertise in digital healthcare. As a medical doctor in renowned hospitals, I became inspired to establish a non-profit association focused on enhancing patient pathways for individuals with diabetes. Taking on the role of director, I led the development of an online medical history platform designed to facilitate improved communication between general practitioners and hospitals.

Following my tenure as a digital healthcare expert in CLINIQUE PASTEUR Toulouse in the South of France, I was intrigued to develop a software catering to patients based on their unique requirements. This innovative system facilitated seamless connectivity and access to both historical and prospective patient information. Its comprehensive functionality encompassed a wide spectrum of patient pathways, including prevention, healthcare, education, and coordination of medical and social needs.

The outcomes of this multi-year project proved to be highly commendable that every organization tasked with managing patient pathways in the area embraced the software. Recognizing the significance of data consolidation to promote standardized language and tools, the government of Paris collaborated with our organization to adapt and implement the software nationwide within the digital healthcare industry.

Currently, as a director of a patient experience in CLINIQUE PASTEUR Toulouse, I reimagine our hospital’s approach around patients across multiple departments. We prioritize three key aspects, which are improving patient experience, enhancing our organizational capabilities for patient admission and discharge, and effectively implementing advanced tools in digital healthcare.

What would you say are some of the challenges you have witnessed in the digital healthcare space, and how do you align yourselves accordingly?

Spanning an extensive timeframe, we have firmly established ourself as a leading healthcare institution in the digital healthcare realm. Our reputation has garnered attention from other regions within France and even international visitors who seek to observe and learn from our well-organized practices.

However, as we confront numerous roadblocks, the abundance of digital software and tools presents a primary challenge—selecting the most effective solution. It requires careful evaluation to determine the option, which would truly enhance our organizational processes, as not every solution yield significant improvement.

Subsequently, we must ensure that the selected digital tool would essentially enhance the experience of both patients and healthcare professionals for a sustainable growth. It becomes difficult when periodically introducing new tool or software, which requires initial testing and continuous workforce training to gain a deep understanding on their functionalities. There are often issues pertaining to address as the tools may not function optimally.

Striving with a focus to continuously improve our operations, we actively embrace the implementation of new digital tools. Through collaborative efforts with our expert team, we diligently adapt to the changing technological landscape, ensuring a high level of satisfaction to all stakeholders involved.

“We Prioritize Three Key Aspects, Which Are Improving Patient Experience, Enhancing Our Organizational Capabilities For Patient Admission And Discharge, And Effectively Implementing Advanced Tools In Digital Healthcare”

Is there any project or initiative you have undertaken in the digital healthcare technology landscape that you would want to share?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our hospital introduced a patient portal as part of our response efforts. 

It proved to be a valuable platform for streamlining hospital visits, enabling patients to conveniently complete tasks online, like submitting their medical history, giving consent for important documents, and accessing informative videos. This efficient approach significantly reduced delays and allowed patients to proceed smoothly with their healthcare journey.

Our patient portal served as a centralized hub not only for patients but also for healthcare professionals. The primary objective was to ensure that all necessary preparations are completed when patients arrive at the hospital, enabling healthcare professionals to conveniently access the relevant information available on the portal.

It was daunting to establish seamless integration among multiple tools and software to facilitate proper information flow. We effectively combined and integrated digital solutions, allowing healthcare professionals to obtain the right information at the right moment without disrupting their existing workflow. This enhanced the overall efficiency within the hospital ecosystem.

How does your future look like in the digital healthcare field?

The healthcare industry has to pivot its focus toward ergonomics which plays a crucial role in effectively implementing digital solutions. This involves employing standards to achieve a proper ergonomic design ensuring that different solutions can seamlessly collaborate. Without standardization, there will be constant need to rewrite information, posing significant challenges for healthcare professionals and patients. Due to the lack of information continuity, they often have to repeatedly follow up for information.

Therefore, the primary objective for the industry is to use standardize and integrate digital solutions so that the healthcare information is consistently structured across different platforms. For instance, we are establishing a village that serves as a testing ground for new healthcare startups to align their solutions with the requirements of healthcare professionals and patients. Over the past few years, we have been partnering with companies in this initiative, striving to enhance their solutions and ensure they meet our needs. In coming times, a real challenge lies in bridging the needs of healthcare professionals, patients, and what these companies can offer as service providers.

What would be your single piece of advice to an aspiring professional in your field?

When working in the healthcare industry, one of the most challenging aspects is simultaneously meeting the diverse needs of both patients and healthcare professionals. This becomes especially difficult with a wide range of professionals involved, including general practitioners and hospital specialists. That’s why it is crucial to work hand in hand with stakeholders early on to gather their insights and feedback. This way, you can make necessary improvements and test your solution in real-life scenarios.

Remember, involving patients and healthcare professionals in the development process ensures that the solution truly caters to their needs and is not imposed upon them. Instead of presenting a solution after maturity, engage in ongoing discussions and evaluations during the middle stages of development. This agile approach allows for continuous improvements and ensures that your solution aligns with the requirements of everyone involved.

My final advice is to explore the potential of incorporating voice recognition technology into your healthcare solutions. Many individuals, especially younger generations, prefer voice-based interactions over typing. By making your solutions intuitive and easy to use, supported by AI advancements, you can enhance the user experience and drive greater adoption.

Remember, collaboration, early engagement, and constant refinement are key to creating effective solutions that truly meet the needs of patients and healthcare professionals. By working together from the start, we can transform healthcare delivery and improve outcomes for everyone involved.