508-909-5961 [email protected]

Big data’s positive effects on healthcare readmissionBusiness intelligence (BI) has fueled the growth of many businesses through the years, especially in the finance and manufacturing industries. Today, the benefits extend beyond those industries, as BI and big data have become important tools for healthcare businesses aiming to improve their processes. At its core, BI software is all about data analytics. BI […]

The post Big data’s positive effects on healthcare readmission appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Big data’s positive effects on healthcare readmission

Business intelligence (BI) has fueled the growth of many businesses through the years, especially in the finance and manufacturing industries. Today, the benefits extend beyond those industries, as BI and big data have become important tools for healthcare businesses aiming to improve their processes.

At its core, BI software is all about data analytics. BI software is capable of accepting overwhelming amounts of data in short periods of time. It also uses advanced analysis algorithms to search for trends in the data that even the most experienced statistician cannot find. Because it can provide deep insights on such tight schedules, businesses across industries have utilized different BI software to gain competitive advantages and streamline their workflows. For instance, businesses in the healthcare industry use BI to manage their readmission rates.

Readmission refers to when a patient returns for more care within 30 days of their original hospital stay. Cases like these usually stem from conditions immediately following the initial visit, such as mismanagement of the original condition, improper self-medication, and not enough access to proper medical services and medications in their community.

BI can help reduce readmission rates in several ways. For instance, by using patient fields such as income level, English proficiency, housing conditions, and community resources instead of finance-specific variables like previous number of purchases, order size, and order frequency, hospital administrators will have greater insight into the welfare of their patients. This knowledge will enable them to provide extra care to people who need it most and help them prevent expensive readmissions.

Furthermore, by combining socioeconomic data with electronic medical records (EMR) in a BI software environment, medical professionals can easily create individual profiles that will predict how likely a patient is going to require readmission, even before care is provided. For practices looking for methods to reduce readmissions by 3% or greater, predictive analytics allow doctors to ensure that certain types of patients can totally avoid readmissions with proper initial care.

Effective implementation of these solutions can definitely save hospitals a lot of money. In fact, one particular practice was able to save $72 million on medical services after reducing the incidence of readmissions by 6,000 patients annually while avoiding $4 million in Medicare penalties and boosting its reputation by leaps and bounds.

Big data isn’t only for big businesses. BI software can provide your practice with unprecedented levels of care and efficiency. Whether you want to lower readmission rates or ensure EMR compliance, we have the knowledge and experience to get it done for you. Call us today to partner with a proven IT expert.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Big data’s positive effects on healthcare readmission appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

How to extend your laptop battery lifeOne of the top considerations in choosing where to work with your laptop is the availability of a power socket. If you are not lucky enough to find an available outlet, you’ll have to depend on your laptop’s battery — assuming it still has enough power after your last charge. The following tips should optimize […]

The post How to extend your laptop battery life appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

How to extend your laptop battery life

One of the top considerations in choosing where to work with your laptop is the availability of a power socket. If you are not lucky enough to find an available outlet, you’ll have to depend on your laptop’s battery — assuming it still has enough power after your last charge. The following tips should optimize your laptop battery life so your device can last long enough for you to complete your tasks.

Some truths about your laptop battery

Most modern devices use lithium-based batteries that get damaged when they’re completely drained. But if your laptop uses an older type of battery that’s not made of lithium-ion or lithium-polymer, it's best to let it discharge completely before recharging it.

Laptop batteries also have limited life spans. So no matter what you do, yours will age from the very first time you charge it. This is because as time passes, the ions in your battery will become less efficient in flowing from the anode to the cathode, thereby reducing your battery’s capacity.

What else can degrade your laptop battery?

Besides being naturally prone to deterioration, your battery can degrade due to higher-than-normal voltages, which may happen when you keep your battery fully charged at all times. Even though a modern laptop battery cannot be overcharged, it will be damaged if you leave your laptop plugged in all the time.

Both extremely high temperatures (above 70°F) and low temperatures (32–41°F) can also reduce battery capacity and damage components. The same goes for storing a battery for long periods of time, which can lead to extreme discharge.

Another factor that can affect laptop battery life is physical damage. Remember that batteries are made of sensitive materials, and a shock from a fall or a similar incident can damage them.

How can you prolong your laptop battery life?

Now that you know some facts about your laptop battery, it’s time to learn how to delay its demise:

  • Never leave your battery completely drained.
  • Don’t expose your battery to extremely high or low temperatures.
  • If possible, charge your battery at a lower voltage.
  • If you need to use your laptop for a long period of time while it’s plugged into a power source, it’s best if you remove the battery from your device so it runs just like a desktop. This may not be applicable to newer laptop models that have built-in, non-removable batteries, however.
  • When you need to store your battery for a few weeks, you should recharge your battery to 40% and, if possible, remove it from your laptop for storage.

These are just a few tips on extending the life of your hardware. There are many more ways you can maximize hardware efficiency and extend longevity. Call our experts today to find out more!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post How to extend your laptop battery life appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More

How much does a VoIP system really cost?If you’re in the market for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system, you’re bound to come across solutions with similar features and add-on services. Some may offer a combination of these at a lower cost, so you might be tempted to go for the most affordable option. But don’t just base your decision […]

The post How much does a VoIP system really cost? appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

How much does a VoIP system really cost?

If you’re in the market for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system, you’re bound to come across solutions with similar features and add-on services. Some may offer a combination of these at a lower cost, so you might be tempted to go for the most affordable option. But don’t just base your decision on the initial price of the VoIP system. It’s essential that you also consider its total cost of ownership (TCO).

TCO is the overall sum of procuring, deploying, and operating a VoIP system over its life cycle, which is typically five years. A VoIP expert should be able to give you an informed approximation, but here’s what to expect:

Upfront costs

Upfront costs are largely determined by whether you buy a VoIP system outright or rent it from a third party. Although the former carries a steep upfront cost, payment does not continue indefinitely. This makes sense for large, fully staffed corporations with massive budgets. Meanwhile, the latter option is better for small- and medium-sized businesses that prefer to pay a small monthly subscription rather than make a huge initial investment.

Beyond the price of the VoIP package, upfront costs also include additional costs like headsets, webcams, and a stronger network connection to ensure crystal-clear calls.

Implementation costs

A majority of implementation costs go to the fees of the consultant or managed IT services provider that designs, deploys, and configures your VoIP system.

But since you’re installing a completely new phone system, you also need to factor in costs associated with training employees on how to use the VoIP system effectively and securely.

Operational costs

This covers monthly recurring costs of voice and data plans. For example, some service providers charge local and long-distance calls per minute, while others offer unlimited local calls for a fixed monthly fee.

If you’re managing your VoIP infrastructure yourself, you also have to take into account monthly power, cooling, and maintenance fees. If you opt for hosted VoIP services, however, you are only billed for maintenance.

Upgrade costs

You should also set aside some room in your budget for VoIP upgrades. For instance, to improve customer service, you may need to integrate customer relationship management (CRM) software with VoIP, but that requires the help of a certified CRM expert.

Evaluating all the costs that apply to your business will give you a clear idea of how much you can expect to pay for your VoIP system. If you’re having difficulty calculating the actual costs of VoIP, call our experts today. We’ll help you figure out which VoIP solution is most ideal for your business and budget.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post How much does a VoIP system really cost? appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Read More