A step into the future: In Bamberg, Germany, several private practices and one hospital are already working with the electronic health record, more specifically with the Siemens software Soarian^® Integrated Care. In the near future, the data network is expected to be expanded to 30 regional practices in the region. The new Siemens technology helps to optimize patient care and workflow for the participating healthcare providers and leads to better cooperation between the individual participants. The goal of the joint project between healthcare and business is to promote an integrated care system.

The electronic health record is not the only benefit of Soarian Integrated Care. The application supports healthcare systems with the flow of information and integrated communication mediums in existing treatment workflows and systems – across all sector borders, regional healthcare networks, and national healthcare programs. In Bamberg, the doctors also use other functionalities. If a patient is referred to another institution, for example, the physician or physician’s assistant can book the appointment directly online in the hospital – a further opportunity to improve the workflow for all participants. Georg Knoblach, MD, Chairman of the Ärztlicher Kreisverband Bamberg (Bamberg’s local medical chapter), also stresses the need to overcome sector borders between the inpatient and outpatient sectors: “Local solutions within a practice management or hospital information system are not the direction in which we want to head. We emphasize the importance of networking more sectors with IT. With Soarian Integrated Care, we would like to also include rehab facilities in the future, for example.”

Participating doctors are already convinced of the system results and the opportunities. Xaver Frauenknecht, a member of the Board of Directors for the Sozialstiftung (Social Foundation) Bamberg, which operates the hospitals and two medical care centers in Bamberg, explains the advantages of Soarian Integrated Care provided by the networking for all involved. “With the electronic health record, we are able to strengthen Bamberg as a health region in that we increase the overall quality of patient care. Here, we are concerned with real innovations that help all people involved.”