The future of patient care is already here

Digital solutions have brought profound changes to practically all industries – and healthcare is certainly no exception. While this includes a host of consumer-centric apps, from fitness trackers to heart rate monitors, there has also been a move to grant healthcare professionals greater access to digital tools that can boost productivity, reduce delays, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Through its Sfere app, Getronics is playing a prominent role within this movement. 

Sfere is certainly no flash in the pan. It is the culmination of almost 30 years of evolution. It was developed in the 1990s when computers were a rare sight inside hospital buildings (or anywhere else for that matter). The app has undergone multiple distinct periods of evolution to ensure that it can offer a comprehensive health management software (HMS) system. Boasting a variety of modules, from clinical information to patient administration, Sfere aims to transform the quality of care provided by the healthcare sector.

How Sfere works

Sfere is a fully web-based solution that can be accessed both inside and outside a hospital setting. Like most other digital platforms, Sfere first presents the user with a login page, where they must validate their credentials. Of course, given the sensitive nature of patient data, Sfere takes cybersecurity extremely seriously. In addition to complying with the European Union’s GDPR rules, Sfere allows administrators to clearly define the app’s permissions and employs a constantly updated audit trail to provide transparency around the movement and modification of patient data. Given that healthcare data is one of the most popular targets for cybercriminals, the kinds of safeguards utilised by Sfere are undoubtedly necessary. 

Once logged in, healthcare professionals can use Sfere to access the clinical history of patients in an electronic format, integrating seamlessly with other standard-based management software tools. Staff can also receive an instant overview of bed occupancy for each ward and gain insights relating to each distinct clinical encounter. In addition to Patient Administration, Sfere also includes modules on Clinical Information, as well as Departmental and Administrative Systems. 

Some of the main benefits of using Sfere include: 

• Define your corporate processes: Some corporate healthcare providers manage multiple hospitals – each with their own distinct ways of working. Sfere allows healthcare providers to unify their processes, identify which institutions are meeting patient expectations and which ones could be improved. 
• Cost-control: Every action in Sfere is recorded, so you can track and manage costs more effectively – not just the direct cost of any direct medical intervention, but also the surrounding administrative expenditure. There is even a specific module within Sfere, “Dashboard,” where you can gain a detailed view of each intervention. This can, of course, be used to reduce costs, but also simply to improve the quality of care. 
• Reputational benefits:  Sfere can provide reports and data – not only for the benefit of the healthcare professional but also for the patient. Sfere enables patients to gain more insight into their own care. They can see exactly the kinds of treatments they are receiving, as well as their outcomes. In the private market, in particular, where there is robust competition between institutions, this level of patient support can be a huge advantage. 

The next evolution

In the many years since Sfere was developed, the healthcare sector has changed markedly. This development continues to this day. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, not only brought intense pressure on hospitals around the world but also changed the way healthcare professionals worked. Remote access to patient data became more important than ever – without compromising on security. Getronics is proud to say that Sfere was able to support the meeting of these twin goals. 

The next step for Sfere is enabling Quaternary care. Currently, most healthcare can be broken down into Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary levels. However, Quaternary care refers to highly specialised care – the kind of personalised care that can only be achieved using digital solutions like Sfere. If Quaternary care does become more common, Sfere is ready to enable it. 

At Getronics, our experts, customers and partners are committed to revamping the healthcare experience to improve patient outcomes. To find out more about Sfere, request a callback.