Coronavirus is spreading rapidly across the world and in the United States, and it is putting extra stress on the healthcare industry. Microsoft, though, is here to help. The company recently announced that it would be adding new capabilities to Microsoft 365 which will empower those in the healthcare industry in delivering “high-quality patient care.”
As is expected, the new capabilities mainly cover Microsoft Teams. On this front, Microsoft is making it easier for healthcare providers to handle and schedule virtual doctor visits. That will be thanks largely in part by the meetings functions in Teams, which can will be able to be used to schedule, manage, and conduct virtual visits for medical-related things like surgery follow-up.
Also included in this area is the Microsoft Graph, which has an API that can allow IT admins working in the healthcare industry to integrate meeting schedules and more into electronic health records. For the patient, this will carry over into Outlook, too. According to Microsoft:
“Once a visit is scheduled within Teams, the patient receives a customized email with appointment details and a link where they can join the virtual appointment from their web browser or Teams mobile app.”
Another aspect in this area is a new ability to target Teams messages to role recipients based on the shifts they are working. Microsoft believes this should make it easier to integrate with major workforce management systems like AMiON, JDA, and Kronos. The Microsoft Compliance Score feature caps out the list and can be used to scan Office 365 environments to make sure that it is compliant with HIPAA/HITECH requirements.
