The healthcare service provider is enhancing its core processes supported by Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). With these constantly evolving cloud solutions that are reshaping the way we live; it is fair to say that the future of healthcare is digital.
Holman Cárdenas, CIO at Mutualser, explains that various means, including donkeys, are used in the Colombian Caribbean region to deliver healthcare services, transport medications and technical devices to reach users in remote communities.
While they have relied on ancestral rudiments to sustain their services, they are also actively embracing advanced technologies to address a vital element: improving care, preventing diseases and supporting patients in their treatments.
Mutualser is a Healthcare Service Provider (EPS); its mission is to care for its users by promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a closer, straightforward and streamlined healthcare experience.
Improving service and understanding users better as technological challenges
To achieve this, they have designed a Digital Transformation strategy that allows them to fulfill their promise as a health insurer to offer agile services with fewer procedures and immediate response to the approximately 2.5 million Colombians they serve, most of whom belong to the most vulnerable population.
As leaders on the Colombian Caribbean coast, with a presence in 117 municipalities across six different departments, they know better than anyone that the future of healthcare is digital, bringing more convenience for healthcare professionals, the well-being of communities and the quality of patient care.
Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the implementation of various technologies in the healthcare sector, from advancements in biotechnology to the adoption of mobile tracking applications, virtual communication services among healthcare providers, patients and administrative staff, as well as connecting temporary campaign hospitals and clinics for patient evaluation and diagnosis.
In this context, Mutualser has prioritized introducing new technologies to the organization that offers opportunities to streamline processes and reduce processing times for medication dispensation, appointment scheduling and user care.
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, a partner in data management
With the help of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), they migrated their operations to the cloud, improving the availability of technology services, increasing agility in terms of solution delivery and deployment, and, most importantly, scaling their capacity to meet the needs of all members.
With cloud technology, the organization enhanced the patient experience and collaboration with the network of service providers to offer better and more timely care.
Holman Cárdenas, CIO at Mutualser, said: “Now we can obtain information in a matter of minutes that previously took us days to access, allowing us to move towards predictive analysis to understand better health trends and other indicators, which in turn help us identify and treat our members’ conditions and issues more effectively, even before they manifest.”
Currently, the healthcare sector is moving at a very rapid pace, and healthcare systems must have the technological capacity to keep up. In this regard, the company is leveraging advanced Machine Learning technologies that accelerate access to data analysis to support more predictive models in medical and financial risk management.
Social impact on health and quality of life
“We have made great progress, and we are excited to continue focusing on new ways to improve the health of citizens and the population in general. Our work with Oracle helps us establish ourselves as leaders in healthcare in Colombia. And most importantly, we have positively impacted our population’s quality of life,” said Cárdenas.
The complexity of operating a hospital or other healthcare institution is increasing. Cloud computing is now a great alternative in many industries to simplify operations and reduce manual processes, especially in handling sensitive data.
Institutions must combine the cloud with more competent, faster data centers with maximum physical, technological, and information security that guarantee high availability or service continuity and enable innovation and rapid deployment of applications.
As Germán Borromei, General Manager of Oracle for Colombia and Ecuador, says: “It’s time to evolve, and Mutualser knows that. By strengthening their healthcare system with agile technologies that facilitate the work of life-saving professionals and promote quality service in the country. At Oracle, we always seek alternatives and solutions to make technology accessible to all organizations, especially those that fulfill an essential function in our society.”
Research and innovation
Finally, Mutualser EPS embraces research as a fundamental pillar to contribute to the well-being of its members and the community at large. The organization focuses on conducting studies addressing health challenges.
“The results of our research have impacted patient experience, efficiency, outcomes and healthcare workforce satisfaction. The organization shared these successful experiences and value-based care models as references for the healthcare sector at the local, national and international levels,” said Juan Carlos Fernández, Director of Research, who also highlighted that the EPS participated in a study analyzing the cost-effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in Colombia.
The study aimed to compare two national strategies: high-risk prioritization and non-prioritization.
The research conducted by Mutualser’s Scientific Department has allowed for the incorporation of rigorous methods in real-world evidence, resulting in an impact on management, decision-making, and evaluations with results analysis and interventions.
It is important to note that partnerships have also been established with universities in the country and territorial entities to address innovation projects and topics.
“For us, it is essential to innovate, manage knowledge and conduct research, as it is from there that the evolution of providing streamlined care arises, ensuring that our users always receive good attention. To achieve this, we collaborate with universities, seeking to align our care network with our Institutional Development Plan,” added Viana.
Finally, Holman Cárdenas, CIO at Mutualser, concludes that: “We are harnessing the power of data, which is the most valuable and delicate resource that an organization like ours can manage, to improve our service. As data volume exponentially grows, we need to have the capacity to manage it.
“We had to transition from an on-premise model to a multi-cloud system, as handling the volume of data we manage using traditional methods becomes unfeasible. This transition impacts our operational expenses (OPEX) rather than the capital expenses (CAPEX) of our technological investment.”
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