NaviNet: Unified Patient Information Management on Demand

Software as a Service, or SaaS as us techies like to refer to it, has been a big buzzword in the technology community over the last few years. What is SaaS? What is its significance? And, why should you care that NaviNet offers our services as a SaaS solution? We hope we can help you answer these questions in this blog post.

What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
SaaS refers to software deployed as a hosted service and accessed over the Internet – no lengthy application downloads, no hogging of computer memory, no upgrades required – all that is done by the software provider and deployed online. SaaS solutions are gaining momentum (and some argue SaaS will be the way we consume all software in the near future) because all the user needs is a computer with an Internet connection. Since SaaS software runs on the Internet, there is no need to download applications to your desktop, install updates or worry about operating system requirements.

Applications vs. SaaS Services
A good example of an application versus a SaaS solution is Microsoft Word versus Google Docs. Microsoft Word is an application that is part of the Microsoft Office suite. In order to use Microsoft Word, you have to purchase and install it on your computer, and that version of Microsoft Word has to be compatible with your computer’s operating system. For example, you can’t install the PC version of Microsoft Office on a Mac. Additionally, when Microsoft releases a new update to Microsoft Word, you have to manually install the upgrade or go without the new capabilities.

Google Docs is a SaaS document creation service that you access over the Internet - docs.google.com. To get started using Google Docs, all you have to do is create a Google account. There is no need to download or upgrade software - every time Google updates Google Docs, the changes get automatically pushed to Google account users the next time they log in. The other advantage of using Google Docs is its ubiquitous accessibility - you can access your Google Docs files – spreadsheets, documents, slideshows, etc. from any computer, anywhere in the world, at any time - all that is needed is an Internet connection.

You can start to see why SaaS services like Google Docs, Gmail and SalesForce are catching on and displacing their application counterparts.

SaaS Benefits at a Glance
Here is a complete list:
•    Only requirements are an Internet connection and a computer
•    No need to download or update software
•    Software updates are automatically pushed to users
•    Access software from any computer with an Internet connection
•    Free or monthly subscription payments, no upfront capital investment
•    Easily handles additional capacity as new users are added
•    Easily matches demand with capacity

Benefits of NaviNet as a SaaS solution
NaviNet is a SaaS solution and as such is in a unique position to cater to the disparate and complex needs of all key healthcare stakeholders – health plans, providers, patients and partners. One of the reasons that NaviNet is one of the most widely used healthcare communications networks is because it is accessible to physician practices using only a computer and an Internet connection.

NaviNet is convenient because it is accessed through a Web browser; there is no need for physician practices to install software or updates. Every time NaviNet adds a new health plan or feature, we automatically make the updates available to NaviNet users. NaviNet offers you peace of mind, because you can be assured that we take care of all required upgrades, certifications and compliance. With multiple healthcare reform initiatives, ICD-10 and 5010 compliance, and Meaningful Use technology requirements on the horizon, the SaaS model becomes even more valuable.

NaviNet is focused on the future. Our vision of unified patient information management (UPIM) means that we are architecting NaviNet solutions to allow our users to manage key patient information and office processes from a single, secure Web site. Because of that, NaviNet is committed to continually improving and adding new features to our product set. As the nation’s largest real-time communications network, NaviNet attracts best-in-class technology partners and health plan customers. We are actively seeking health plans and IT vendors to integrate their solutions and workflows into NaviNet to further enhance our offerings. Be sure to stay tuned for more news.

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Sincerely,

David Kates

Senior Vice President of Product Management and Clinical Strategy