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Health Care and Technology Assessment
Technology is an important element of modern health care provision and management. With an increase in the number population being served by the existing health care organizations, technology is a necessity in all aspects of health care system. This discussion will explore the most significant technology to have in the health care industry and the basic technology underlying health care information systems. This will be with a view to recommend an innovation and an action plan for the community for health care improvement.
The most significant new technology requirement for the health care industry is the development and maintenance of electronic health record. The technology behind the electronic health record is aimed at solving the requirement of availing medical records and health information about patients’ health records (Health IT, 2015). Electronic health record aims at availing patient information to doctors in hospitals so that they can be more informed in the diagnosis process. This will help them to make a more accurate diagnosis by considering the history of the patient before reaching to conclusions (Gartee, 2011). The development of electronic health care systems integrates the separate systems in hospitals that hold health records of patients (Health IT, 2015). As a result, an integrated system gives a unified documentation platform that allows doctors to access crucial health information.
Electronic health records give a basis of developing the data-driven medical practice as doctors rely on past records to solve the present problem with patients (Gartee, 2011). In addition, electronic health records will help save lives, especially where diagnosis is limited due to emergency situations that limit doctor-patient interaction (Health IT, 2015). For example, during accidents, and the patient cannot explain historical background, doctors can access his or her past health conditions despite being treated in a different hospital. The centralization of health records does not only offer efficiency in accessing patient information but also gives a basis for use as a population health tool for future health applications (Gartee, 2011).
Health care providers should approach the use of electronic health records technology with a lot of care and adherence to confidentiality and privacy regulations. This is because health records of patients are sensitive, confidential information that should be treated with the highest levels of confidentiality (Dearen, 2012). Using electronic health record systems should be done only by the authorized personnel and users in hospitals. The access to such systems should be thoroughly monitored in order to ensure that they abide by the law (Dearen, 2012). In addition, health care providers should conduct trainings and upgrades to their use of the electronic health records so that physicians and patients can get the best benefits of using the systems (Dearen, 2012).
The basic technology that underlies health care information system is storage of health care records and facilitating their access when needed. The technology of keeping such records involves the technology that is used in the collection and classifying all the health care data in one integrated system. After diagnosis and treatment of a patient in a health care facility, the resultant information should be stored and kept in a secure system which allows its access when its need arises (Dearen, 2012). The use of such health care information systems are based on the need to help physicians informed of the previous treatment of their patients as well as their health history.
One of the main functions of health care systems is the promotion and facilitation of communication. In a health care organizational setting, communication between the health care practitioners is at the heart of the health care information systems as they seek to facilitate their services (Wager et al, 2013). However, information and communication systems change with time as technology advances in complexity. Therefore, there is a need for technological innovation and modification for continuous development of the information system. The health information system used by a health care provider should allow innovation so that its functionality can keep abreast of the changing technological environment. This will promote the relevance of the system and make it dependable to solve the changing health care needs.
An appropriate technological innovation that can be recommended for the improvement of overall health care levels in the community is mobile health. This innovation is implemented through a comprehensive technological program of mobile health applications that seek a closer interaction between doctors and patients, as well as patients with health care facilities (Malvey & Slovensky, 2014). Physicians will use mobile health tools for accessing documentation, and reaching out to patients. This will introduce an advanced level of diagnosis and treatment if advanced technologies and devices are used. Appropriate technologies that use wireless connectivity can be used alongside mobile health to collect and send patient information to doctors (Malvey & Slovensky, 2014). This is enabled by the increased use of smart phones in the changing mobile technological space.
A good example would be the use of mobile communication between the patient and the doctors in a health care provider, in relation to an ongoing treatment. A patient can make inquiries regarding the ongoing treatment and give feedback on the response of the dosage provided by the doctor (Malvey & Slovensky, 2014). At the same time, the doctor can direct the patient on the regulations of the treatment such as taking medication and recommend further dosage. Moreover, mobile health can allow the patients to book appointments with a health care provider and select their doctors on days and time that they are available on a schedule that is displayed on the hospital’s information systems.
However, such technological applications can only be used if the health care leadership takes decisive actions to embrace technology and implement the advancements. To push the boundaries of information technology management, the major action they should take is planning the approach of implementing technology in health care facilities (Wager et al, 2013). The action of planning will involve assessment and evaluation of the needs of the health care facility and the readiness of the health care practice. Once the goals and the needs of the hospital are in congruence with the benefits of the technology, health care leaders should advance their planning to a strategy of acquiring such modern technology.
At the same time, the planning action should involve assessment of technical and financial readiness of the health care facility to employ and sustain health care technology. This will ensure a smooth strategy and implementation process, and sustainable use for the long term (Wager et al, 2013). This advancement will be beneficial to both the hospital and the community. The implementation of the health care system will improve the general health care in the community by giving efficient services and effective treatment. In addition, technology will improve the levels of public health in the community by facilitating awareness and education of people. Moreover, the use of technology in health care will improve the monitoring of health situations like outbreaks by health care authorities. This will therefore promote preventive health care, which will lead to a healthier community.
References
Dearen, J. (2012). The rising risk of electronic medical records. Retrieved from <http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/pure-genius/the-rising-risk-of-electronic-medicalrecords/8293> 18 July, 2015.
Gartee, R. (2011). Electronic Health Records: Understanding and Using Computerized Medical Records. New Jersy: Prentice Hall
Health IT, 2015. Electronic Health Records: The Basics. Retrieved From, <http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/faqs/what-electronic-health-record-ehr> 18 July 2015
Malvey, D.M., & Slovensky, D.J. (2014). MHealth: Transforming Healthcare. Berlin: Springer
Wager, K., Lee, F. & Glaser, J. (2013). Health Care Information Systems: A Practical Approach for Health Care Management. New York: John Wiley & Sons