Advances in Health Care Information Technology
Abstract
This paper will focus on…(Under construction) This will be accomplished through a group effort while exploring these topics by constructing a twenty-page paper in APA format.
Keywords:
Introduction
Imagine being treated in a hospital that has not advanced technologically. Every time nurses show up and keep on asking for your name, or medical details can sometimes be very annoying, but this is no longer a problem since most healthcare facilities are advancing technologically. Most of the developed and some of the developing countries have introduced information technology such as the use of computers and phones to store and access patient’s data in their healthcare fields. This has significantly improved the efficiency of healthcare workers by making it easy to access the patient’s financial and medical data. It has also improved the quality of the patient through the reduction of preventable deaths and provided valuable research data in healthcare fields for the development of medical treatment and pharmaceutical drugs. Additionally implementing advanced technology in healthcare facilities such as electronic health record system enhance patient and nurses communication and collection of information such as potential mistakes which is necessary for health care.
Although introducing information technology has some great impacts, it has also faced some great challenges. For instance, since healthcare systems require the collaboration of personnel from different healthcare organizations, there is the challenge of lacking collaboration between professionals. There is also the challenge of implementing patient identification safety in EHR since it aims at safeguarding data and ensuring maximum patient security. This article will focus on the advancement of information technology in healthcare, the impact of technology trends, and, finally, the challenges faced while implementing information technology in healthcare facilities.
Advances in Health Care Information Technology
The United States health care system is classified as a unique, massive, and a consistently expanding system and yet lacks coordination and universal coverage for all residents in the United States (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 2). The vast amount of organizations, individuals, and government agencies that are involved in the US health care system include nearly twelve million people working in health care delivery. public and private agencies are providing insurance to over five-thousand hospitals, fifteen-thousand nursing homes, two-thousand mental health facilities, hospice, and home health agencies, and over twelve-thousand programs providing basic health support to migrant workers, low-income and the homeless populations (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 2). With a health care system that stands above all the other developed countries, one would expect that technology would provide a plethora of affordable care and services to the population.
Technological developments and improvements in health care have made significant impacts on patient care and quality of life through improved communication, implementation of Electronic Health Records, and more efficient processes and practices of health care professionals (Banova, 2019). Technology in the health care field leads to high-quality resources, improves communication, and the collection of information that is necessary for health care to ensure that potential mistakes are caught quickly, and patient harm is prevented. Technology is also responsible for the implementation of health care systems that improve the quality of care and drives advancements in the health care system (Chen & Department of Hospital and Health Care Administration, 2019). The advances in health technology and science have played a significant role in shaping the health care delivery system in the United States over the past one-hundred years, evolving from primitive practices to the largest industry in the world known as health informatics driven by the advances we see today (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 72).
Technology in health care is responsible for copious benefits and has contributed to life extension, medical cures, advanced diagnostic procedures, development of new drugs, and improving the quality of life to many who suffer from chronic conditions (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 101). The implementation of health informatics in the healthcare field also has multiple benefits which include reducing healthcare costs through the development of a standardized health IT system and providing clinical researchers with advanced medical knowledge for such things as developing treatments for viral outbreaks and preventative measures such as development of the flu shot (Banova, 2019). This technology is fundamental to the management of information being used in the delivery of patient care, quality improvement, billing and collections, and various other facets involving the operation of health care organizations (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 103). For example, health informatics was the foundation for the HIPAA program which was established by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a federal law that required the creation of national patient privacy rules to protect sensitive health information from being disclosed without patient consent or knowledge (HIPAA, 2018).
Since the establishment of the United States Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 to ensure safeguards are in place to protect patient information, health informatics has demonstrated consistent growth (Simoes, 2015). Electronic health records (EHRs) were developed in response to the establishment of HIPAA in an effort to replace the traditional paper medical records, providing secure storage of confidential patient health records, and giving patients the ability to obtain electronic access while enhancing the quality, efficiency and safety of patient care through health informatics (Shi & Singh, 2019). It is disappointing that the adoption of universal health information technology such as electronic health records (EHRs) has been a slow and problematic process resulting in communication breakdowns between health care organizations and negatively impacting patient trust, data accuracy and patients ability to obtain immediate, accurate knowledge regarding their health care (Byrne et al., 2014).
Technological breakthroughs are more prominent in the United States than any other developing country with electronic wearable devices, telemedicine utilized for medical diagnosis and patient care utilized when the physician and patient are separated by distance, and at home monitoring systems receiving the most attention due to their ability to protect patient safety for chronically ill patients (Loncar-Turukalo et al., 2019). Wolff, Darer, & Larsen demonstrated that a lack of communication exists between medical providers, family and caregivers that has a negative impact on the safety and quality of care that chronically ill, elderly and terminally ill patients receive as a result of the caregivers lack of ability to access and monitor the patients electronic health records demonstrating that technology does not improve a patients overall satisfaction or their quality of life (2016).
It is important to understand that advances in technology although important to the quality of care, has been the largest factor in the continued rising costs of medical care in the United States (Shi & Singh, 2019). Technology is exciting, new, constantly evolving, brings hope to the individuals who may benefit from these advances, and in some cases can be inspirational to medical professionals. There are several factors that contribute to the correlation between technological advances, the continuous rising health care costs, and the impact this has on advances in health care today.
There was a time when certain conditions equated to no hope of survival. Shi & Singh demonstrated that as a result of major technological advances, physicians now have the ability to help patients suffering from such illnesses as diabetes, end-stage renal disease, heart disease and HIV/AIDS and due to modern technology, these conditions are no longer fatal (2019, p. 117). Various surgical procedures have been reduced to minimally invasive providing patients with less impact and allowing for quicker healing times (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 117). These technological innovations although profound and an incredible improvement to quality of life for patients, has contributed to the negative impact on health care costs.
Medical technology has had a positive impact on health care accessibility such as utilizing communication technology to allow patients remote access to their health care providers, or providing rural hospitals the ability to coordinate care through video communication (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 119). Large urban hospitals and medical clinics have been transformed into state of the art facilities with newly developed technologies, modern medicine, and the latest diagnostic and therapeutic remedies being offered to patients not only allowing for access to modern treatments but reducing costs to patients as these services are often offered on an outpatient basis where previously only available in the hospitals (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 117).
As previously discussed, the United States is responsible for the highest spending in the world in the development of new medical technology and the cost of health care (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 119). As Shi & Singh demonstrated, the actions of the United States benefits the other developing countries as they essentially get a free ride in the technological field by waiting for the United States to develop the technology and then utilize this technology in the European and other economies at a fraction of the cost (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 119). The United States would benefit through the establishment and implementation of a centralized health technology assessment to evaluate ethical and legal dilemmas, efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of newly developed medical technology (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 120).
Essentially, medical technology is only beneficial when it helps a patient and is beneficial to their care. In the United States, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating the introduction of new medications, biologics and medical devices based on performed medical trials and the ability to demonstrate their efficacy and safety however, the FDA does not evaluate cost-effectiveness thus demonstrating a lack of monitoring rising health care costs, excessive spending and wasteful practices in the health care field (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 123). Americans have demonstrated a desire to have access to the newest and the latest technology although, there are significant disadvantages of technological advances that must be addressed for the protection of patients in the United States healthcare system. The good should outweigh the negative and be beneficial not only medically but cost effectively as well.
Mobile Medical Technology
The future of technology is being ushered in with exponentially better performance in smaller and more compact devices. As such, the advancements in smartphones and wearable devices has allowed the medical industry to capitalize on this trend by developing new microsystems, wearable devices, and apps designed for smartphones, tablets, and watches. According to a recent article, “Technology advancements in recent years have caused an explosion of smart and highly connected computing devices that are in a small form factor” (Qureshi & Krishnan, 2018). From new blood pressure cuffs, sleep apnea diagnosis devices, and health applications to patient education, these new mobile technologies are increasing quality of care and providing a more patient-centered healthcare model.
Blood Pressure Monitoring
New micro technology and computing is making advancements in blood pressure monitoring. It is making it easier and more cost efficient for patients to check their blood pressure and keep an electronic log. This log can be digitally transmitted to the patient’s healthcare provider for analysis and medication adjustments. Factors, such as stress and exertion, will have a negative effect on blood pressure. Patient’s blood pressure taken in a hospital setting do not tend to be an accurate measure because this environment is stressful and frightening to the patient causing blood pressure to spike. A more accurate reading can be taken at home when the patient is in a less stressful, more comfortable setting. Not every patient is able to take their own blood pressure and the equipment used in a hospital setting is too cumbersome and expensive for patients to have them at home. The new blood pressure cuff that connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth technology alleviates this problem by having a small compact cuff that can be carried around easily. According to a recent study, “95% of the health personnel on whom the device was tested agreed that the device can be useful in terms of medical cost, distant health services and obtaining useful reference data” (Ilhan, Yıldız, & Kayrak, 2016).
Sleep Apnea
It is estimated that 5 to 20 percent of the adult population in the US have varying degrees of obstructive sleep apnea (National Sleep Foundation, 2020). Obstructive sleep apnea has many risk factors that cause serious problems including death. Causes of these deaths range from lack of breathing while asleep to vehicle wrecks causes by drowsiness. In the past, the only way to test for sleep apnea was through long studies where the patient would come to a hospital, be connected by diodes to machines that would record body movement, breathing, and oxygen levels. However, with the advancements in medical technology, new mobile devices are available that allow patients to take home the device and test for obstructive sleep apnea at home. “Improvements in computational capacity combined with increased availability of training datasets are likely to foster improved algorithm performance that will simultaneously benefit consumer and clinical sleep devices alike” (Bianchi, 2017). These devices allow for automation to occur in scoring for sleep apnea markers. “Whether this occurs in a clinical context or not, there is little doubt it will continue to dominate the analysis of portable devices, if only because of the scale and desire for rapid/immediate results” (Bianchi, 2017).
Applications
Smartphones are being used by more and more people daily. The Obama administration made it possible for even low-income family to have a phone. These phones started out being basic flip phones but have since become lower-end smart phones. With the increasing growth of smartphone use comes opportunity for application developers and healthcare provider to team up and create apps that will make the flow of medical information easier and more secure. This will allow patients to have a more active role in their healthcare decisions and activity. “Medical applications make smartphones useful tools in the practice of evidence-based medicine at the point of care, in addition to their use in mobile clinical communication. Medical applications can range from education, news, reference guides, and database to electronic health records. Popular medical applications include:
- Micromedex – Pharmaceutical reference apps
- UpToDate – Medical news and advancements app
- John’s Hopkins ABX Guide – Comprehensive reference app
- Red Cross First Aid – Instructional guide app for everyday first aid.
- My Chart – Electronic medical records (Schiola, 2016).
Patient Education
Health Literacy is particularly important. Having a patient being involved and active in their healthcare decision can be the difference between a patient making an informed decision on treatment or blindly trusting a healthcare care provider. Also, patients are more likely to follow through with treatment plans if they are educated on why they need the treatment plan and how the plan is going to help them successfully recover from their illness. Advancements in medical technology makes it possible for patient education to be more streamlined and acceptable to all patients. Wearable devices are communicating with smartphones and giving patients dashboards that can show them an overview of their scores and test results. Applications like MyChart allows patients to communicate with their healthcare provider and get answers to questions without having to leave home. Biomedical wearables are allowing patients to send data to physicians in real-time so that feedback can be given quickly. The quicker that a diagnosis is given; the quicker a patient can decide on a chosen treatment plan.
Advancement of Care Through Information Technology
The healthcare system is increasingly complex because it is marked by multiple hand-offs between primary care and specialty providers, inadequate communication among providers, and lack of clarity about a care provider for patients with life-limiting illness. Patients and families often cite such difficulties as information deficits, uncoordinated care, and insufficient psychosocial support. Studies have shown that information enabled healthcare has the potential to reduce disintegration of needed information which ensures high quality and safer care (Clauser et al., 2011). In the face of prevailing challenges of delivering well-coordinated, patient-centered care in a complex modern healthcare system, this section will examine the potential role of information technology (IT) advances to help both providers and patients. As such, it will also take cognizance of these challenges and opportunities to advance understanding of how patient data, provider and patient involvement, and informatics innovations can support high-quality healthcare. Given the advances in electronics, the Internet and telecommunication which have pushed the field of health care to embrace information technology (IT); this section of the research article will also focus on the use of information technology in health promotion and its evolving impact on the healthcare system in the USA (Roberts et al., 2020).
For the purpose of better understanding, we shall narrow the technological care coordination advancement by using a known ailment of cancer. Hence, cancer care is characterized by three important facets. One is state-of-the-art clinical medicine, which may include evidence-based and sophisticated therapies targeted to patients’ tumor and biological characteristics. Second, an approach to care that is attentive to the spectrum of patients’ needs (i.e., physical, psychosocial, functional, spiritual). Third, the use of systems solutions, both human and machine, that support organizations in achieving their clinical medicine and patient-centered care delivery goals (Roberts et al., 2020). Therefore, enhancing these delivery features for a disease as complicated and diverse as cancer often entails complex decision making as outlined earlier on the opening paragraph of this section. Studies have also shown how to marshal information technology (IT) to effectively measure, monitor, and proactively intervene when necessary across all these dimensions to continually improve performance and build an effective system of cancer care. As such, reports have shown that these attributes of care delivery for modern healthcare and for cancer care delivery, have few efforts being made to describe this IT improvement in managing general healthcare. Some studies have discussed the potential for IT to improve cancer care from both the patient’s perspective and as part of an overall system-improvement strategy. With the advent of HIT, patients have been empowered to become more involved in their cancer/health care. Therefore, the internet has become a useful tool as all Americans have sought cancer-related information on the web. Beyond information seeking, IT provides resources for social and emotional support to cancer patients and their caregivers. Given the distress and uncertainty that inevitably accompanies a cancer diagnosis, virtual social support groups are a way for patients to find coping strategies and share experiences (Roberts et al., 2020). Indeed, there has been an improved cancer management through IT which has been propagated through shared decision making, symptom management, and treatment adherence literature. Additionally, there has been confirmed delivery of tailored advice about chemotherapy symptoms through handheld computers which has been reported that patients and providers found this strategy feasible and acceptable.
For the advancement of healthcare promotion through information technology; there are different applications of health IT in health care and health education. As such, health providers and patients are accepting and even crediting health IT for providing patients with resources to educate themselves on their health status and actively participate in their health care by enabling them easy access to health information (Nimkar, 2016). Among all healthcare applications of technology, the use of IT has evolved as a revolutionary and rapidly emerging trend in health care. Self-management patient portals, electronic medical records, interactive preventive health records, personal health records, online peer support groups and social media are some of the latest trends in health IT (Nimkar, 2016). Consequently, the U.S healthcare system has always sought to improve the quality of health care. According to Nimkar (2016); this can only be achieved if medical and other health personnel (e.g. doctors, nurses, therapists, and health educators), administrators and patients collaborate at different levels to assimilate complex information. Health IT has enabled this assimilation of information from various sources and hence emerged as a growing phenomenon in the field of health care. It has a wide range of applications in educational, administrative, clinical and research areas of health.
No doubt, there are challenges associated with technological advancements and the health IT is facing its share of challenges, however, it is still evolving to be one of the fastest growing trends in the US healthcare system. Indeed, health-related IT can facilitate a paradigm shift from a system-centered disease prevention model of care to a more patient-centered health promotion approach.
Healthcare Information Technology
Healthcare information technology refers to the application of technology to health care. This is in terms of healthcare professionals and patients storing, sharing, and analyzing health information in electronic systems (Zhang et al., 2015). The method of technology aims at providing better care to patients as well as achieving health equity.
History of healthcare information technology in the USA
The 1920s was the time healthcare technology in the USA got its roots. Health care practitioners commenced using medical records to file details, patient care outcomes, and complications (O’Malley et al., 2015). In 1928, establishment of the Association of Record Librarians of North America (ARLNA) was done to regulate medical records. Paper records were active up to the 1970s, use of computers, contributed to the commencement of new styles of healthcare system technology. The adjustment was made possible by Dr. Lawrence Weed, who generated the first medical record: which was problem oriented. The system not only allowed access of patient’s whole medical history by Clinicians but also verification of diagnoses by third-party facilities. In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid branches were founded, and the two health care systems are being used today. The foundation of the two branches led to healthcare information systems development, as electronic medical records were growing. Unfortunately, the healthcare system was expensive.
For medical keeping, only the most significant providers could dedicate the resources to weigh technology. This was as a result of the computer were big mainframes. Technological advancement in computers inspired the development of numerous systems for managing well-being of patients in the 1970s. For instance, Computer Stored Ambulatory Record (COSTAR) and Registries Medical Record System were created. Computers became prominent in the 1980s, and the development of the voice recognition model by Dragon Systems was done (Ajami, 2016). Personal computers and window software became predominant though they were not primarily used for medical recording.
Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Increased awareness and importance of EHR was in the late 20th century. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) made a study on healthcare records as well as the welfares of medical records. This study established obstacles to the embracement of electronic health records, such as high cost and lack of standards. The report, fortunately, set the expected standards of EHR. To keep track of patients’ medical care, systems such as the Healthcare Information Exchange (HIE) and Master Patient Index (MPI) were introduced (Evans, 2016). World Wide Web technology paved its way in 1990, establishing how to access, share, and direct information though there were no immediate effects on healthcare. In 1994, a new standard, ICD-10 coding standard was introduced, the amount of codes that could be employed in medical records was expanded by the rule.
In a study by IOM, the government of President George W. Bush supported the statistics of IOM; that hospitalized patient lost their lives due to preventable medical errors. He obligated computerized health records, and President Obama, in year 2009, signed the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) to embrace electronic health records. By the year 2010, EHR was widespread, and efforts to help healthcare practitioners migrate to the system (Cifuentes, 2015). The number of EHR users continued increasing, and by the year 2015, the number had doubled. Up to date, the theme of flawless information sharing amid healthcare providers, products, as well as systems are being adopted. Today, users can freely interact with applications, systems can communicate with each other, and consumer devices integrate.
Impacts of Technological Advancement in Healthcare System
Costs Savings: Technological advancement from paper health records to electronic records has reduced the cost of casualty. Healthcare practitioners monitor a patient in real-time when using advanced medical devices and devices (Zhang et al., 2015). This reduces the unnecessary visits of patients to their doctors. Readmission and hospital stray significantly reduce. Reduction in unnecessary tests reduces spending money on hospital bills. The savings per patient, therefore, increase.
Reduced Paperwork: The advanced software helps healthcare providers in tracking procedures as well as using numerous methods, which reduces paperwork. When entering data into a system that is computerized, it is more quickly compared to paperwork methods. Also, the risk of error in both patient’s data, as well as financial details, reduces (Baker et al., 2015). This helps in improved quality care for patients. Moreover, efficiency is improved.
Rapid Information Sharing: Due to wireless communication, instant messaging is possible in hospitals. These technologies offer users a platform that they can send messages and other secure information. For instance, a health practitioner can send a lab test to another practitioner; therefore, necessitating comparing patient data with other patients’ data. This system of messaging can accelerate the communication process, efficiently securing information safety.
For a consultation, patients can practically get in touch with healthcare providers from any part of the world, it is a result of the possibility of using smartphones or web-based consultation. For medical coding experts, it is possible to digitally access patient records while working at home. Productivity and efficiency, therefore, increases.
Reduced Unnecessary Test: Before EHR, scenarios of repeating medical tests were common. This was because of, for instance, the unavailability of a patient test to another different doctor. Repeating tests were not only costly but also were inconvenient and uncomfortable. Fortunately, with EHRs, health care practitioners can easily access patients’ test results, thus recording immediately. Unnecessarily repeated tests are therefore reduced.
Challenges with the Use of Information Technology in Healthcare System
There have been several challenges caused using health informatics in healthcare. Challenges has been associated with collaboration in the daily healthcare work practice, among professionals in different healthcare organizations as well as the patients themselves and their relatives, researchers and practitioners are still trying to find solutions to these challenges associated with using IT systems to share information and knowledge in healthcare (Svensson, 2019).
Safety and Security: Although EHR aims at safeguarding and ensuring that data security is maxima, there exist security challenge, unfortunately. This is as a result of the increase in use of modern mobile healthcare technology, significantly increasing data breaching. An increase in malware has become a threat to healthcare data.
Identity theft, physical harm to patients, and financial harm to the individuals as well as the public at large are some of the emerging threats (Martínez et al., 2015). The weakness of data encryption and inadequate access control, for instance, increases the inability to protect data, thereby paving the way to a cybercriminal who hacks and tamper with sensitive information. Individuals using health technologies may lack knowledge of how their data is used and disclosed to third parties.
Regulatory Burden: in the process of enhancing the safety of healthcare data and patients, technological, regulatory Burden, however, is currently insignificant. Comparing the regulatory Burden to the severities of the development of pharmaceuticals, strengthening regulation could help gain much. There are emerging issues today on regulating the technology of the computer. The issue debates on whether to frequently regulate mobile apps (Baker et al., 2015) or strict protocols.
Since technology advances day by day, the field of healthcare system technology will grow alongside technology. The challenges will, therefore, be curbed with time. By HIT advancing, many advantages could emerge to patients, thus an exciting future to them. Granting more control over patients’ health is some of the plans of the HIT field. There is no doubt that the field of healthcare system technology is significantly improving patients’ health (Evans, 2016), although they may lack knowledge in the health science field.
Conclusion
This paper focused on… (under construction). This was accomplished through a group effort while exploring these topics by constructing a twenty-page paper in APA format.
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