Healthcare Information Technology Trends

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Healthcare Information Technology Trends essay assignment

Throughout history, technological advancements have appeared for one purpose before finding applications elsewhere that lead to spikes in its usage and development. The internet, for example, was originally developed to share research before becoming a staple of work and entertainment. But technology—new and repurposed—will undoubtedly continue to be a driver of healthcare information. Informaticists often stay tuned to trends to monitor what the next new technology will be or how the next new idea for applying existing technology can benefit outcomes.

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In this Discussion, you will reflect on your healthcare organization’s use of technology and offer a technology trend you observe in your environment.

To Prepare:

Reflect on the Resources related to digital information tools and technologies.
Consider your healthcare organization’s use of healthcare technologies to manage and distribute information.
Reflect on current and potential future trends, such as use of social media and mobile applications/telehealth, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled asset tracking, or expert systems/artificial intelligence, and how they may impact nursing practice and healthcare delivery.

By Day 3 of Week 6

Post a brief description of general healthcare technology trends, particularly related to data/information you have observed in use in your healthcare organization or nursing practice. Describe any potential challenges or risks that may be inherent in the technologies associated with these trends you described. Then, describe at least one potential benefit and one potential risk associated with data safety, legislation, and patient care for the technologies you described. Next, explain which healthcare technology trends you believe are most promising for impacting healthcare technology in nursing practice and explain why. Describe whether this promise will contribute to improvements in patient care outcomes, efficiencies, or data management. Be specific and provide examples.

By Day 6 of Week 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, offering additional/alternative ideas regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations shared.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.

In this Discussion, you will reflect on your healthcare organization’s use of technology and offer a technology trend you observe in your environment.

To Prepare:

Reflect on the Resources related to digital information tools and technologies.
Consider your healthcare organization’s use of healthcare technologies to manage and distribute information.
Reflect on current and potential future trends, such as use of social media and mobile applications/telehealth, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled asset tracking, or expert systems/artificial intelligence, and how they may impact nursing practice and healthcare delivery.

By Day 3 of Week 6

By Day 6 of Week 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, offering additional/alternative ideas regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations shared.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.

I will be adding two discussions that will need replies. At least 2-3 references each and 2 paragraphs also for each.

Mike’s discussion

With the advent of high speed data and network interface with surging speeds, the introduction of the electronic health record system to the hospital network and the adoption of informatics into the health care sector, some of the noticeable technological trends fostered by the aforementioned developments includes but is not limited to the use of zoom calls for conferences and meetings, the use of information technology to offer opportunities in telephone or video medicine. “An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users. While an EHR does contain the medical and treatment histories of patients, an EHR system is built to go beyond standard clinical data collected in a provider’s office and can be inclusive of a broader view of a patient’s care.” (HealthIT.gov., 2018c)

Given the ease at which the health care sector thrives in the wake of technological and data advancement due to innovation and research, the infrastructures surrounding the smooth running of these innovative ideas are sometimes faced with challenges associated with their use. Some of the potential challenges associated with the use of these ground breaking innovations include but is not limited to adequate man power and staffing to man the system, monitor it and also do necessary repairs when the need arise, the problem of lack of an emergency back up should the primary system experience a problem requiring extensive repairs and or replacement, the need for data collection, inspection, interpretation and utilization presents with an issue if no qualified personnel is available to undertake the duties described above.

Given the premise of the ease of use and the need to pursue enhancement in technology and innovation with regards to the health care sector and patient care safety, one potential benefit associated with data safety, legislation and patient care is the ease at which a patient can get attended to by a physician or a mid level provider at the comfort of their home using either a tele conference approach or a video platform like zoom. The down side or potential risk concomitant with this mode of patient care is associated to cases that require the physical presence of a provider or a physician in cases of emergency where the situation requires a one on one attention as in the case of doing invasive procedures or extensive surgeries. “Telehealth is still a new and evolving technology; while the offsite interventions or contacts often lead to less time being wasted on non – care oriented task because of the efficiencies offered by the technology applications, its use must never be associated with less care.” (McGonigle, 2017, p361)

Following from the disruption in the normal work flow of the health care sector due to the COVID 19 pandemic, some of the health care technology trends I believe are most promising for inputting health care technology in nursing practice include the use of advancements in tele medicine which presents with advantages in no over head or staff to maintain, no rent or space to pay in the case of stand alone private clinics whose owners pay a premium to utilize an assigned space for their respective practices. Given our present global circumstance of COVID 19 pandemic, I will say for the time being, the use of zoom calls and advancements in tele medicine is the best alternative to a face to face contact with a patient, since quite a lot can be accomplished using a phone line and or a video call with the exception of limitations to cases that require invasive approach or emergency intervention like the need to intubate a patient. “In a connected care environment, more citizens are engaging in their health care through mobile apps and social media tools. Given this growing health care engagement, it is important for health care professionals to have the knowledge and skills to evaluate and recommend appropriate digital tools.” (Skiba, 2017)

References

HealthIT.gov. (2018c). What is an electronic health record (EHR)? Retrieved from

https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-health-record-ehr

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Skiba, D. (2017). Evaluation tools to appraise social media and mobile applications. Informatics, 4(3), 32–40.

Dea’s Discussion

Main Post

Some of the healthcare technology trends that I have observed in my nursing practice are telehealth and electronic MAR. This electronic technology was created for providers to get information in real-time and it is only accessible to qualified staff. (HealthIT.gov, 2018c). We still paper chart at our detox, mental health hospital so these two technologies are used at work. We have only had electronic MARs for a few years but it does collect data that we use for clinical decisions. One of the challenges of the e-MAR is the lack of knowledge on how to use the system. This is more of a physician problem than a nursing problem although new nurses or PRN nurses who have never used the system or have not been trained enough on the system can find it challenging. When physicians do not know how to use the system correctly they typically put in orders wrong, especially when a patient is on a detox medication taper. This is dangerous because if you have a new nurse or a PRN nurse and a physician who does not know how to use the system, then medication errors can and do happen.

One benefit to the e-MAR is data safety. With the e-MAR, we can scan their armband or look a patient up by their name and date of birth. Once this information is entered by a nurse, the patient’s e-MAR profile comes up and this is where you can go over medications, allergies, or any other important information that needs to be verified. There are also risks when it comes to e-MARs. For example, data safety can be a concern. Even though technology has their patient’s data information as a priority, there are security and privacy issues. For example, how consent is obtained and patient trust plays a part in the safety of data. If trust is not kept, then patients may not be willing to give important information when seeking care (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017 pp. 284-285).

Another benefit to e-MARs is due to legislation. There is legislation in place to protect patient information. The government uses the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as legislation. It protects patients by addressing development, adoption, and implementation (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017 p.149). A risk for data safety for the e-MAR is if a nurse leaves the computer up and on a patient’s profile. Another patient can easily see what is on the screen. This does not provide privacy for the patient. When you are done with the computer, you are supposed to log out of the patient’s file. This is one-way data is not safe.

Lastly, the benefit of having an e-MAR is patient care. The e-MAR allows staff to stay on task with medication distribution. The e-MAR lets the nurses know what medication is due and what the dose is. The e-MAR also provides safety to the patient. If the wrong medication is scanned the system does not allow the nurse to go any further. This allows the nurse to verify what she is scanning is correct. This provides safety in patient care. On the other hand, a risk to patient care is if the system does not have the right allergies put into the system and the wrong medication is given. Many of the patients that come into the hospital are not in the right mind at the time of admission. As a hospital, we rely on the data collected and entered into the system before they receive medications. Collecting data can be a risk to the patient which would lead to poor patient care.

In today’s world, many people in the community are taking responsibility for their healthcare and that is being done by using mobile apps and social media (Skiba, 2017). These technology trends are most promising for impacting nursing practice and impacting patient outcomes. Mobile apps and social media impact nursing practice because they provide a tool to help in educating patients. For example, as you educate your patients, you can guide them to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for further information. Many times, patients do not have questions until a later time and this will allow them to take initiative in their care. These trending technologies are a great tool for nurses to utilize in their practice and will continue to impact their nursing practice. Technology is not going anywhere soon so as nurses, we need to embrace these tools and use them to our advantage. When nurses provide reliable resources, the patients will be less like to surf the web for the answers to their health questions. There are a lot of mobile apps and social media outlets that can lead patients down the wrong path. As nurses, it is our job to know what apps and social media outlets will lead to improving patient outcomes. That being said, it seems that technology trends, the impact of nursing practice, and improving patient outcomes are intertwined.

References

HealthIT.gov. (2018c). What is an electronic health record (EHR)? Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-health-record-ehr

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Skiba, D. (2017). Evaluation tools to appraise social media and mobile applications. Informatics, 4(3), 32-40.