Sustainability Important Terminology and Concepts

DISCUSSION 2: IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS

Discussion 2: Important Terminology and Concepts

An understanding of certain terms and concepts happens to be critical in the field of nursing. There are various terms and concepts in nursing that should be explored in order to improve nursing practice. The two terms that I selected as the main focus for this discussion are interoperability and sustainability. Interoperability, as Dassiti et al (2013) point out, refers to the ability of components or systems to use and exchange information. Essentially, interoperability has got to do with the ability to exchange information or work together in a meaningful and effective way. On the other hand, the authors define sustainability as the ability to endure or continue to function despite the economic, ethical/social, and environmental changes. Essentially, the main focus of sustainability happens to be the results and not the means of achieving the said results (Dassiti et al, 2013). There may be need to understand the function of the said terms for the effective application of information technology in nursing practice. Many healthcare systems are not sustainable. This is more so the case given that the existing health systems consume a lot of resources and also generate a lot of waste. Therefore, Garde et al (2007) suggest that defining and understanding the function of sustainability will help in development of health information systems (HIS). It would also be prudent to note that sustainability largely depends on interoperability of health information systems. Therefore, understanding interoperability is also important in health informatics and nursing practice. This is more so the case given that healthcare information systems require interoperability so as to sustain the current processes in healthcare (Garde et al, 2007).

Garde et al (2007) further suggest that sustainability ensures that patients’ clinical information is kept safe and secure for the long-term. Interoperability is also important in nursing practice owing to the fact that it ensures seamless flow of information – thus having a positive impact on the healthcare delivery system (Powell and Alexander, 2019). This is more so the case given that interoperability promotes access to patient data. As a result, person-centered care is promoted, and evidence-based guidelines become more accessible - which helps improve patient outcomes. There are various downsides that arise from barriers in application of interoperability and sustainability. With regard to sustainability, development of health information systems that are sustainable may be restricted by contextual variation (Nohr et al, 2019). Contextual variation may lead to healthcare challenges in certain areas, i.e. the design of interfaces, development of algorithms, redesigning clinical work practices, and interoperable health systems. Some of the challenges may be organizational, whereas some may be socio-political and others technological (Garde et al, 2007). For instance, interoperable health systems may be affected by a barrier such as poor coordination from different health systems or facilities that facilitate health information exchange (HIE). According to Powell and Alexander (2019), lack of coordination among different health systems may impact nursing practice. This is more so the case given that developers and providers may engage in activities that interfere with use or exchange of health information leading to information blocking. As a consequence, access to patient records could be severely restricted. In addition, developers and providers may respond to information blocking by charging fees so as to gain financially. As a result, exchange of information may be cost-prohibitive (Powell and Alexander, 2019).