This paper answers the questions that were provided by the customer about the current use of healthcare IT. The questions asked what are some issue with healthcare IT, how those could be adjusted in a local area, and what senior management at a specific site can do to promote healthcare IT. All of these answers are given with the assistance of peer-reviewed sources.
¶ … technology underlying healthcare information and determine the most pressing need for innovation.
Technology in any field is critical, but in healthcare, because of the importance of the product, it is even more important. Healthcare information technology is a way for different departments within an organization to talk to one another about a specific person and their needs, or it can even be between organizations. Whatever the need, there are going to be issues that need to be corrected.
Probably the biggest issue with any type of technology is error, and, generally, that error is due to the operator. If a wrong number is entered into a system, or an operator makes some other type of error, it can be detrimental to the patient. Therefore, one of the most pressing issues as far as information technology is concerned is operator training. Without an adequate training program, an organization cannot be sure that the IT operators understand their job.
The basic technology underlying healthcare information is the same as on any computer, but it is much more difficult to install a complete system. The reason for this is that so many different types of machines need to be integrated, and there could be the issue of hooking up the system to a grid that includes several different locations within the same organization. In the end the very size of the undertaking can be an issue for installation of a system. Integration of all of the different systems that need to be hooked up can also be an issue (Herrick, Gorman & Goodman, 2010).
The biggest issue us patient safety. There have been numerous accounts of data being improperly input into systems, and the patient either receiving procedures that were not needed, or not receiving immediate care because of errors in the system caused by human misinterpretation. The technology needs to be able to see the error, and correct for it. There are always going to be human errors, there were when it was a paper system, but safeguards in the new technology could prevent some of the issues that have already occurred.
2) Explain (with specific examples using local hospitals or other health care providers) how your recommended innovation will improve the overall level of health care in your own community (example: west Oak Lane).
Many times seniors will have a long list of places that they have been to receive healthcare throughout a lifetime, and they will have many different ailments and medicines that need to be organized. Modern technology can be an improvement on the existing systems because it allows a physician to see where the patient has been in the past, what diagnoses were received, and what medications they are taking. Computer programs can be an extra set of eyes and ears for a doctor or nurse because they can be programmed to alert a physician regarding issues between different medications the patient may be taking, or dual diagnosis for a similar ailment. The technology can be a boon to anyone in the medical profession as long as it is used correctly, and the various operators are properly trained.
At West Oak Lane in Philadelphia, there is a facility that offers services to senior citizens regardless their ability to pay. The facility is equipped to find healthcare services for the patient and to make sure that they have the means to get there. One of the highlights of the service is that operators can assist the patrons with organizing their healthcare visits so that the patient does not have to worry about when they will need their next appointment or with whom (PCA Cares, 2012). The service works with local healthcare providers to ensure that the seniors it serves are able to receive the healthcare services they need. Also, the center can help the patients take their medication in a timely manner, and make sure that they are taking the right ones (PCA Cares, 2012).
The main part of this system is the information that the center receives from the various healthcare organizations, so that they can all help the consumers with their healthcare needs. The information technology allows the center to organize all of the information into one central location so that the senior has it when they need it. The complication is that there are generally several different places that the organization gets information from, and this must be organized properly in the patients file.
New initiatives are being put forward to make sure that there are warnings if information is entered incorrectly, and this needs to be in place at West Oak Lane. Unfortunately, there have been some minor incidents where seniors were mislabeled or medications crossed. A more advanced system would seek out errors and warn the operator about them.
You’re 82% through this paper. Sign up to read the full paper.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.