A brief description of technology trends as it is rapidly progressing leads to creating a new diagnostics and treatment tool. Digitization is increasing in healthcare, enabling hospital information systems and data engines to share patients’ information. Technology trends like telemedicine assist patients with limited access to providers and long wait times, especially in underserved areas. Telemedicine provides easy access to specialists, and data is stored electronically and make forwarding documents easier. Cloud storage system stores large files and shares via different cloud base platforms, improving consultations’ quality (Health Tech Zone, 2020).
Potential challenges or risks that may be inherent in the trends of telemedicine include payment parity. There is no guarantee of payment parity between telemedicine and in-person health. No apparatus exists to enforce payment. Eventually, this could potentially defeat telemedicine to reduce healthcare costs, expand access to services, and discourage providers from offering services because there is no guarantee for comparable payment. Another challenge is misdiagnosis. A patient can be misdiagnosed in person, but the risk increases with telemedicine. A Misdiagnosed patient can get the wrong prescription and treatment (University of Illinois Chicago, n.d.).
Potential benefits of telemedicine ate comfort and convenience. You do not have to drive to the doctor’s office or clinic or sit in a waiting room when you are sick with telemedicine. From the comfort of your couch or bedroom, you can see a doctor. Virtual visits can be easier to fit into your busy schedule. You may not even take leave time from work or arrange for child care (Hasselfeld, n.d.)
A potential risk associated with data safety, legislation, and patient care for telemedicine is privacy and security. Although new technologies promise to improve the quality of care, reduce costs, and improve patient satisfaction, they raise many ethical issues. There are significant privacy and security risks that can adversely affect patients. The Federal Trade Commission coordinates the creation and enforcement of comprehensive privacy and security standards (Hale & Kvedar, 2014).
Healthcare technology trends that are most promising for impacting healthcare in nursing practice, in my opinion, are artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. AI and robotics are being applied to quickly renew and translate mammograms to reduce unnecessary biopsies and monitor early-stage heart disease. They enable faster, more accurate decision-making among medical practitioners. An integral part of the healthcare toolkit is robotics. Systems such as the DaVinci Surgical Machine perform tasks that are at the best challenging for humans to complete, such as micro incisions in difficult-to-reach areas. AI and robotics are technologies being embraced by doctors, researchers, and patients (Comcast Business Community, 2018).
Comcast Business Community. (2018, March 1). 5 technology trends impacting healthcare. Comcast Business community. https://business.comcast.com/community/browse-all/details/5-technology-trends-impacting-health-care
Hale, T., & Kvedar, J. (2014). Privacy and security concerns in telehealth. AMA Journal of Ethics, 16(12).
Hasselfeld, B. W. (n.d.). Benefits of telemedicine. Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/benefits-of-telemedicine
Health Tech Zone. (2020). Technology Trends in Healthcare Today. https://www.healthtechzone.com/topics/healthcare/articles/2020/10/20/446906-technology-trends-healthcare-today.htm
University of Illinois Chicago. (n.d.). Challenges facing the telehealth industry. Blog. https://healthinformatics.uic.edu/blog/challenges-facing-the-telehealth-industry/
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends
Title: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends
Healthcare is an evolving field driven by innovative ideas, evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes. The global pandemic COVID 19 significantly impacted the healthcare delivery system, facilities, and state governing agencies scrambled to implement work process, policies, and restrictions to provide safe, quality care to patients. Many organizations halted non-emergent visits and procedures and began utilizing telehealth services. In summary, telehealth is medical information transferred electronically to improve patients’ health and outcomes (Tuckson et al., 2017). The risk of exposure for patients and healthcare providers drastically decreased.
Besides, limiting exposures an unexpected benefit in my organization is that patients report a higher level of satisfaction with their providers. One patient informed me that previously they felt that their provider did not have their well-being in mind due to rushed visits. Now with telehealth visits, patients report they have more one-on-one time with their providers and receive a detailed assessment. Patients now have access to a nurse 24/7; speaking with a nurse can save funds that spent on an unnecessary ED visit (Mataxen & Webb, 2019).
Although telehealth provides benefits, challenges, and risks remain, such as coverage limitations. While commercial insurance carries cover and encourages telehealth, Medicaid guidelines do not cover the service (Tuckson et al., 2017). After my organization realized the impact COVID 19 on well-visits and preventive care, we scheduled a meeting with our state Medicaid agency. During the meeting, we discussed benchmarks at risk. The only solution we agreed upon was expanding telehealth coverage throughout the end of the global pandemic. By convincing Medicaid, to expand the coverage, we now have data to illustrate the benefits.
In my opinion, the most promising technology trend that positively influences nursing practice is telehealth. Nurses knowledgeable of telehealth aspects have greater accessibility to patients because triage takes place via phone versus having to schedule an appointment that may be weeks away (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017). The trend may lower ED utilization and noncompliance based on the increased accessibility of patients to their healthcare team. Telehealth can reduce the Medicaid budget, improve patient outcomes, and improve the transferability of data.
Trends in modern healthcare point towards the increasing use of information technology to transform healthcare. The EHR is a device that is seen as the first step in the process of transforming healthcare to improve patient outcomes and efficiencies (HealthIT.gov, 2018). Other health technologies can be made to interface with the EHR for real-time data sharing and improved efficiency. In my facility, the current trend involves the use of clinical decision support systems (CDSS) to improve care decisions. CDSS tools analyze data within the EHR and provide alerts or updates. Taheri Moghadam et al. (2021) noted that clinical decision support systems provide clinicians with patient-specific information and evidence-based recommendations that enhance the quality of care for patients. This makes CDSS an integral part of modern healthcare. A benefit of using CDSS tools is that they help clinicians make the best decision that will provide the best outcomes for the patient. This is done through real-time analysis of available patient data and evidence-based guidelines. On the other hand, CDSS tools can give wrong recommendations if the wrong data is entered or the system interprets it wrongly. Hence, clinicians should not depend solely on CDSS for guidance. A challenge encountered in the use of CDSS is the lack of proper training on the use of advanced features of the EHR leading to the underutilization of CDSS tools (Adler-Milstein et al., 2017).
A promising trend in healthcare technology is the use of wearable devices to monitor patients and deliver treatments remotely. These devices use actuators, electronic patches, and sensors in contact with the patient’s body to take readings of the patient’s condition or deliver treatment (Joo et al., 2021). The benefits of having mobile versions of healthcare technologies are obvious. Wearable devices reduce hospital visits and serve as early warning detection and intervention systems. Studies have shown that such devices can effectively monitor patient vitals remotely. This enables caregivers to detect anomalies in a patient’s vitals and intervene in a timely manner. Joo et al. (2021) also demonstrated the use of wearable technology to deliver life-saving medication for severe seizures. This technology has several applications that can be explored to improve patient outcomes and efficiencies.
References
Adler-Milstein, J., Holmgren, A. J., Kralovec, P., Worzala, C., Searcy, T., & Patel, V. (2017). Electronic health record adoption in US hospitals: the emergence of a digital “advanced use” divide. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 24(6), 1142-1148. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocx080
HealthIT.gov. (2018). What is an electronic health record (EHR)? https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-health-record-ehrLinks to an external site.
Joo, H., Lee, Y., Kim, J., Yoo, J. S., Yoo, S., Kim, S., … & Kim, D. H. (2021). Soft implantable drug delivery device integrated wirelessly with wearable devices to treat fatal seizures. Science advances, 7(1), eabd4639. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd4639
Taheri Moghadam, S., Sadoughi, F., Velayati, F., Ehsanzadeh, S. J., & Poursharif, S. (2021). The effects of clinical decision support system for prescribing medication on patient outcomes and physician practice performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-020-01376-8