Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Sample Answer for Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends Included

Discussion  Healthcare Information Technology Trends

RE: Discussion – Week 6

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Title: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

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Technology advancements have eased the way we do things; they save time, enhance production, and improve communication in our daily lives. As society’s demands and lifestyles evolve, the imperative to advance the technology we use grows. Almost everything we utilize has been improved. Health care has seized this chance to enhance care quality through the application of medical technological technologies. Current trends include empowering consumers to manage their own health issues through the use of wearable fitness tracking devices, telemedicine to connect patients and health care providers across long distances, cloud storage for easy access on mobile devices, and smart hospital equipment.

Telehealth is the most advanced tool we provide our patients at the facility where I work. Telehealth is described by The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as “the use of electronic information and telecommunications technology to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health education, public health, and health administration” (HealthIT.gov, 2017). Telehealth utilizes information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient’s health care while the patient remains at the originating site and the health care provider is located at a remote location. Through the use of a laptop or smartphone app, the technology facilitates patient self-management and caregiver support, increasing the productivity of patient care. My hospital utilizes the Epic system for charting and communication, and one of the features we offer is the usage of a health portal called ‘MyChart,’ which allows patients to check their lab results, prescriptions, individualized treatment plan, educational information, and engage with their physicians. Another feature is a 24-hour access line where nurses can monitor cardiac monitors remotely while the patient is at home and advise the patient and physician on certain things such as medication, abnormal lab callbacks, or when to seek treatment, as well as connect them with an on-call physician via phone or app. Nurses and other healthcare professionals are knowledgeable about the cutting-edge technology that are used in their facility to respond to and explain questions from patients.

Telehealth’s influence on nursing is concentrated on patients’ care, whether it be long-term wellness, self-management, or present health status. Nurses have the ability to provide critical information to patients in times of crisis, particularly in remote locations. I feel that assessment, planning, interventions, and assessments of patient care outcomes on a level outside of the hospital have a good impact on nursing practice. Telehealth enables improved access to healthcare, financial savings, and the avoidance of unneeded visits to urgent care or the emergency room. A potential danger associated with telehealth is the possibility of violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) regarding data security and compliance with applicable laws. When health information is stored on patients’ mobile devices, iPads, or even laptops, it is not always safe, and the patient’s health record or login credentials may be hacked or stolen. As a result, HIPAA training for nurses focused on telehealth practices is critical to ensuring the safety and security of patient health information. Acceptable security and privacy measures for underlying telehealth data and systems must be offered for clinicians and patients in order to instill confidence in their utilization (Hall & McGraw, 2014).

To my mind, the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) trend, which includes ECG monitors, smartphone apps, and fitness trackers, is a positive development.

Discussion  Healthcare Information Technology Trends
Discussion  Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Trackers and smart sensors may monitor biological parameters such as blood pressure, pulse rate, heart rate, and glucose levels.

level, and more, as well as setting reminders for patients, is the most exciting aspect of the future of healthcare (Iqbail, 2019). Using the

Patients can improve their health with the use of affordable health monitoring gadgets. IoMT is capable of precisely capturing and

real-time data management and analytic analysis of that data are required to uncover these trends. It generates patient outcomes by

increasing patient awareness of their own health information, which can be studied by health specialists. IoMT

can assist clinicians in managing patient data more efficiently by discovering more-accurate diagnoses and resulting in a more-accurate diagnosis.

efficient and cost-effective delivery of treatment.

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Discussion  Healthcare Information Technology Trends References

HealthIT.gov. (2017, September 22 ). What is telehealth? How is telehealth different from telemedicine?. Retrieved from

https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-telehealth-how-telehealth-different-telemedicine

Hall, J., & McGraw, D. (2014). For telehealth to succeed, privacy and security risks must be identified and addressed. Health Affairs, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0997

Iqbail, S. (2019, February 13). IoMT and big data: How the internet of medical things impacts clinical trials. Clinical Trials Innovation. Retrieved from https://knect365.com/clinical-trials-innovation/article/5024ec64-030e-4ba6-bc2b-c701a28b2b95/big-data-and-iomt-the-impact-of-the-internet-of-medical-things-on-clinical-trials. Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Discussion  Healthcare Information Technology Trends RE: Discussion – Week 6

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Title: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

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Response 2 Damber Timsina

The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely changed our everyday lives. One aspect that has been changed since this pandemic is the increased use of telemedicine (Barney et al., 2020). Utilizing this service has limited the exposure of COVID-19 while still having contact with your provider (Barney et al., 2020). There are many barriers to the use of telemedicine such as patient and provider adoption of this technology, connectivity challenges, lack of supportive infrastructure, and unorthodox clinical standards of care (Barney et al., 2020).

“Internet of Things (IoT) is defined as dynamic, self-configuring network of physical and virtual things powered with interoperable communication protocols, media and standards” (Al-Turjman et al., 2020). Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is a fusion of medical devices and applications that generates, collects, analyzes, and transmits data to health system infrastructure (Deloitte, 2018). IoMT is supported by enabling artificial intelligence technology to improve patient outcomes (Al-Turjman et al., 2020). Challenges to utilizing IoMT technology are interoperability, cybersecurity, and regulatory change (Deloitte, 2018). I work in the ICU and if you think about how many of our devices are reliant on the internet, it’s amazing. Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Discussion  Healthcare Information Technology Trends References

Al-Turjman, F., Nawaz, M. H., & Ulusar, U. D. (2020). Intelligence in the Internet of Medical Things era: A systematic review of current and future trends. Computer Communications150, 644–660. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1016/j.comcom.2019.12.030

Barney, A., Buckelew, S., Mesheriakova, V., & Raymond-Flesch, M. (2020). The COVID-19 Pandemic and Rapid Implementation of Adolescent and Young Adult Telemedicine: Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation. Journal of Adolescent Health67(2), 164–171. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.05.006

Deloitte. (2018). Medtech and the Internet of Medical Things. Deloitte United States. https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/life-sciences-and-healthcare/articles/medtech-internet-of-medical-things.html

Discussion  Healthcare Information Technology Trends RE: Discussion – Week 6

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

Title: Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends

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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 Ethics16(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 Todayhttps://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. Bloghttps://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