Advantages And Disadvantages Of ICT In Healthcare

Healthcare information technology forms a pivotal part of today 's healthcare system. Improved quality of healthcare, patient safety, drastic reduction in medical errors and enhancement of care delivery is possible because of the induction of these solutions in the healthcare delivery environment. Today, healthcare IT solutions are enabling processes like planning, decision-making related to organizational development, strategic planning to drive growth, recruitment of competent personnel, managing employee benefits, payroll, intra-department communication, etc.

The study focused on issues with the Information Communication Technology infrastructure and knowledge of the participants in the study. According to the article, the results of the study revealed that the ICT infrastructure in place was inadequate for e-health implementations due to other pre-existing challenges (Ouma & Herselman 2008). Some of the previous challenges included, lack of computer equipment, lack of computer skills, internet connection, out-dated and unreliable equipment, lack of broadband connection, fear of computers and many more. An overall conclusion of the study revealed that previous mentioned challenges should be addressed in the case of rural hospitals. The plan to meet the challenges was to enforce extensive training for management to educate organizations about e-health implementation.

With the rapid growth in technology, many healthcare organizations have embraced the use of healthcare information technologies. As such, the information technology department has various staffs that perform fundamental roles in the information technology-related activities. It ranges from activities of customizing a software to implementing and maintaining a network to ensure effective system backups. In addition, these healthcare information technologies bring about other

The major change from traditional systems to electronic record systems in the healthcare field within the last couple decades has made a huge impact. Patient records, risk management, planning, staff, and more in the organization are affected by the IT staff. “The penetration of Internet access, mobile technologies and social networks collectively offer a future in which it is possible to deliver highly personalized care without necessarily having to do it in person, or even with a doctor.”(Healthcare IT News, n.d.) Many hospitals use paper records for patients long after electronic record technology was available. According to forbes.com in an article published two years ago, less than 2 percent of all healthcare organizations within the United States had and properly deployed information systems.

Health informatics is the subject concerned with the application of information and communications technologies (ICT) to acquire, process, interpret, store, transmit and retrieve health-related and healthcare data, using the derived information and knowledge in healthcare delivery, education, management and research. This paper discusses in detail an overview of health informatics and its applications. It also discusses some advantages and disadvantages of health informatics, identifies some of the recent trends in the health industry as a result of the adoption and implementation of electronic medical records.

Eventually the computer era came about, with many of the earliest computer applications being used in hospitals and government organizations (Net Health, 2016). According to Net Health (2016), before the 1980’s it was very rare to see a computer being used in a private practice or even for storing medical information. Eventually the electronic system became a standard and by the 1990’s, technology had entered most medical offices in which computers were being used to a limited degree for record keeping purposes (Net Health,

Taking into consideration of rising health care costs, inconsistent in the quality of service being provided, insurance companies being over charged repeat of unnecessary testing, health information records not being properly kept up, or miss placed patient personal information and other data that is not properly being kept in place. One of the things about technology is that make a complicated system less complicated. According to the American Journal of Medicine, electronic medical record systems improve the quality of patient care and decrease medical errors. The electronic medical records processes make it easy to track all information of a patient visit, which include testing, medication and treatment plans. For them, this was a good way to get feedback on the implementation of electronic medical records it ranged from March 2008 until September 2008. In seen the problems that are being incurred due to implementation they can avoid the barriers to or facilitators of the

In today’s modernized society, health care organizations rely heavily on information systems. Information technology has improved tremendously over the years, becoming a major advantage to the health care industry. With proper planning, development, and management, information technology can bring about countless efficiency in structural maneuvers. With the constant changes in technology, a health care organization must stay up-to-date on technology and the lasted trends that offer the best patient care possible. Information systems designed for health care industries must help the organization meet the

In this paper, I will be discussing the growth in technology in today’s health care system. In healthcare, technology is increasingly playing a role in almost all processes, from patient registration to data monitoring, from lab tests to self-care tools. (Jayanth, 2014) Technology has change health care for the better; it gave stress and pressure employees more opportunities to do their job easier. By having a smart transparent information systems in the health care system, will benefit the organization and the employees at the health care organization.

Information and communication technology has been adopted and implemented within various sectors of the economy. This is attributed to the benefits of technology in facilitating organizational activities and processes and its use in meeting the changes which characterize the modern society. The health sector is one of the industries which have significantly implemented technology. The health sector’s technological applications have been achieved within health information systems. The implementation of technology in this sector has resulted into both positive and negative implications on health

Information technology in health care has a vast potential, but is currently years away from being proficient. If everyone in the health care and IT departments had the right intentions and were able to use these programs to better patient outcomes, there would not be this lack of technology in hospitals. Health care is one of the biggest industries in the world, yet we cannot create a better way to deliver and receive information using technology. In my honest opinion, I believe that if the health care system does not overcome these simple dilemmas then there will never be an advance in IT within the

Information technology and technology exchange has become a daily routine this day in age. The majority of the world communicates through email, text messages, video calls or over the phone for various reasons. In the health care field health information was documented, stored, reviewed and shared through hand written charts and kept in files. Since the 1980’s computer technology was beginning to be a known device, until the late 90’s is when health information technology began to evolve. Many people are unaware of health information technology (HIT), what it is or how it can positively or negatively affect them. The government should continue to contribute more attention to the development of HIT also on making

The use of health information technology has evolved over the years to become an integral part of the patient care. Note to mention that technology in healthcare initially was driven by hospital shared accounting system, then, it changes to drugs and reimbursement program. The system has expanded to the point that at the corner of 21 century, health technology is different from what it was before. Meanwhile, complementary technologies integrate the system. It started with electronic medical record (EMR) and progresses to electronic health record (HER) or e-health that involves the use of computer and other computer-based devices to collect, store, and retrieve data that are in turn transformed into information for meaningful use; thus, the term of health information technology (HIT). In attempt to forecast meaningful use of health information technology, it is possible to list other emerging health information technology devices, such as mobile health (m-health) and ubiquitous health (u-health) that will not be part of the discussion in this paper. For the record, meaningful use of electronic health record is based on care outcome reimbursement, whereas any clinical decisions should aim to support quality care at a low cost. Thus, providers, nurses, and other health disciplinary team should aim their daily practice towards the pillars of care outcomes that are the attributes of meaningful use. For this

Technology has a positive relationship with healthcare quality. Technology has a positive effect on the quality of care that is given to the patients in the health care facility (Weigel, Switaj, & Hamilton, 2015). Having electronic health record (EHR) systems in place has also improved the quality of care that the patients are receiving (Weigel et al., 2015). Having the EHR system allow the health care facility to adhere better to the clinical guidelines that are put into place by the health care facility, which leads to a decrease in medication errors (Weigel et al., 2015). Technology has improved healthcare quality for patient, it has improved the communication in the health care field, and it has improved the care that is being provided to the patients.

It is important to understand that patients are very happy and satisfied when it comes to the electronic health system. This paper will discuss some of the benefits of an electronic health system that patients are enjoying.