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Applying Technology Into The Health Care Industry

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1 Running Head: SHIFTING TO AN EHR Shifting to an EHR Lauren Faherty Sacred Heart University Shifting to an EHR Technology. A ten-letter, four syllable word that holds an inarguable amount of supremacy and ultimate value within society. The rapid, exponential growth of technological advances continuously revolutionizes humanity as a whole. The growth of this powerful resource is inevitable; therefore, it is imperative that other global industries accompany and adhere to this cultural momentum. The benefits of integrating technology into the health care industry are advantageous to not only its administration, but also the consumers—more importantly known as the patients. The implementation of an electronic…show more content…
Medication errors are not only due to miscommunication, but also due to prescribing an incorrect dosage, a potential adverse drug interaction, or a potentially fatal allergy to a medication. According to the AHRQ, “An adverse drug event (ADE) is defined as harm experienced by a patient as a result of exposure to a medication, and ADEs account for nearly 700,000 emergency department visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year” (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2015). An EHR acts essentially as a second pair of eyes, ensuring that the prescription medication for the patient is correct. “With 76% of Americans over age 60 taking two or more prescription drugs and 37% taking five or more, health IT can improve patient safety by evaluating potential drug-drug interactions and compensating for human errors in dosing” (Consumer Partnership for E-health, 2013). Drug interactions may decrease the effectiveness of a medication, increase the serious, adverse side effects of a medication, and more importantly increase the level of toxicity a certain drug. For example, Bromocriptine is a drug used to treat menstrual problems, growth hormone production, Parkinson’s disease, and Type 2 Diabetes. Pseudoephedrine (commonly known as Sudafed) is used to treat congestion or a sinus infection; however, when the two drug are used in conjunction, “the interaction can lead to severe peripheral vasoconstriction, ventricular tachycardia, seizures, and possibly death” (Consumer
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