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Essay on Electronic Communication in Health Care

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On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signs into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The law promotes electronic health records and infrastructure development to cut costs in health care. While the law does not mandate their use, the federal government has set aside twenty billion dollars to help in the development of a strong health information technology infrastructure. Title IV states, “NO INCENTIVE PAYMENT IF FIRST ADOPTING AFTER 2014” (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, 2009). In times of economic turmoil, medical organizations are scrambling to make a profit or just break even. So, the government has successfully made their point; however, clients who use health care suffer by losing personable …show more content…

With a click of a button, medical records show on a screen to help a physician diagnosis and treat clients. While at home, a client can click and be connected to an ED doctor who will clarify the need for a face-to-face visit (Palkon & Baranczyk, 2009). In the 21st-century, telemedicine is here; however, many clients want a personal touch. They want their doctor to know them as an individual because they are not comfortable telling a stranger their medical problems. The majority of Americans are above the age of 50 and many are not computer literate. They do not want to learn about electronic transmissions to get a doctor’s opinion. Clients are not the only people who are technologically challenged. Physicians go to medical school without learning a lot about computers; nevertheless, electronic communication is a necessary tool for health care professionals (Balzer-Riley, 2008, p. 75).To keep current, doctors are using mini laptops during the office visit. The doctor comes in, makes an assessment, determines a diagnosis, prescribes a treatment, and documents the visit on a mini computer. To save time, the physician will document during the visit which leaves the client wondering if the doctor is listening to what he says. Even a visit in person can become impersonal leaving the client wanting

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