Healthcare Communication As A Result Of Mobile Health Technology

Mhealth has reached the poorest of communities (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). More than 9 million patients email their physician in 2009 (Digital Health Care, 2010), because patients’ busy lifestyles do not allow time for an office visit for non-emergent health conditions. . In recent years, the expansion of mobile health (mhealth) technologies, including health text messaging, mobile phone applications, remote monitoring, and portable sensors, have changed the way health care is being delivered in the U.S. and globally (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). Patients like the convenience of communicating with his or her physician through advanced technology.

The growth of health care activities since then has truly encouraged patients to reach for information outside the confines of patient and physician interaction. Revolutionary new technology such as cell phones and computers, as well as the development of the Internet and social media sites, has served as where a vast majority of the public finds current knowledge for their problems.

Use of consumer healthcare information technology through web-based applications, mobile devices, and patient portals allowed Surae Lucie to electronically view and download her mother’s healthcare information. This was especially helpful since English is a second language to her mother and the information could be viewed repeatedly over a period until her mother understood the physician’s orders of medications and compare that to what Surae Lucie’s mother was taking.

Upgrading our documentation to information and informatics comes with many advantages for the health care team to improve quality and safe ty improvement. Also, the use of technology such as telehealth, telenursing and videoconferencing are on the rise, and will be embedded into our communities and nursing organizations so that we can reach people around the country who do not have accessibility quality health care. Using technology to educate patients and families about credible websites, and how to search for pertinent information that is relevant to his or her health is a priority. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary emergency rooms visits. These actions foster communication and minimize anxiety

Advances in modern technology surrounds us in our day to day lives, allowing conveniences and efficiency at our fingertips. Great strides have been made over the years with technology, and the healthcare industry along with many other industries have adopted this new way of functioning; electronically. The effects of technology have come to the forefront in where our government has acknowledged the benefits and opportunities. “The promise of Health Information Technology for improving quality and safety of health care while reducing costs has caught the eye of policy makers and other leaders in health care” (Hersh, 2006). It deeply affects how we connect, interact, and communicate internally and externally, but also gives us a sense of control on how we engage ourselves to the innovative software and systems.

This is displayed by the use of information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, decrease error and support decision making. The majority of the healthcare world is ran by technology. Almost all charting is done on computers, which allows more than one healthcare professional to view the patients chart at one time. This technology also allows the patient to access their records online keeping them informed of test results. For example, this is exemplified by physicians entering their own orders into the computer. This prevents the use of unapproved abbreviations and mishandling of

Nowadays, the number of people who have access to the internet has increased tremendously. This is one of the main reasons why many consumers/patients want to communicate to their physicians through online messaging. Online Patient-Clinician Messaging has the potential to improve the quality of medical care as it helps improve the relationship between the physician and the patient and it promotes greater involvement by patients in their own care (National Ethics Committee of the Veterans Health Administration, 2004, p. 2). Because of its benefits, there are many health care organizations that use online patient-clinician messaging. Veterans Health Administration makes patient-clinician messaging available through its My HealtheVet initiative. In addition, Kaiser Permanente also makes patient-clinician messaging available through “My Health Manager. My Health Manager is Kaiser Permanente 's personal health record, linked to its comprehensive electronic health record system, Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect(R). My Health Manager users can access their health records, view lab test results, email their physicians, request prescription refills, make, change and cancel appointments for themselves and, if authorized, also for family members ( Telemedicine Business Week, 2012).However, despite of the benefits of using online messaging, there are many physicians who are hesitant to adopt the practice. One of the main reasons is the ethical implications of patient-clinician

Health care professionals have described how information technology is changing the way health care operates, and it has become the modern way of staying in touch with patients who have chronic conditions (Muhammad, Allen, Ali, Bonacina, & Adams, 2014). Education for patients can help prevent the addition of secondary conditions, and with proper instruction the disease process can be slowed down, all support patients can receive will benefit them and their family (Enworom & Tabi, 2015).

In today’s time, the Internet is really altering the way us Americans intermingle with the healthcare system. The Internet is making consumers more desirable to use it, in hopes for more opportunities. With the help from the Internet, telemedicine is becoming one of the best cultivating advanced technology in healthcare right now. Telemedicine can be defined as the use of medical information that is exchanged from one site to another (americantelemed, 2012). This process utilizes technology and digital communication in order to help patients’ progress. Important aspects of telecommunication include video, email, mobile devices, and more. So, in a nutshell telemedicine allows patients to communicate with their assigned physician about any

Information Technology allows health care providers to collect, store, retrieve and transfer information electronically. More specific discussion of IT in health care is challenging due to lack of specific definitions, the volume of applications and a rapid pace of change in technology. Information technology has the potential to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of health care. The health care system generally uses less IT than other industries. IT increases the ability of physicians, nurses, clinical technicians, and others to readily access and use the right information about their patients to Improve care. Studies have shown that better technologies leads to better care.

In observation, (Fahnestock, McComb, & Deshmukh, 2013) stated "Information technologies are transforming the way healthcare is delivered. Innovations such as computer-based patient records, hospital information systems, computer-based decision support tools, community health information networks and new ways of distributing health information.” (p.3.2). In the sector of delivering healthcare using technology, has made it easier for healthcare professionals to access medical records, digitization of prescriptions and view test results. With the use of high-performance devices being used in the hospital, helps to make the jobs of healthcare professionals a little easier. As well as relieve anxiety from anxious patients that may be awaiting lab results to come back. Therefore, IT devices and services has been and continues to be a tremendous help and game changer for the healthcare system. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to help shape and reform the healthcare

Diaz, J. A., Griffith, R. A., Ng, J. J., Reinert, S. E., Friedmann, P. D., & Moulton, A. W. (2002). Patients’ Use of the Internet for Medical Information. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 17(3), 180–185. http://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2002.10603.x

The two health information technologies I have explored are Electronic health records and Telehealth. The objective of electronic health records is to make health care harmless and more efficient by providing health professionals and patients comparable information to inform decision making, to benefit precautionary care and reduce duplication difficulty. Some significant things about EHRs it provides clinical decision advantages, physicians and nurses are allowed to enter data about their patients well-being, and patients able to get a copy of their medical records on demand, also those data can share between facilities and organizations. Secondly, an electronic health record should keep a record of every training a physician gives to a patient

The future trends in health care are limitless. From using applications that perform EKG’s to robot-assisted surgery, the rapid expansion of technology applications in health care is astounding. Advancing technology also pushes the boundaries of health care in its ability to integrate health care information. The integration of health care information is critical to the effective, efficient delivery of quality care in a now fragmented health care system. This paper will assess how the internet or any new forms of electronic communication can be used as an external delivery source of communicating patient-specific information, address the impact of distance delivery on health care, how these communication issues impact health care today and

Technology can assist healthcare workers on every clinical and administrative level to use information more effectively in clinical decision-making for patients, and in implementing strategic goals within an organization.