Information Technology In Long Term Care

In the medical field there have been a lot of technological advances and making health records electronic is one of them. The days of having a paper health record are almost obsolete. An electronic health record keeps a patient’s medical information and history on a computer which is accessible to more people in less time. I will explain how the continuity, communication, coordination and accountability of the electronic health record can help the medical office. I will explain what can be included in the electronic health record. As an advocate of the electronic health record I will also explain some disadvantages to the electronic system.

In a healthcare world that operates on stringent budgets and margins, we begin to see the need for a higher capacity healthcare delivery system. This in turn puts pressure on the healthcare organizations to ensure higher standards of patient care, and compliance with the reform provisions. However, these are the harsh realities of today’s healthcare environment, a setting in which value does not always equal quality. The use of technology can help to amend some of this by providing higher capacity care without compromising quality; this can be done with the use of such technology as electronic health records (EHRs). This paper will aim to address how EHRs influence healthcare today by expanding upon topics such as funding sources, reimbursement methods, economic factors, socioeconomic factors, business influences, and cost containment.

Electronic health records can lessen the disintegration of care by refining care coordination. The use of electronic health records will deliver providers with accurate information. This is especially important for those that see multiple specialists, and enable a smooth transition between care settings and receive treatment in emergency

2008). Another system focused on patient scheduling in a rehabilitation setting (Ozbolt, J.G., Saba, V.K. 2008). Nurses at a California hosptial assisted in developing the first comprehensive hospital information system and helped integrat the system for nursing care planning, documentation, and feedback (Ozbolt, J.G., Saba, V.K. 2008). They developed the standard care plans that are used throughout the world today (Ozbolt, J.G., Saba, V.K. 2008). Another big achievement of this decade was the introduction of the first commercial electronic medical record (Thede, L. 2012). This new system was patient-oriented and was implemented throughout the hospital (Thede, L. 2012).

After decades of paper based medical records, a new type of record keeping has surfaced - the Electronic Health Record (EHR). EHR is an electronic or digital format concept of an individual’s past and present medical history. It is the principle storage place for data and information about the health care services provided to an individual patient. It is maintained by a provider over time and capable of being shared across different healthcare settings by network-connected information systems. Such records may include key administrative and clinical data relevant to that persons care under a particular provider. Examples of such records may include: demographics, physician notes, problems or injuries, medications and allergies, vital

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the ehr mandate and how it relates to affordable care act. The six steps in implementation of an electronic health record and how I would use them in the nursing home. The definition of what meaningful use is and what is HIPAA and what could happen if those laws were violated

Grand Hospital was an early proponent of incorporating a health care information system (HIS) at its facility. Computerized clinical data may be stored in aging systems used in proprietary formats which may be difficult for other systems to access. The use of proprietary programs may lock customers into using only specific information systems. Grand Hospital’s HIS is a proprietary system that may not to be able to interact with other programs.

A handy electronic health record system can diminish complications scattered all through the VA. This system will allow a modest and efficient ways to record, analyze, and inquire about specific patients with minimal training. Case in point, when a patient transfers from one state to another within the same region, or to another region completely, the information can be extracted, organized, and conveyed electronically. The hospital receiving the electronic record can download the patient’s complete medical history, therefore eradicating the requirement for re-entering the information into their own disconnected system. Electronic data can

Over the previous eight years, there has been a significant investment of private and public funds to upsurge the adoption of Electronic health records (EHRs) across the nation. The extensive adoption and “meaningful use” of electronic health records is a national priority. EHRs come in various forms and can be utilized in distinct organizations, as interoperating systems in allied health care units, on a regional level, or nationwide. The benefit of utilizing an EHR depends heavily on provider’s uptake on technology. Benefits related to electronic health records are numerous and may have clinical, organizational and societal outcomes. However, challenges in implementing electronic health records has attained some attention, the implementation

Electronic Health Record (EHR) compliance is expected to achieve better clinical outcomes, improved population health outcomes, increased transparency and efficiency, empowerment of individuals, and more robust data for research on health systems (Health IT). The determination of this paper aims to evaluate the flow of information as it travels with patients as they enter the emergency room, up to and including a skilled nursing facility stay. Over the last decade an emphasis has been placed on transitioning from paper based documentation to electronic based computerized systems. The centers for Medicaid and Medicare place such high emphasis on this transition that monetary incentive including higher reimbursement rates

Technology has come a long way over the years and continues to advance rapidly. The health care system is greatly affected by the advancements in technology. An example of this would be the use of electronic health records (EHR). In this paper I will be describing the electronic health record system. How my facility has initiated the EHR with following the six steps and describe meaningful use and how my facility is working towards this. Lastly I will discuss how to maintain patient confidentiality with use of EHR, and what my facility is doing to prevent HIPPA violations.

With the advent of electronic health records (EHR’s) and The American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, electronic health records have become main stream and a requirement for healthcare providers who treat Medicaid and Medicare patients. An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart (Health IT, n.d.). EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users. A portion of ARRA provides reimbursements to providers that have EHR’s that are certified for meaningful use. Certified EHR’s meet meaningful use requirements by meeting the government the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH)

“An electronic health record (EHR) is a digital version of a patient’s paper chart. EHRs are real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users.” (healthit.gov) The EHR mandate was created “to share information with other health care providers and organizations – such as laboratories, specialists, medical imaging facilities, pharmacies, emergency facilities, and school and workplace clinics – so they contain information from all clinicians involved in a patient’s care.” ("Providers & Professionals | HealthIT.gov", n.d., p. 1) The process has proved to be quite challenging for providers. As an

This paper will identify the use of Electronic Health Records and how nursing plays an important role. Emerging in the early 2000’s, utilizing Electronic Health Records have quickly become a part of normal practice. An EHR could help prevent dangerous medical mistakes, decrease in medical costs, and an overall improvement in medical care. Patients are often taking multiple medications, forget to mention important procedures/diagnoses to providers, and at times fail to follow up with providers. Maintaining an EHR could help tack data, identify patients who are due for preventative screenings and visits, monitor VS, & improve overall quality of care in a practice. Nurse informaticists play an important role in the

Like any other industry, healthcare industry also uses information technology for better communication and efficiency. The purpose of including technology in clinical nursing is to provide better facilities to patients, which is cost effective. Medical Health Institute surveys regarding the usage of EHR in Canada and USA, indicate that information technology is primarily used by nurses and physicians to improve workflow efficiency, quicken clinical processes, and improve patient care. The major hindrance in implementing such infrastructure is the lack of appropriate resources and finances. In addition to this, confidentiality and security of data also hinders the implementation (Hegney et al, 2007).