The Adoption Of Information Technology

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.

Background: The Federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) identified five goals for adopting health information technology (HIT) into the current health care systems that would significantly improve healthcare in America. (Abdelhak, Grostick, & Hanken, 2012, p. 82) These goals will help improve the quality of care within the federal health system by reducing medical errors, cost, and duplication of workload.

It is interesting that technology has evolved vastly particularly in the healthcare industry some important examples are the Electronic Health Record EHR, Personal Health Records PHRs, Electronic Prescribing E-prescribing. HIT is important to healthcare as it is used as storage and also to share among healthcare workers such as from a primary care physician to that of a specialist in the treatment of a patient.

Article was written by people with extensive experience in health care, pediatrics, and public health. Jessica Anker, Lisa Kern, Erica Abramson, and Rainu Kaushal, all of them are members of Weil corner Medical College and Health Information Technology Evaluation Collaborative. The intended audience is members of health care system, health care providers, and professionals that are involved in patient care. This article discusses how health information technology (HIT) together with organizational structure and clinician involvement can improve care and safety of our patients. I think that this article is important for nursing practice, because it shows that HIT alone cannot improve quality care, but together with work of clinicians and communication

Many health care facilities are already starting to use an electronic health record in some of their departments. An electronic health record is a system that allows health care employees to input patient information into a computer system and saves that information into a database for the facility. The information that is being stored directly into the computer system is patients’ personal information (name, date of birth, address, emergency contact information, insurance information, and primary care physician and/or admitting physician), medical history, allergies, current medications, nurses and doctors’ notes, and other information that may pertain to the reason for the visit. Radiology and lab results are also saved into the electronic health record. Even though some health care facilities use a computer system to save some information, there may also be paper work that is also being used. This paper work is scanned into the facilities database so that it can also be saved and viewed if necessary.

Implementation of Healthcare Information Technology potentially reduces cost yet, remains a continuous challenge. The adoption of improved healthcare infrastructure is compelling and significant barriers remain such as technical issues, cost, concerns about privacy and confidentiality, system interoperability and lack of well trained staff to lead the process (Palvia, Love, Nemati, & Jacks, 2012).

The health IT system is essential to transform the delivery of health care. Innovation within the IT system includes efficient data use through warehouses as they expand health information, which allows for big improvements in the technological use. These improvements would ensure that data user safety will allow the smooth exchange of information transfer electronically between different health care providers. In this case, most hospital employees and health care organizations understand how the health information technology (IT) is important for the HCO’s functions. The passing of “the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) legislation in 2009, with its specific attention to advancing EHRs, federal dollars are dedicated to expanding EHR use in physician offices and more” (Abdelhak pg. 180). This shows that a federal government has an ability to change in the healthcare industry, so the government should incorporate science and technology development. The private sector and government funding resources will also have a significant impact to play a great role in the exploration of new software operations in terms of advancing the technological environment. Advancing this area of the organization encourages health Information

“At least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000 people, die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented, according to estimates from two major studies.” (IOM, 1999) A follow up report in 2001 pointed out how health information technology (HIT) and health information exchange (HIE) can be used to reduce errors and improve efficiency and effectiveness of our healthcare system. This new national focus

Health information technique is biggest term in today’s era, technology used for various administrative, operations management, and direct clinical functions in health care organization. An electronic health record (EHR) is define by the Health Information Management System Society (HIMSS) as a longitudinal electronic record of patient health information generated by one or more encounter in any health care setting including patient demographics, progress

Health Information Technology (HIT) has been introduced into the National Health Service (NHS) in order to improve the quality, efficiency, safety and cost effectiveness of the delivery of health care. The application of computerized information technology in health care settings has so far played a vital role in improving the accessibility of information and has replaced more labour intensive and unproductive methods (Shekelle and Goldzweig, 2009).

The technology implemented by medical organizations is helping to facilitate collaboration and, in turn, continuity of care. In the modern health care setting, nurses play a pivotal role in serving as a liaison between the many disciplines required to deliver services to consumers. While initial technology investment can cost health care organizations considerably, health information technology (HIT) facilities consumer education, promotes coordinated care, and streamlines treatment processes.

With the enforcement of both the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), our health care systems have undergone drastic and continuous change in health care policy, regulations, and reforms. This has significantly changed the way our health care organizations have provided medical services to patients, and at the same time meet new health care law requirements. The issue, however, in meeting these reforms lies in ensuring patients receive quality care at an affordable price, and that health care organizations meet these goals through technological improvements with Healthcare Information Technology (HIT). In doing so, health care organizations can not only meet the new health care law requirements, but, at the same time, save financial resources to improve quality standards of care for patients in the present and in the future.

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

Health information management involves the practice of maintaining and taking care of health records in hospitals, health insurance companies and other health institutions, by the use of electronic means (McWay 176). Storage of medical information is carried out by health information management and HIT professionals using information systems that suit the needs of these institutions. This paper answers four major questions concerning health information systems.

Health Information Technology (HIT) is associated with development, design, application, and maintenance of the information systems in the health care industry. HIT offers a variety of health care information tools and their purpose is to reduce human errors while improving the quality and efficiency in order to provide the best customer service possible. HIT professional’s focus their attention on the technical side of controlling the health information, and with the help by having information technology background, they utilize software and hardware and make sure the information is stored safely and securely for those who needs them.