Various sectors of the American economy have undergone growth and changed with regards to the employment of technology in operations. Among the sectors that have adopted the use of technology in the form of information systems, is the healthcare sector. However, certain healthcare facilities have had problems adopting, as well as adapting to the new technology, and hence are reluctant to use healthcare information systems. In the event of implementing information systems in health facilities, various critical factors ought to be considered including why certain facilities are reluctant to use the technology. Information systems in health facilities have more benefits than costs, hence should be adopted by all health care facilities (Buntin, Burke, Hoaglin, & Blumenthal, 2011). Therefore, it is important to establish the critical factors influencing the implementation of IT systems in health facilities. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to discuss the critical factors in the implementation of information technology systems in health facilities.
Implementation of information technology systems in health facilities is most importantly influenced by whether or not every health facilities are willing to do the same. In the event healthcare facilities are reluctant to implement electronic medical records, it is necessary to know why to deal with the issue(s). The first reason why healthcare facilities are reluctant to implement electronic medical records (EMR) is that of the associated costs. According to many physicians and management of healthcare facilities, implementing the technology of electronic medical records (EMR) is too costly, thus reluctance to adopt its use (Kruse, Kothman, Anerobi, & Abanaka, 2016). Similarly, maintenance of the technology also requires a substantial amount of money, thus making it too costly a technology to adopt.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The second reason for reluctance with regards to the adoption of electronic medical records (EMR) is based on the notion that many physicians are unable to operate the technology as they are not as technical. The notion that young physicians are tech-savvy compared to their older counterparts is far from true, which contributes to the reluctance of some healthcare organizations to implement electronic medical records (EMR) (Kruse, Kothman, Anerobi, & Abanaka, 2016). Asking people who are not comfortable with using such technology to do so in their major operations would possibly result in incorrect or delayed recording, hence is a costly exercise.
A third reason why healthcare facilities are reluctant to implement electronic medical records (EMR) is that of the uncertainty surrounding the issue of security, privacy, and access of patient’s medical records (Kruse, Kothman, Anerobi, & Abanaka, 2016). Most physicians and doctors do not trust that electronic medical records (EMR), much like information online, is unsafe and unprotected, thus are reluctant to implement the technology for fear of access of patient medical records by unauthorized individuals. In observance of their duty to keep patient information private and confidential, many physicians are reluctant to implement electronic medical records (EMR) for security, access and privacy doubts concerning the use of the technology.
In the event of implementing the use of technology such as electronic medical records (EMR), it is important to establish the laws governing such actions. This is because these laws will facilitate the proper implementation of electronic medical records (EMR) without breaking the law or realizing down the line that a facility can no longer comply with the law’s guidelines. In addition to that, by establishing how the law protects patients, the government can pitch to numerous healthcare facilities to adopt healthcare information systems, owing to its multiple benefits. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) impacts patient’s medical records, hence essentially contributing to the healthcare sector. For instance, through the HIPAA, medical records of patients in covered health facilities have physical, technical, as well as administrative safeguards, which ensure the protection of the patient health information (PHI) that is received, generated, maintained or transmitted by healthcare facilities. Essentially, this ensures that the confidentiality, availability, as well as the integrity of a patient’s medical records, are ensured, which facilitates good patient-doctor relationships, thus contributing to the performance of healthcare facilities. HIPAA governs the parties that can access patient medical records (Appari & Johnson, 2010). As a result, this prevents any event of a patient’s medical records from being accessed by unauthorized people since it may result in trusts issues and possibly lawsuits. Therefore, this positively contributes to the safety of a patient’s medical records.
Similarly, HIPAA contributes to the safety of health records for patients by governing the transmission of that very information, hence ensuring only authorized personnel to receive that information for confidentiality reasons. HIPAA security and confidentiality regulations require individuals within health facilities to comply with facility procedures and policies concerning access to and use of medical records for patients, thus ensuring the protection of the records at all times. Through HIPAA, patient’s records can be easily accessed for use even in emergencies since it requires health care facilities to provide unique usernames that help in the tracking and identification of patient records. HIPAA regulations ensure that there are procedures and policies for the verification of people accessing patient medical records. This is to make sure only authorized people to obtain patient information. The ensuring of safety and privacy of patient information through authorization is safe. Similarly, the people obtaining patient information can be verified as authorized and not someone posing as the authorized individual. Overall, HIPAA safety and privacy regulations ensure patient medical records are safe and protected at all times and are only accessed by authorized individuals (Appari & Johnson, 2010). Therefore, when implementing information technology systems in health care facilities, such laws should be researched to ensure a facility can comply with the same.
The adoption of The HITECH (the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act for healthcare professionals has both advantages and disadvantages. Among the main advantages is that it has facilitated the development of Computerized Patient Order Entry commonly abbreviated CPOE. Through CPOE, facilities such as pharmacies can now receive and dispense medication, in a matter of seconds, via eScripts, thus improving the performance of the healthcare sector. Another advantage is that through CPOE, doctors can now order laboratory tests, as well as radiology to request for medications for patients, owing to the initiatives of HITECH, which are attributed to CPOE (Menachemi, & Collum, 2011). Among the major disadvantages of adopting HITECH are the negative implications associated with failure of health care facilities to adopt a healthcare information system as mandated by the Act (HITECH).
Healthcare facilities that fail to adopt a healthcare information system as mandated by the Act become ineligible for economic stimulus payments. Similarly, such facilities have higher chances of experiences negative effects with regards to the future reimbursement rates for Medicare patients (Menachemi, & Collum, 2011). This means that such facilities will incur costs since failure to make “meaningful use” of a healthcare information system will result in cuts regarding their reimbursement for treating Medicaid patients. Thus, another main disadvantage of the Act (HITECH). Smaller facilities will be stricken with the latter disadvantage since they do not have as much revenue since adopting a healthcare information system, as had been previously established, is costly. In addition to that, the cuts regarding reimbursement for treating Medicaid patients would result in drastic draining of revenue for smaller facilities. Medical staff members can employ a strategy to mitigate the disadvantage of cuts from lack of reimbursement from treating Medicaid patients. Such a strategy would be to control the number, cases, as well as frequency the facility would offer services for Medicare patients to avoid major drawbacks on revenue and resources.
A typical workflow within health organizations entails the occurrence and performance of various activities within the healthcare facility. The typical workflow involves all the relevant parties interacting with various health organizations, primarily the physicians and the patients. As a result, the typical workflow consists of various processes. Among them are recording patient information, conducting tests for diagnosis, examination of results, storing of patient information and transfer of patient information and records between relevant parties and departments. In addition to that, the workflow processes involve the duplication of patient medical records for future use if needed. The most significant process that can be eliminated to improve the service is duplication since with the use of electronic medical records, there is no need for duplication. The duplication process is eliminated owing to the establishment of using an information technology system. An information technology system is associated with distinctive identifiers of patient medical records including file numbers and other relevant information, thus eliminating duplication as a significant workflow process.
Among most important ways in which vital federal initiatives impact the standards of healthcare information for patient safety, privacy, and confidentially is through Acts such as HIPAA. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) security and confidentiality regulations protect the integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of patient medical records (Appari & Johnson, 2010). This is because of the numerous security policies and procedures mandated by the Act such as requiring individuals within health facilities to comply with facility procedures and policies. As a result, the procedures and policies guide access to and use of medical records for patients, thus ensuring the protection of the records at all times.
Applying an IT system to healthcare organizations has numerous benefits including improving the general performance owing to the efficiency and effectiveness of IT system resources. IT system resources including technology such as the electronic medical records (EMR) facilitate easier recording, processing, storing and transmitting patient, thus contributing efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare facilities. In addition to improving efficiency, an IT system facilitates easier retrieving of patient medical records, which facilitates easier performance of future visits to the medical facility.
IT systems facilitate the secure transmission of a patient’s medical records to the relevant party, thus ensuring integrity and confidentiality regarding a patient’s information (Buntin, Burke, Hoaglin, & Blumenthal, 2011). Therefore, in the event of implementing IT systems in health facilities, such benefits should act as driving forces for such changes. The dynamic growth of the health care sector will require the development of technology that can cater for such changes. For instance, an online platform for health organizations will be developed with policies and procedures guiding the sharing of information regarding medical cases in individual facilities. Enabling the sharing of medical information and opinions can help in the improvement or establishment of new angles or ways of conducting the practice in a bid to improve health care.
Changes in the environment are leading to the development of new incidences with regards to medical complications, therefore, deeming necessary the exchange of information on a global level, which is facilitated by online platforms. Another possible technological development in the next two decades may be the use of medical tools to monitor conditions in certain patients to prevent surprise attacks in the event medication fails without immediate signs. Using IT systems, physicians, with the knowledge and authorization of patients, can monitor patients with long-term conditions to facilitate a better living by preventing imminent attacks established by the IT systems and medical tools.
References
Appari, A., & Johnson, M. E. (2010). Information security and privacy in healthcare: current state of research. International journal of Internet and enterprise management , 6 (4), 279-314.
Buntin, M. B., Burke, M. F., Hoaglin, M. C., & Blumenthal, D. (2011). The benefits of health information technology: a review of the recent literature shows predominantly positive results. Health affairs , 30 (3), 464-471.
Kruse, C. S., Kothman, K., Anerobi, K., & Abanaka, L. (2016). Adoption factors of the electronic health record: a systematic review. JMIR medical informatics , 4 (2).
Menachemi, N., & Collum, T. H. (2011). Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems. Risk management and healthcare policy , 4 , 47.
