Health information technology is infrastructure and technology used to analyze, record, and share patient health data. The techniques include health record systems that are paperless and electronic; and personal health tools that include apps and smart devices and the communities that share the information and discuss it. The users include health care practitioners, the ministry of health, and the patients (Rief et al., 2016) . Data collected using the technique consists of the details of the patient that include the patient's name, date of birth, next of kin, allergies and adverse drug reactions, family medical history, imaging reports, medications, and dosing, prescription record, vaccinations, chronic diseases, illnesses, and hospitalizations, laboratory test results surgeries and other procedures and observations of daily living (Rief et al., 2016).
Health information technology improves patient safety through clinical flags and reminders, medication alerts, tracking and reporting of consultation and diagnostic testing, availability of all the patient data and clinical decision support (Sayles, 2013) . Since we can find all the information about the patient on the platform, then it is easier for each health practitioner to identify the procedure not done to the patient. Also, the health information technology outlines necessary procedures in the care of a patient. For patient outcomes, the patient receives quality health care since all the caregivers do all the processes, and also they get all the information they need ( Aston, 2014) . The patients spend less time and the hospital.
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Disadvantages of health information technology include the price of installation, poor vendors who will sell technology that does not support some functions and potential privacy and security issues due to hacking (Sayles, 2013) . The benefits outweigh the cons. The disadvantages target the technology itself and not the patient. In the clinical seeting, the priority should be the patient. With the technology you provide excellent patient care, there is a superb workflow in the hospital and also a good patient outcome. More patients come to the hospital, and the price of the technology will not be an issue. Hacking is also frequent in many organizations. It is hard for one to think of hacking a hospital without having a fall out with any of the patients.
A nurse leader represents all the nurses in a health care setting. During the selection of technology, they are in a better position to choose the right one since they know what the hospital exactly needs for quality service delivery and optimum patient outcomes. They have the authority to implement and sustain the technology (Carol, 2019) . In performing, they will; come up with policies that, if one does not follow, they are subjected to punishment. To maintain effective operations of the technology, the nurse leaders will ensure people do not stop following the processes and provide education to all nurses on how to use the technology.
When a patient comes into the hospital, the receptionist collects their information and sends the patient to the nurse. The nurse then checks for the vitals of the patient and obtains the necessary information. The nurse then refers the patient to the doctor who makes the clinical diagnosis and refers them to the laboratory for further testing. The laboratory sends the results to the doctor who then prescribes medication. In case of any procedure, the doctor refers the patient to the nurse. The patient goes to the pharmacy, collects drugs passes through the cashier, and pays their bills. No procedure is left out, and every health care worker can see what they should do from the comfort of their work station and saves time. This system ensures shorter turn-around-time and reduces the risks of misdiagnosis and loss of patient data.
References
Aston, G. (2014). Powering the information engine. Hospitals & health networks, 88(1), 46-49.
Carol, W. (2019).The synthesis of nursing knowledge and predictive analytics.Nursing Management. Doi: 10.1097/01.
Rief, J., Hamm, M., Zickmun, S., Nikolajski, C., Lesky, D., et al. (2016).Using health information technology to foster engagement: Patient’s experiences with an active patient health record. Health Communication, 32(3), 310-319.
Sayles, N. B. (2013). Health information management technology: An applied approach . L. L. Gordon (Ed.). American Health Information Management Association.