Before technological investments, health records were paper-based and were kept in files for future accessibility to trace the patients’ health history. However, with the rapid technological developments in the 21st century, electronic health records have changed how the health industry operates in the United States and other parts of the world. According to critics of their use, electronic health records pose challenges for both medical practitioners and consumers (Furukawa et al., 2014). Coding a client’s details into the data is time consuming, tiresome, and causes stress to the healthcare provider. Besides, the cost of initiating the program is expensive for health consumers and providers since it involves purchasing the software and training on how to operate computers or gadgets.
Further, the electronic health record in nursing has recently increased accessibility. Nurses can easily access patient’s health records from any location within the United States and across the world. Easy accessibility helps the nurse to trace treatment plans for the client and effectively plan for future care to the patient ( Furukawa et al., 2014). Moreover, due to easy availability, healthcare decisions can be made promptly in cases of serious illness. Besides, health informatics asserts that health professionals must be able to deliver patient-centered care and focus on quality improvement care as professionals.
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Similarly, informatics can be used to improve communication and engagement between medical practitioners and patients. The patient’s ailment can easily be detected using the current technology, and in cases where surgery is needed, robots can be used to operate. Moreover, health informatics integrates health science, information science, and computer science to improve health professionals give the type of care individuals professionally. In utilizing health informatics, patients in ICU, for example, can be monitored by experienced healthcare professionals using telehealth technology. Besides, nurses can use internet information to advice and care for patients in homes or at the healthcare facility.
References
Furukawa, M. F., King, J., Patel, V., Hsiao, C. J., Adler-Milstein, J., & Jha, A. K. (2014). Despite substantial progress in EHR adoption, health information exchange and patient engagement remain low in office settings. Health Affairs, 33 (9), 1672-1679.
