The healthcare system has become so sophisticated and advanced in the recent days. Thanks to technological development and level of know how that the healthcare system has undergone these radical changes. One of the main areas that technology has greatly changed in the healthcare system is the information sector. Information technology refers to information or data stored in computers for future reference, (Hersh 2009). Healthcare system has greatly benefited from information technology since it relies majorly on past studies and data gathered from such studies to deliver better healthcare. The healthcare practitioners when making decisions have to research keenly, scrutinize the information gathered and then compare it to past information for better results to be achieved. This has caused interdependence between the healthcare facilities worldwide since patient’s information and evidence gathered could be crucial to another health practitioner when making similar decisions.
Usability refers to how effectively a health practitioner is able to use the healthcare technology systems to achieve the desired results, (Guo, Iribarren, Kapsandoy, Perri, & Staggers 2011). It can also refer to the ways the information gathered in the in the healthcare systems is used in a beneficial way to improve healthcare services. Usually, healthcare practitioners will really on past data when making critical decisions. To understand the symptoms and signs of a given disease, doctors will rely on past information. Moreover, in improving the healthcare services, practitioners will rely on the information gathered to do this. On this note, the information systems require being user-friendly, for the user to generate the required results from them. On the other hand, integration refers to the act of incorporating the healthcare systems especially the health information to work in a desirable manner. The goal of integrating healthcare systems is to ensure that the systems work accordingly towards the achievement of a common goal. Different health care systems or facilities which normally use different processes are integrated to work together for better results to be achieved.
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When systems are integrated they will share data, but for this data to be used effectively utilized it will depend on the interoperability. Interoperability refers to how effective the systems share and interpret data. The research below will discuss in detail the usability, integration, and interoperability of healthcare technology and the benefits aligned. Moreover, the research will go further to give a personal experience of the healthcare technology and how it has impacted the healthcare system effectively.
Example of Usability, Integration, and Interoperability
Harnessing the information technological benefits is the most fundamental thing for healthcare facilities. This is because, the medical practitioners and researchers utilize these systems to deliver better patient services. Furthermore, the healthcare systems have changed their way of business and are now more patient-centric, than service centric. However, to achieve the desired results, all processes in the healthcare must be integrated and aligned in such a way that it will help in achieving the common goal. Interoperability will help in critically analyzing and interpret the information, for it to have the desired meaning. This will help in the usability of the information since the data gathered will be easier to digest and understand, thus better decision making is enhanced. Interoperability is also crucial in that it helps health facilities to save on cost, improve care quality, reduce practitioners fatigue and contribute to patient safety.
A good example of healthcare system technology is the EHR. EHR refers to the electronic health records, which are health records stored electronically for future purposes. EHR helps the health facilities to store patient’s information among other medical data, which can be easily retrieved when the need arises, (Cresswell, Bates & Sheikh 2013). These health records can be shared across different hospitals, due to the integration of the healthcare facilities, all thanks to information technology development.
The electronic health records have several main features that make them the best invention in the healthcare systems. To start with, the EHR has a patient chart which stores all information regarding a patient such as personal details and health records, (Middleton, Bloomrosen, Dente, Hashmatt, koppel, & Overhage, et al. 2013). Moreover, the systems have e-prescribing and orders feature which help in prescription, referrals, and orders sending. Additionally, the systems have Epocrates feature which helps the health practitioner to research on the clinical decision support, thus enabling confidentiality and better decision making. Also, the systems help the healthcare facilities to share information through messaging feature and better reporting using the system. This shows how the systems have changed the healthcare system in terms of safety, quality and the ease of accessing and retrieving information.
However, for EHR software to work effectively in terms of delivering great results, interoperable IT Systems must be in place. Interoperability ensures that the information contained in these records can be used in a meaningful and seamless manner. This will facilitate the usability of the information in benefiting the end user of the information, in terms of quality decision making. EHR systems have made data sharing in healthcare system a reality, removed ambiguity and enabled better workflows.
Personal experience
My personal experience with the EHR systems has been quite interesting. I remember visiting a hospital in a nearby neighborhood hospital, where I had never attended before and was surprised at how much they knew about me. By just a click of the button, the doctor attending to me, was able to retrieve my medical records. I was surprised since I had not brought along my health examination records and here is a person talking to me about my previous health records. From the health records retrieved from the EHR, the doctor was able to learn about my past medical issues and treatments, my family history, the past hospital visits and the prescription offered. This was really an interesting thing for me, since it was a manifestation of the tremendous improvement in healthcare systems.
The doctor was able to attend to me effectively, without having to make calls and asking for past reports from elsewhere. I was also happy since my information and medical records were properly organized and kept in a safe manner, which guarded my privacy and confidentiality of health records. This was a positive encounter that took me by surprise since I did not expect that from a hospital of that small size. Additionally, I was happy since I did not have to go over the examination and tests for the doctor to prescribe medications to me. The doctor was able to treat and prescribe medications using the help of these systems, which appeased me greatly.
However, I cannot fail to recognize the doctor’s comments on some of the health records retrieved. I learned from the doctor attending to me that there was a challenge in the systems, since people used different reporting methods, causing an integration challenge to the users. This is a big challenge since a lot of time is wasted trying to critically analyze the data and derive meaning from it. However, this challenge is possible to solve by using an interface engine, which ensures proper integration of these systems. Furthermore, an interface engine will help in the easier interpretation of data gathered, in regardless the hospitals used different formats in reporting or not. This will help in better integration, effective systems and in overall improve the patient services delivery.
The healthcare system technology is the best invention of our time. It has really changed the healthcare system positively, in terms of better service delivery, patient safety and reducing costs. However, for these systems to work effectively, the integration, usability, and interoperability of the systems must be taken into considerations. This is because systems developed should be easier to use by the end user and they must be integrated for them to benefit users of the systems. In addition, the information stored in these systems must be easier to interpret, analyze and derive meaning for the benefit of the patients. The report above has critically analyzed the healthcare technology in terms of benefits and given an example of the system. However, the report has found out there are still much to be done for the effectiveness of these systems in bettering the healthcare systems. Therefore, it is important for all stakeholders to work together for the achievement of the common goal, of improving the healthcare system.
References
Cresswell, K., Bates, D., & Sheikh, A. (2013). Ten key considerations for the successful implementation and adoption of large-scale health information technology. NCBI. Retrieved 23 January 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3715363/
Guo, J., Iribarren, S., Kapsandoy, S., Perri, S., & Staggers, N. (2011). Usability Evaluation of An Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) Application. NCBI. Retrieved 23 January 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3631925/
Hersh, W. R. (2009). Information retrieval: A health and biomedical perspective. New York, NY: Springer.
Middleton, B., Bloomrosen, M., Dente, M., Hashmatt, B., koppel, R., & Overhage, J. et al. (2013). Enhancing patient safety and quality of care by improving the usability of electronic health record systems: recommendations from AMIA. NCBI. Retrieved 23 January 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3715367/
