Description of General Healthcare Technology Trends
Numerous technological advancements in the 21st century aim to entirely transform the nature of care. Electronic health records, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine technology like biosensor tools are among the biggest trends in healthcare. Cowie et al. claim that (2017) electronic health records are digital versions of patient charts that instantly make information about patients, including their treatment and medical history, available to authorized users. These electronic health records assist healthcare providers in sharing patient information and coordinating patient improvement (Barak-Corren et al., 2017). Most healthcare organizations are currently using EHRs, and many have a system that lets patients view their records online. Patients can view their records, schedule appointments, and even send messages to their healthcare providers through my HealtheVet at the facility where I work.
While electronic health records facilitate the immediate dissemination of patient information to authorized users, there is a risk that the data will be insecure and end up with the wrong users or users. When some patients are too ill, it can be difficult for them to exercise control over their information once it is entered into a database. Teaching hospitals have much research that uses patient data, and sometimes they need permission to use this data (Rao-Gupta et al., 2017). One threat that puts this technology’s use in the healthcare system at risk is this. However, my HealtheVet has some difficulties. One main issue is that not all people have internet access. The fact that only some people are tech-savvy presents another obstacle. According to Faverio (2022), approximately 75% of people aged 65 and up use the internet. That leaves ¼ of the more established populace incapable or experiencing difficulties with utilizing my healthevet app. According to many doctors, patients should not be able to access their records. According to D’Costa et al. (2020), doctors worry that allowing patients access to their records could cause unnecessary stress or overwhelm them. My heatheVet also has some advantages. Patients frequently become overwhelmed when all the information is presented to patients at once upon discharge. However, once they are discharged, they can read the information in their records, gain a better understanding of it, and think more clearly. Patients can view their records, schedule appointments, and communicate with their providers using this app. They can still send a message to the provider, who will respond when they return to work, or they can schedule an appointment online.
In terms of patient care, data security, and legislation, the ease with which information from a system can be tracked is one potential advantage of using electronic health records; this indicates that it would be difficult for anyone to misuse the data (Skiba, 2017). It may be challenging to coordinate the system with things that require the conscious consent of the individuals, such as consent for health procedures, in some cases, such as patients who are too ill; this poses a risk for the same. When accessing information online, there is always a possibility of harm. In the healthcare industry, security breaches occur frequently. Over 2100 security breaches have occurred since 2009, costing over $6 trillion, according to Georgiev (2022). The information and money involved here is staggering. The patients’ inability to comprehend the information in their charts poses another threat to patient care. They might become frightened or anxious about something they read due to this. Concerning legislation-related risks, EHR-associated malpractice is a risk. According to D’Amore (n.d.), from 2007 to 2010, there were only two cases of malpractice involving EHRs, but from 2014 to 2016, there were 66 cases.
Telehealth technology is a promising technology that will lead us into the future when I look at the current trends in healthcare. Since the coronavirus outbreak, telehealth has grown in popularity. This system can make it possible for people who cannot leave their homes alone or have difficulty living to see a doctor. With telehealth and all the devices that patients can now use at home to send data to their doctor’s office, the doctor can monitor the patient’s vitals and weight and even listen to their lungs and hearts from the comfort of their home. The provider will be able to receive more information via electronic means as further advancements in this field occur. Requiring people to visit their doctor regularly, even when they cannot leave their homes, will also improve patient care (Gajarawala, 2022).
References:
Barak-Corren, Y., Castro, V. M., Javitt, S., Hoffnagle, A. G., Dai, Y., Perlis, R. H., Nock, M. K., Smoller, J. W., & Reis, B. Y. (2017). Predicting Suicidal Behavior From Longitudinal Electronic Health Records. In American Journal of Psychiatry (Vol. 174, Issue 2, pp. 154–162). American Psychiatric Association Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16010077Links to an external site.
Cowie, M. R., Blomster, J. I., Curtis, L. H., Duclaux, S., Ford, I., Fritz, F., Goldman, S., Janmohamed, S., Kreuzer, J., Leenay, M., Michel, A., Ong, S., Pell, J. P., Southworth, M. R., Stough, W. G., Thoenes, M., Zannad, F., & Zalewski, A. (2016). Electronic health records to facilitate clinical research. In Clinical Research in Cardiology (Vol. 106, Issue 1, pp. 1–9). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-016-1025-6Links to an external site.
D’Amore, P. (n.d.). Patient risks associated with electronic health records. Baltimore Medical Malpractice, Birth Injury, & Accident Attorneys. Retrieved from https://www.damoreinjurylaw.com/blog/patient-risks-associated-with-electronic-health-recordsLinks to an external site.
D’Costa, S. N., Kuhn, I. L., & Fritz, Z. (2020). A systematic review of patient access to medical records in the acute setting: practicalities, perspectives and ethical consequences. In BMC Medical Ethics (Vol. 21, Issue 1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-0459-6Links to an external site.
Faverio, M. (2022, January 13). Share of those 65 and older who are tech users has grown in the past decade. Pew Research Center. Retrived from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/01/13/share-of-those-65-and-older-who-are-tech-users-has-grown-in-the-past-decade/Links to an external site.
Gajarawala, S. N., & Pelkowski, J. N. (2021). Telehealth Benefits and Barriers. In The Journal for Nurse Practitioners (Vol. 17, Issue 2, pp. 218–221). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.09.013Links to an external site.
Georgiev, D. (2022, November 26). 25+ alarming healthcare data breaches statistics for 2022. Techjury. Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://techjury.net/blog/healthcare-data-breaches-statistics/Links to an external site.
Rao-Gupta, S., Kruger, D., Leak, L. D., Tieman, L. A., & Manworren, R. C. B. (2018). Leveraging Interactive Patient Care Technology to Improve Pain Management Engagement. In Pain Management Nursing (Vol. 19, Issue 3, pp. 212–221). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2017.11.002Links to an external site.
Skiba, D. (2017). Evaluation Tools to Appraise Social Media and Mobile Applications. In Informatics (Vol. 4, Issue 3, p. 32). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics4030032Links to an external site.
HEALTHCARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRENDS
To Prepare:
- Reflect on the Resources related to digital information tools and technologies.
- Consider your healthcare organization’s use of healthcare technologies to manage and distribute information.
- Reflect on current and potential future trends, such as use of social media and mobile applications/telehealth, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled asset tracking, or expert systems/artificial intelligence, and how they may impact nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 6
Post a brief description of general healthcare technology trends, particularly related to data/information you have observed in use in your healthcare organization or nursing practice. Describe any potential challenges or risks that may be inherent in the technologies associated with these trends you described. Then, describe at least one potential benefit and one potential risk associated with data safety, legislation, and patient care for the technologies you described. Next, explain which healthcare technology trends you believe are most promising for impacting healthcare technology in nursing practice and explain why. Describe whether this promise will contribute to improvements in patient care outcomes, efficiencies, or data management. Be specific and provide examples.
BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, offering additional/alternative ideas regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations shared.
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Healthcare Technology Data Trends
Due to the rapidly changing healthcare environment, there is a large demand for improved efficiency in providing quality healthcare in every healthcare setting. Fortunately, healthcare technology has continued to evolve at a rapid pace to keep up with the demands of the healthcare environment that has changed considerably since the first diagnosis of COVID-19. Since the global pandemic started there has been numerous issues that have come up that required some type of intervention in order to provide safe quality patient care. Healthcare technology adaptations have significantly helped to navigate healthcare facilities through the pandemic. Dykes et al. (2017) states that utilizing tools such as checklists and EHR data is beneficial in establishing adherence to new healthcare technology. Although it is important to utilize new healthcare technology, it is also important to ensure that staff are able to utilize it correctly to facilitate organizational change. One healthcare technology trend in particular that has become a staple in my organization is the use of telehealth. This healthcare technology trend has been crucial for delivering quality patient care to those who are unable to see their providers in person due to health concerns or ease of access. In the beginning of the pandemic, it was not uncommon for many patients as well as providers to select telehealth to avoid putting themselves at risk for COVID-19 by visiting a healthcare facility.
Benefits and Challenges
In my current healthcare organization, the use of telehealth has become a common practice for all of our patients. Due to COVID-19 many healthcare providers have opted to use telehealth to see their patients without putting themselves or the patient at risk for COVID-19. This was incredibly useful for healthcare providers that work at multiple facilities as well so that they can see patients in person in one facility while seeing others virtually at another. Rak (2021) states that there are clear advantages to being able to provide remote diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment to patients via telehealth however there are also many potential challenges. One of the major challenges has been maintaining HIPAA compliance when utilizing mobile devices to initiate the collection of healthcare data and the dissemination of PHI such as medical diagnosis. Many healthcare organizations including my own have implemented policies to ensure staff members who are assisting with telehealth appointments are doing so utilizing encrypted forms of communication. For example, my organization purchased a module within the EHR to allow for providers and nurses to send secure messages directly to patients. Another issue that can develop is incomplete assessments due to not being able to palpate or auscultate through telehealth appointments. In many cases, healthcare providers may request a follow up appointment that takes place in person to address any assessment concerns. Lastly, telehealth may not be appropriate for patients who are not comfortable utilizing technology to complete their appointment. Despite these potential challenges, telehealth has made a major positive impact on healthcare by increasing accessibility to potential patients.
Promising Healthcare Technology Trends
Telehealth has and continues to show promise that it will be a major contributing component to providing quality care. This technology trend has allowed organizations to see additional patients and increase access to care for many patient populations. With the use of this technology trend, it is important to educate patients on the proper use of telehealth. Many organizations assume that patients understand how to access telehealth portals or that they know what to expect during the appointments. Skiba (2017) states with the ongoing use of healthcare technology tools to provide care, healthcare professionals should be trained on how to appropriately use these tools, and healthcare organizations should educate its patients on them as well to improve digital literacy. If we are able to increase patients’ digital literacy then this could increase the amount of patients willing to utilize this service and ultimately increase access to patient care.
References
Dykes, P. C., Rozenblum, R., Dalal, A., Massaro, A., Chang, F., Clements, M., Collins, S., Bates, D. W. (2017). Prospective evaluation of a
multifaceted intervention to improve outcomes in intensive care: The Promoting Respect and Ongoing Safety Through Patient
Engagement Communication and Technology Study. Critical Care Medicine, 45(8), e806–e813. doi:10.1097/CCM.0000000000002449
Rak, R. (2021). Internet of Everything in Healthcare: Reconciling the Risks and Benefits of Data Sharing in IoT-Enabled Telehealth
Environments. 2021 Eighth International Conference on EDemocracy & EGovernment (ICEDEG), EDemocracy & EGovernment (ICEDEG), 2021
Eighth International Conference On, 223–225. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICEDEG52154.2021.9530853
Skiba, D. (2017). Evaluation tools to appraise social media and mobile applications. Informatics, 4(3), 32–40.
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Hi Irvin,
Great read. Another issues I see with Telehealth is the ability to misdiagnose patients. There are are a number of symptoms that mimics other illnesses and the inability to do a proper assessment in searching for certain diseases, which may be a cause for concern. According to (Xiang & Bernard 2021), One of the major challenges of Telehealth is the limitation in the ability to complete a remote neurologic exam especially when evaluating sensation, reflexes, tone, motor strength, and optic nerve function. Without a reliable way to for a remote neurologist to evaluate sensation, tone, reflexes, motor strength, optic nerve function and fundoscopy, the concern poses a risk to patients for misdiagnosis and mismanagement. It may even be time consuming and costly if a lack of proper neurological exam requires over use or over dependence on neuroimaging and other diagnostic test that could have been prevented with a proper and complete assessment of patients. Until further research is done and ways to include all illnesses, Telehealth will be beneficial for some but not all in making a successful diagnosis I believe.
Best,
Xiang, X. &. Bernard, J. (2021). Telehealth in Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Care and Research. Curr Neural Neuroscience Rep ( 21). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-021-01103-4Links to an external site.
Malliaras, P., Merolli, M. […], and Barton, C. (2021). ‘It’s not hands-on therapy, so it’s very limited’: Telehealth use and views among allied health clinicians during the coronavirus pandemic. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. Doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2021.102340
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Hi Irvin,
I agree that telehealth shows promise that it will be a major contributing component to providing quality care. Patients are able to receive a variety of treatments through telehealth such as mental health treatment, prescription management, skin conditions,follow up appointments, etc. “Virtual visits ensure you get health care wherever you are located – at home, at work or even in your car” (What is Telehealth, 2022). Telehealth has been a major help because it decreases time off from work travel time, the need for a babysitter and for the elderly it can include family members who assist with care who may not be able to attend in office appointments.
While there are many benefits there are also challenges. One of the challenges with telehealth is that the patient must have a reliable internet connection. During the pandemic “poor internet connection and lack of universal access to technology were among the technical barriers” (Ftouni et al, 2022).
References
Ftouni, R., AlJardali, B., Hamdanieh, M., Ftouni, L., & Salem, N. (2022, August 3). Challenges of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. BMC medical informatics and decision making. Retrieved January 6, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9351100/#:~:text=Poor%20internet%20connection%20and%20lack,the%20use%20of%20telemedicine%20tooLinks to an external site..
What is telehealth? Telehealth.HHS.gov. (2022, June 29). https://telehealth.hhs.gov/patients/understanding-telehealth/Links to an external site.
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Hello Irvin,
I completely agree with you that telehealth has been an incredibly useful resource in healthcare, especially in the current climate. It has allowed providers to treat patients safely while also providing more access to healthcare services (Usoh et al., 2022). In addition to the benefits you mentioned, telehealth can help reduce current healthcare spending in the United States by combating issues such as the misuse of medications, unnecessary emergency department visits, and prolonged hospital stays (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). As you have pointed out, however, a few potential challenges need to be addressed to ensure a successful telehealth experience. The measures outlined, such as utilizing encrypted forms of communication and follow-up appointments, are great steps in maintaining (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance and providing complete assessments. Another challenge is that the rules and regulations guiding telehealth are different for each state and constantly changing, which could create unclear understandings of the standards and guidelines among healthcare organizations. To prevent any compliance issues, healthcare providers must familiarize themselves with the guidelines of telehealth in their practice states (Gajarawala & Pelkowski, 2021). As technology continues to evolve, these challenges can be addressed, and telehealth will become even more successful in the future.
References
Gajarawala, S. N., & Pelkowski, J. N. (2021). Telehealth benefits and barriers. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners: JNP, 17(2), 218–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.09.013
Usoh, C. O., Kilen, K., Keyes, C., Johnson, C. P., & Aloi, J. A. (2022). Telehealth technologies and their benefits to people with diabetes. Diabetes Spectrum, 35(1), 8-15. https://doi.org/10.2337/dsi21-0017Links to an external site.
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Hi Irvin,
You have picked a critical point; I find it insightful and well-explained. Improved efficiency in providing high-quality healthcare is in high demand across all healthcare settings because of the industry’s dynamic nature. Since the initial diagnosis of COVID-19, healthcare technology has advanced quickly, meeting the needs of a healthcare environment that has altered significantly. Since the beginning of the global pandemic, many problems have necessitated action to continue providing safe, high-quality patient care. Adaptations in healthcare technology have been crucial in assisting healthcare facilities in surviving the epidemic. According to Dykes et al. (2017), checklists and electronic health records (EHR) data are valuable tools for promoting the consistent use of innovative healthcare solutions.
As vital as adopting cutting-edge healthcare technology, it is equally crucial to guarantee that personnel is competent in its proper application to allow necessary organizational change.
It is no secret that telehealth is one of my company’s most popular and pervasive new developments in healthcare IT.
Patients who, for various reasons, cannot physically visit their doctors have significantly benefited from this development in healthcare IT. Patients and doctors often choose telemedicine early in the epidemic to avoid potentially contracting COVID-19 when visiting a healthcare facility.
References
Dykes, P. C., Rozenblum, R., Dalal, A., Massaro, A., Chang, F., Clements, M., Collins, S., Bates, D. W. (2017). Prospective evaluation of a
multifaceted intervention to improve outcomes in intensive care: The Promoting Respect and Ongoing Safety Through Patient
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Initial post – Challenges and Benefits of Trends in Healthcare Technology
Trends in healthcare technology have the goal of enhancing patient care, reducing risk and error, improving patient outcomes, and making healthcare more accessible to populations that are difficult to reach. Since the onset of the global pandemic, many tech and healthcare companies have worked at finding solutions to the challenges and problems caused by the pandemic. Some trends are telemedicine, internet of things (IoT), and wearable devices.
Remote monitoring of patients has many benefits including improved clinical management and reduction in manpower. Not only does remote monitoring allow healthcare providers to receive notification of changes in a patient’s condition, but it also empowers patients to feel involved in the management of their own health. Challenges of using remote monitoring devices include ensuring data transmitted from the remote device to the healthcare providers system remains protected. The use of cloud computing has also presented a challenge in security of data, as it works differently from traditional security models and controls. Ensuring client-side encryption of data, multi factor authentication, and data loss prevention protocols is essential to protecting patient information (McGonigle & Mastrian 2022). Another challenge for healthcare staff is processing the large volume of data, which has been managed in part by use of third-party platforms (Harvey & Seiler 2022).
Improvements in home monitoring devices, namely wearables and implantable devices for management of chronic conditions are a current trend in healthcare. Devices that can be implanted, worn, or have remote sensors can help to cut costs in healthcare and improve management of these patients from their home.
Devices that can be worn, called wearables, allow for remote monitoring and data collection. For example, there’s a smartwatch by Omron that tracks heart rate, steps, and blood pressure. Abnormal vital signs send an alert to the physician. “Physicians can then alert patients to take an extra dose of medication; or data from the device can help doctors better understand behavior that triggered the alert” (Giordano 2021). Another wearable device monitors epilepsy and detects seizures. Not only does the monitor improve tracking of seizures, but it also has the potential to improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy. In a study by Olsen at al. (2021), Wearables legitimize the experience of epileptics and can lead to improved acknowledgement from medical professionals, family, and friends (p 2). Certain advancements in wearables focus on making the devices less noticeable, more user friendly, and more adaptable to needs of daily living.
Implantables are devices that are implanted into some part of the body and give real time data. One example of such is the Dexcom, a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which monitors blood glucose every couple of minutes and transmits the data to a device. This helps to improve outcomes for diabetic patients who might otherwise not check their blood sugar levels as often as they should. Also, in the event of illness when the blood glucose might be very high or very low, the patient can see what their level is and correct it prior to becoming symptomatic.
There are other devices that can predict and monitor health conditions, such as the HeartLogic, embedded into a CRT-D cardiac device that tracks changes in a patients’ body to detect worsening heart failure (Giordano 2021). Heart failure patients monitored by implantable devices are more likely to receive timely clinical intervention. A recent heart failure detection algorithm discussed in Ezer et al (2022) seemed “accurate enough to predict an upcoming heart failure event with sensitivity of about 86.5% and specificity of 93%” (p 2). With continuous monitoring and consequently less time to intervention, this could reduce the number of patients hospitalized for heart failure.
Decentralizing medicine through use of remote patient monitoring can lower overall costs and improve personalization of patient care, especially for populations that are hard to serve. In July of 2022, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed payment rates for billing of outpatient services that include codes for remote therapeutic monitoring (Giordano 2021) Results from a survey through Current Health reported “89 percent of health systems plan to use more remote patient monitoring over the next year…[and] 81 percent of respondents expect their organizations to increase investments in remote care technology in the next 12 months” (Giordano 2021). Continued efforts to enhance functionality of these devices and more efficient processing of data can lead to improved patient outcomes.
References
Giordano, Geoff (2021). Bring it home. Plastics Engineering, 77(9), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.1002/peng.20582Links to an external site.
Harvey, M., & Seiler, A. (2022). Challenges in managing a Remote Monitoring Device Clinic. Heart Rhythm O2, 3(1), 3–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hroo.2021.12.002
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing Informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Olsen, L. S., Nielsen, J. M., Simonÿ, C., Kjær, T. W., & Beck, M. (2021). Wearables in real life: A qualitative study of experiences of people with epilepsy who use home seizure monitoring devices. Epilepsy & Behavior, 125, 108398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108398Links to an external site.
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Erica Schulte – Response #2 – Colleen Lewis
Hello Colleen, thanks for posting! As you note, the growing trend of telehealth in general but also the remote patient monitoring and other wearable devices is really taking off! The recent pandemic certainly helped springboard this trend as technology had been on the verge but the push to utilize beyond current processes came with COVID 19 (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022). Some of the other really beneficial outcomes of some of these devices is that it has resulted in an increased engagement and interest in maintaining health and wellness by the patients (Graham & Jones, 2020). Which, in turn has helped reduced hospital time.
References
Graham, C. M., & Jones, N. (2020). Impact of IOT on Geriatric Telehealth. Working with Older People, 24(3), 231–243. https://doi.org/10.1108/wwop-04-2020-0012
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). 18/ Introduction. In Nursing Informatics and the foundation of knowledge (pp. 403–403). essay, Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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Post a brief description of general healthcare technology trends, particularly related to data/information you have observed in use in your healthcare organization or nursing practice.
The most helpful healthcare technology trend in the healthcare organization I work for is electronic health records. Technology brought electronic health records, which have been improved to fit various healthcare needs of the organization and growing changes in the healthcare system. The electronic health record is a real-time chart with patient medical-related information that healthcare professionals can access and retrieve easily while patients can use to track their overall health status (Tayefi et al., 2021). The electronic health record contains various health information, including the patient demographic, tests and diagnostics, medical history, food, drug allergies, and procedures they have undergone.
The hospital I work for allows authorized personnel to access the electronic health records charts and share them with other authorized persons, including the physicians and other healthcare team members. Often patient information, including medical history, is taken when they are admitted for the first time. That information is updated as the patient continues to receive care at the facility. When the patient visits the hospital subsequently, the previously entered or stored data is easily retrieved and updated based on their complaints and the treatment they will be given (Dinh-Le et al., 2019). The healthcare professional attending to the patient would only need to log into the secured electronic health records to obtain previous patient health information.
Describe any potential challenges or risks that may be inherent in the technologies associated with these trends you described.
While the electronic health record has had many benefits, the organization I work with is not exploiting all the benefits adequately. For instance, the organization’s departments use a different system instead of using one system across the departments. This means that the lab technicians can access the specific electronic health record system they use. The same is true for the emergency departments which use the Medi Tech system. In addition, most nurses have access to all these systems, but healthcare professionals in these specific departments, such as lab technicians, do not have access to some of the systems. If the system is similar for the whole hospital, that could increase efficiency (Dinh-Le et al., 2019). However, I am waiting to hear colleagues’ opinions on the same because I do not understand why each department has its system.
Then, describe at least one potential benefit and one potential risk associated with data safety, legislation, and patient care for the technologies you described.
As said earlier, one of the benefits of electronic health records is that it enables patients to easily track their health status and treatment progress at the convenience of their home and can be monitored remotely. For instance, we follow patients with diabetes remotely, following up on their adherence to medications, how they inject the insulin, whether they change the injection site, and their adherence to self-care activities (Dinh-Le et al., 2019). So whenever I want to confirm the treatment a patient was put on or their blood sugar, I easily take my phone and open the chart where the blood sugar recordings are t medication the patients should receive and other instructions. I can also meet with patients remotely and ask them about their progress and areas where they need help. The rise of electronic health records brought telemedicine, which enables not only remote interaction but also quicker sharing of information and offloading hospitals a load of too many patients lining up for care in the accident and emergency rooms when their conditions can be cared for adequately and complications leading them to urgent cases prevented (Shahnaz et al., 2019). We learned a lot during COVID-19, which are eye-openers in terms of investing in telemedicine to reduce dependency on traditional care approaches encouraging physical interaction.
One significant risk that electronic health record faces in the organization are cyber-attacks on patient-protected health information. Hospitals have been attacked in the past, and we have seen how a hospital can be held ransom by such cyber theft (Dinh-Le et al., 2019). While we have been so lucky that the cybercriminals have not flagged our systems, there was a time they almost succeeded. They held our system at ransom but did not access the protected patient health information, and most services had to stop. We also had to turn to paperwork whenever there were blackouts.
Describe whether this promise will improve patient care outcomes, efficiencies, or data management. Be specific and provide examples. Next, explain which healthcare technology trends you believe are most promising for impacting healthcare technology in nursing practice.
The ineffective communication, lack of adequate patient health information, and inability to share information before electronic health records were associated with delays in care, and ineffectiveness, that eventually led to low quality and potentially harmful care. All these have been reduced by the use of electronic health record systems, which have enabled the easy sharing of patient health information leading to more individualized and preventive care. In addition, people for a long time have been encouraged to take charge of their health. The electronic health record system through MYChart helped patients track their health by simply logging in and out when they wanted to check the progress of their health status. Still, I caution that electronic health record systems must be used with much caution. Healthcare professionals must be able to ensure patient privacy, confidentiality, and protection of their information is a personal responsibility because it is one thing that can break the whole institution (Shahnaz et al., 2019).
References
Dinh-Le, C., Chuang, R., Chokshi, S., & Mann, D. (2019). Wearable health technology and electronic health record integration: scoping review and future directions. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 7(9), e12861. https://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/9/e12861/Links to an external site.
Shahnaz, A., Qamar, U., & Khalid, A. (2019). Using blockchain for electronic health records. IEEE Access, 7, 147782-147795. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8863359/
Tayefi, M., Ngo, P., Chomutare, T., Dalianis, H., Salvi, E., Budrionis, A., & Godtliebsen, F. (2021). Challenges and opportunities beyond structured data in analysis of electronic health records. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Computational Statistics, 13(6), e1549. https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wics.1549Links to an external site.
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Barkisu,
Your post is very thorough and descriptive. I really enjoyed reading it as it covers all of the topics asked in discussion post which includes benefits and potential risks of electronic health records. The way healthcare professionals interact, record, and examine patient data has been significantly altered by electronic health records (EHRs). Medical mistakes have been reduced thanks to EHRs, which have also improved patient outcomes by enabling professional teams to view the same data. The capacity of EHRs to use artificial intelligence (AI) to absorb data and infer information useful for patient diagnosis is what makes them so exciting. Utilizing this data and conducting research can help shape how we will deliver care in the future (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022).
EHRs include significant data on things like age, way of life, comorbidities, medicines, and family history. These data may be analyzed by artificial intelligence to assist healthcare professionals in making quick choices and enhancing patient outcomes (Jiang, 2017). A new age in healthcare is being established by AI’s capacity to use algorithms to monitor, diagnose, and treat patients (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022).
Unfortunately, data security is not perfect. Healthcare data breaches are on the increase and more likely to occur than in other sectors, such as banking (HIPAA Journal, 2022). The finding by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) that human error accounts for more than half of all security breaches is more intriguing (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022). This is a result of staff members’ negligence, carelessness, and lack of software experience (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022).
References
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Journal. (2022, August 26). Healthcare data breach statistics. HIPAA Journal. https://www.hipaajournal.com/healthcare-data-breach-statistics/Links to an external site.Links to an external site.
Jiang, F., Jiang, Y., Zhi, H., Dong, Y., Li, H., Ma, S., Wang, Y., Dong, Q., Shen, H. & Wang, Y. (2017). Artificial intelligence in healthcare: past, present, and future. Stroke and Vascular Neurology. doi:10.1136/svn-2017-000101
McGonigle, D. & Mastrian, K.G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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Main Post
General healthcare technology trends observed in use in Healthcare organization
In the past decade or so, healthcare and technology upcoming technology have merged. More recently, the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic pushed technology companies to venture into the healthcare space and healthcare companies into the tech space (Marr, 2022). Various trends have emerged in healthcare technology, including the Internet of Medical Things (IOMT), Telehealth, cloud computing, and machine learning, among others.
My organization uses a cloud-based electronic health record (EHR) system known as CERNER for our in-patients. This is where the patient’s medical information is stored and can be accessed by the facility staff while providing care.
Our out-patients also can sign up for telemedicine services, which is where they can access Healthcare without physically coming into the facility.
Potential challenges or risks associated with the trends described
With the healthcare industry still playing catch-up when it comes to technology integration (Kruse et al., 2017), breach of patient data becomes a potential challenge with the use of EHR systems. There is always the risk that any unscrupulous persons can get into the system and access private patient information.
When we look at the telemedicine aspect as another side to it, there is the risk of losing pertinent patient information stemming from miscommunication. For instance, if a patient is relaying information to their Healthcare provider and one party loses internet or cellular connection, valuable information the patient thinks they have conveyed may not be received by the provider. This could potentially lead to misdiagnosis or mismanagement of the condition.
Potential benefits and risks associated with data safety
Some telemedicine services provide basic health care and information without requiring any identifying data from the client. This becomes a potential benefit as data safety concerns are eliminated from the get-go. Since telemedicine is primarily an online service, a potential risk is the denial of service (such as no internet or cellular service) occurring to either of the parties involved, interrupting communication between the patient and their provider. A potential benefit of the EHR system is the convenience of multiple healthcare providers accessing patient records simultaneously without a physical document being carted around, decreasing the risk of the wrong persons seeing confidential patient data. On the other hand, a potential risk is hackers gaining access to multiple patients’ sensitive data, compromising their security and privacy.
Which Healthcare technology trends are most promising
Wearable technology and Health trackers can be promising for impacting nursing practice because they are portable, not cumbersome, and more convenient for use by both patients and their healthcare providers. Wearable technology is also fast catching on as a fashion statement, and nursing practice can piggyback off that.
Whether this promise will contribute to improvements in patient care outcomes
Wearable tech and health trackers will contribute significantly to improvements in patient care outcomes because they provide an avenue for real-time monitoring of patients – even when they are outside the health care organization. Healthcare providers can remotely provide information about lifestyle or treatment modification. This, in turn, means that patients who will not – or cannot – present to the health facility still get taken care of, leading to the eventual improvement of overall population health.
References
Kruse, C. S., Frederick, B., Jacobson, T., & Monticone, D. K. (2017). Cybersecurity in healthcare: A systematic review of modern threats and trends.
Technology and Health Care, 25(1), 1-10
Marr, B. (2022). The Five Biggest Healthcare Tech Trends In 2022. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/01/10/the-five-biggest-healthcare-tech-trends-in-2022/?sh=77e7991f54d0Links to an external site.
Skiba, D. (2017). Evaluation Tools to Appraise Social Media and Mobile Applications. Informatics, 4(3), 32.
Yeganeh, H. (2019). An analysis of emerging trends and transformations in global healthcare. International Journal of Health Governance, 24(2), 169-180.
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Response #1
Hi Benedicta,
Thumbs up for the work you did on this post. You provided great insight into the advantages and challenges we face daily in nursing using technology. As I was reading through the challenges you presented, I wanted to expand on the breach in security we face as most of our patient’s information is being moved to electronic medical records. We easily remember not to share information by word of mouth or involve someone outside of the treatment team in a patient’s confidential medical information. Still, I often forget to “badge out” of my workstation or close out a patient’s chart when I’m busy or on the move. I can easily forget that this small misstep can compromise the confidentiality of the patient by exposing their confidential medical information and leaving it unprotected. Safe technological integration is important to maintaining patient confidentiality and is a beneficial strategy to promote patient safety (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2018).
The evolution and integration of technology into health care are exciting and can lead to better patient outcomes as patients learn to take better accountability for their health. Their treatments have become more focused on modulating their behaviours to improve their health. In a study by Dykes, et al. (2017), they concluded that “patient-centred care” combined with online technology and involving the patients in the discussion regarding their care led to decreased rates of adverse events and increased rates of patient satisfaction (pg. e812).
References
Dykes, P.C., Rozenblum, R., Dalal, A., Massaro, A., Chang, F., Clements, M., Collins, S., …Bates, D.W. (2017). Prospective evaluation of a multifaceted intervention to improve outcomes in intensive care: The promoting respect and ongoing safety through patient engagement communication and technology study. Critical Care Medicine, 45(8), e806-e813. Doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000002449
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
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Main Post
Telemedicine is changing the way doctors and patients interact. Telehealth is the delivery of clinical treatment and clinical education over long distances using electronic health information in conjunction with telecommunications technologies such as videoconferencing, the internet, streaming media, and wireless communications (HealthIt.gov, 2019). It is used more frequently at my institution, which is a state prison, as it compared to the past as it is less costly to arrange telemedicine appointment with specialists for initial evaluations than transporting inmate patients to the providers’ offices. Although telehealth was first established to aid individuals in remote regions and the marginalized population, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis rocketed telehealth as a very acceptable form of giving treatment as direct contact between physician and patient was reduced during that time (Jin et al., 2020). Now, more and more people are turning to telehealth as a practical and affordable method of providing medical treatment (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020).
Rising healthcare costs, an aging population, and the prevalence of chronic diseases are just a few of the main reasons why more people are turning to telehealth (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2020). It will become increasingly important to provide care for patients who are unable to go to a doctor’s office due to their condition and who have a growing prevalence of chronic diseases as our population ages (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022). More individuals with disabilities and diseases can be attributed to these persistent problems (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022). The rising healthcare needs of these individuals is a major factor in driving up overall healthcare expenses (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022).
The use of telemedicine in clinics and hospitals has several positive outcomes. Since fewer people will need to go to the emergency room or stay in the hospital for an extended period of time, telehealth has the potential to save money (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020). Patients in remote locations, especially those in areas with a scarcity of healthcare personnel, can benefit from telehealth because of its capacity to offer them with access to treatment and resources (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020). Finally, for patients who reside in far-flung places or who have mobility issues due to chronic illnesses, telehealth can lessen the burden of travel (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020).
The downsides of telehealth are unfortunately not only theoretical. Lack of a full physical examination, including auscultation and palpation, which can aid in diagnosis and therapy, is a drawback (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020). The inability of the elderly to accept and master new forms of technology is another barrier (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020). Finally, the capacity of a patient to employ telehealth is considerably reduced since many elderly patients or those living in remote regions do not have access to the internet, a smart phone, or a tablet (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020).
To deliver safe telehealth treatment, medical professionals must be aware of and prepared for the potential risks of this practice. As an example, the absence of multi-state licensing for telehealth services across jurisdictions presents a potential threat (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020). In order to practice telehealth lawfully, providers must be licensed in every state where they offer their services (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2020). Since providers are using data and systems that are not foolproof against hackers and data breaches, patient privacy and confidentiality are also at danger (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020). Patients’ worries about the safety of telehealth systems have prevented the practice from gaining widespread popularity (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020). Finally, the differences between telehealth and conventional medical practices with regards to liability is unclear. Telehealth medicine is novel and may not be regarded as standard of treatment at this time, thus clinicians should pay close attention to the coverage provided by their liability insurance plans, as stated by Gajarawala & Pelowski (2020). (Gajarawala & Pelowski, 2020).
References
Gajarawala, S. & Pelkowski, J. (2020). Telehealth benefits and barriers. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7577680/
HealthIT.gov (2019, October 17). What is telehealth? How is telehealth different from telemedicine? https://search.usa.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=www.healthit.gov&query=telehealth Links to an external site.Links to an external site.+
Jin, M., Kim S., Miller, L., Behari, G. & Correa, R. (2020). Telemedicine: Current impact on the future. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7502422/Links to an external site.Links to an external site.
McGonigle, D. & Mastrian, K.G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jone & Bartlett Learning.
