Health Information Technology and Electronic Medical Record

In the previous years, nurses organized, stored, interpreted, and integrated medical information, and patient records using paper-based systems. However, today, new technology has revolutionized the industry making it convenient to access this information from the internet. Health information technology (HIT) provides valuable data to patients and health care professionals through a variety of websites (Robert & Jay, 2010). Similarly, electronic medical records (EMR) are becoming quite essential in the industry. Virtually all aspects of medicine require the use of health information technology and electronic medical records. These elements include computer-assisted decision support, integration of health records, cost control, quality improvement, healthcare research, and access to patients information regardless of where the patient seeks care. According to Robert and Jay (2010), the HIT and EHR should help in controlling costs by eliminating unnecessary tests. Additionally, they should help professionals increase healthcare quality by availing evidence-based guidelines on various aspects of the care of patients and decreasing certain types of complications of care. The US government and organized medicine are striving to reduce cost and increase health care quality, and one major component of this effort is integrating EHR with radiology decision support system (Robert & Jay, 2010).

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These efforts are quite relevant to the health care informatics, which directly deals with the management of health information. Sharing patient information electronically allows the patient to receive care from any health facility. Moreover, patients can receive improved health care services and have a good relationship with their physicians.

Use of electronic technologies to advance community and personal health for individual unconnected to health care systems

The United States has the most expensive heath care system in the world. However, other countries regularly surpass it on most health indicators including quality, access, efficiency, equity, and healthy lives (John, Robert & Fred, 2011). Therefore, there is need to develop a healthcare infrastructure that serves all people despite their disparities while saving costs in the health sector. It is not only important to develop new technologies, but it is also necessary to collaborate with the community leaders and health care providers to bring the unconnected to the formal health care system. It is in this line that the federal government allows states and local communities to develop their health care infrastructures. John et al. (2011) continue to argue that, many healthcare systems and insurance companies offer public health records (PHRs) allowing patients to coordinate their care and keep in touch with their providers. These efforts help in achieving meaningful health care goals, namely, to improve health care quality and to lower costs. Besides, it is in line with the medical informatics objectives of managing patients data efficiently.

Quantifying judicious use of health information technology

Wise and sufficient use of health information technology are essential if health care providers seek to deliver better care. However, health care practitioners must use Health Information Technology (HIT) with the right intentions. According to Sandro (2012), health providers should use HIT as a time-saving tactic and as a tool to enable them treat patients with their best knowledge. Altruism, autonomy, and physician-patient relationship are some of the professional concerns that determine the use of HIT. However, Sandro (2012) continues to argue that, only altruism is a direct determinant to this usage while the other concerns closely relate to it. Medical informatics endeavor to achieve clinical reasoning based on rationality. Application of scientific evidence to clinical practice is quite rampant in every area of medicine and under this evidence-based medicine (EBM), the extent to which HIT is used for medical practice will eventually become an evaluation basis of physician performance (Sandro, 2012).

References

John F., Robert H., Fred V. (2011), Use of Electronic Technologies to Promote Community and Personal Health for Individuals Unconnected to Health Care Systems. American Journal of Public Health. Vol.101, No. 7

Robert E., Jay A. (2010) Health Information Technology and the Electronic Medical Record. Clinical Nuclear Medicine Vol.35, No.10

Sandro T. (2012), Quantifying judicious use of health information technology. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.pg.393-399