Information Systems in Healthcare - Term Paper Example

INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN HEALTHCARE Introduction The days in which we are living are the days of the flow of the information technology. For the growth of the industries, these days, the heads and the minds in the organizations are well aware of the facts that the systems need to be computerized. For that purpose the information flow systems have been introduced in the industries. The information flow systems include the many faces of the organizations of the many processes that go on in the industries. The greatest example we have is the supply chain management system that is being utilized by many major manufacturers including Toyota and ford motors. This system helps in the constant connections between the suppliers and the manufacturers for better systematic process of the supplying and buying (Delpierre 408). This industry also includes the health care industry. In this case the basic requirement is the maintenance of the records of the thousands of the patients. In the past, decades ago, this maintenance was being done by the files and the traditional systems. The data of the patients includes their vitals ad their medical histories. This type of data needs constant up gradation. Traditionally for the up gradation, the hustle of the files and the papers had to be dealt with. With the introduction of the new information floe systems, which in the case of the health industry is knows as the electronic patient record, we see that the patient record maintenance has become ore and more convenient with the passing time. The electronic patient record means that the data and the information related to the patients is kept in the computers under the specific softwares which are comprehensive and easy enough o be maintained by the health practitioners. The electronic patient's record systems have been basically developed for the batter management and the administration that is needed in the health care facilities. These days the EPRs are being widely used in the western counties. The use of the EPRs is growing in the smaller clinical facilities however it has been seen that the EPRs have been difficult to incorporate in the larger health care facilities. The EPRs that are designed incorporate the small amount of information that is given to them. As we can see that the industries especially the health care facilities are the linked that are growing on the daily basis therefore the amount if the information that is needed to be stored is also increasing on the daily basis. With the amount the nature of the complexity o f the information is also increasing. This complexity has to be welcomed by the EPR systems that are used by the health care facilities these days (Elberg 203). The information flow in medicine The research has shown that the smaller health care facilities especially in Norway are dependent in the EPR systems for the maintenance of their patient's data and the information. The use of EPRs The purpose and the aim of the patient's medical record that is usually maintained by the health care facilities are to maintain the care of the patients. Generally y the medical record is always on related to an individual patient and it represents s the medical history of the patients and the recent medical case (Hassey 1402). There are some specifications that have to be met when the clinical data related to the patients has to be used. The specifications have been identified and they include that the medical data should be should be related to the individual patient and it should be able to help the medical health care provide to decide what treatment or therapy has to be g given to the patient. The medical data that is related to the patients is organized in the same form as it is done in the paper format however in a better manner. This helps the medical practitioner make and design the patients' clinical history leading to the therapy decisions. The EPR help the physicians in constantly updating their gained information with regards to the patients during the consultation process within no time. In addition to this the medical practitioners can have suggestions from the other experts online by exchanging the medical information and the messages with the doctors (Hippisley-Cox 1440). It has been seen that the software that has been designed for the creation of the patient's records, has been made in such a way that the doctors can exchange the data among themselves. Therefore constant exchange of the information related to the patients also takes place between t eh doctors helping the medical health care providers to innovate in the ways they treat the patients. Advantages of the health related information systems Therefore we can se that by the use of the electronic patient record that helps in the flow of the information, the health care providers are not only maintai8ning the data of the patients but also they are keeping in constant touch with t he other practitioners updating t e knowledge. This system helps the doctor maintaining there data, to be updated constantly which hardly takes there time as well. To sum up all this we can say that the electronic patients records also helps the doctors in making there decisions with regards to the therapy and the treatment of the patient. This helps the medical health professionals in improving their services that re being provided to the patients. In Thos can help the practitioner in any ways (Thiru 405). If the better information flow systems are used for the data maintenance than the level of the services that is being provided by the health care providers can be improved thus helping them increase in their provided service levels. Concerns for the use of the electronic patient record There are many concerns especially when it comes to the use of the electronic patient record. However the main concerns are the ones that are being high lighted here. One of the main concerns is that as we know the electronic patient records can be easily interchanged ands exchanged between the health care providers so it is important that the confidentiality level of the records is to be kept safe. The other important concern is that there are some limitations in the use of the EPRs, which do not integrate the detailed information in their systems. This may be a lack in the medical health care provider's performance. So for better service the medical health care professional should make sure that the written medical data related to the patients is also saved so that it is consulted when needed to get more and more details that might have been recorded during the consultation (Hassey 1404). Analysis We have seen that the electronic patient records are being used by the medical health care professionals to integrate and arrange the data related to the patients medical history so that the treatment and the therapy is better decided in many ways. However by saying this we might be limiting the uses of the EPR in the medical fields. The use of the EPRs in the medical filed, means that the industry of the information technology has been integrated and incorporated in the health filed therefore improving the quality you the service being provided. The EPR are being seen in a narrow way as yet. The EPR should be used by the medical health care professional in the ways that not only gives them the about how to handle the patients records but also gives them the advantage of the administrative capabilities by using the EPRs. This means that the EPR should be used so as to incorporate all the administrative system s in the health care facility. It has been said in the previous days that there can be a difference in the paper based medical records and the electronic records that the doctors have these days. A study has been conducted in this manner to test the hypotheses that in any case there is a difference that exists between the paper medical records and the non paper based electronic medical records. The statistical survey was conducted that showed the detailed information that the electronic records were storing, the same amount of the information was being stored by the paper based records. In addition to this , there is a general idea that as compared to the making of the paper based medical records it has been see n that the doctors are able to remember and recall the patients in a ,much better manner as compared to when they maintain the electronic records. This has been proven false as well. The electronic medical records contain the medical codes that are different for the consultation, different for the diagnosis and that are different for the kind of the treatment that the patient gets. So the doctors can recall the whole history of what the patient's ahs and how he was treated by referring to the codes that are entered in the software system. In addition we see that the EPRs are being only used by the smaller medical facilities. There have been some difficulties in using the information related systems in the larger systems. This has to change in some manner. The capabilities of the EPRs systems have to be upgraded and appreciated in many ways possible, they ca n be very helpful when they are used in the large health care facilities. If they are used in the larger health care facilities than the exchange of the information that occurs between the medical health care professional can take place easily within the boundaries of that medical facility. In this manner the concern that has been there about the secrecy and the integrate y of the medical data related to the patient can be saved. In addition to this the EPR can be given the chance to perform in the better manner and on the larger scale. It can be said in this regard that if the EPRs are used on the larger scale than the administrative system s can be incorporated in the EPR as well which give the medical health care professional the administrative hold that id generally required. The EPR are general y restricted within the hospital facility. If the EPR are made to be mobile and to be online at the same time than the doctors can be providing the service even when they are on the go. Thus giving the patients there therapies and the treatments even when the doctor so out of the city. This mobile version of the EPR can also help the patient be on constant touch with the relative health care professional for any further advice that might be needed in this case. This integration of the information system help the health care providers give the proper and fast and best quality medical service to the patients without any delay. This integration can be a proper revolution in the health care industry. Therefore the need that we see her e is to upgrade the ways in which the electronic medical records of the patients are being used in the health care facilities these days. References Delpierre, Cyrille, Cuzin, Cyrille. "A systematic review of computer-based patient record systems and quality of care: more randomized clinical trials or a broader approach" International Journal for Quality in Health Care 16 (2004): 407-416. Elberg, Pia. "Electronic patient records and innovation in health care services" International Journal of Medical Informatics 64 (2001): 201-205 Hassey, Alan , Gerrett, David , Wilson, Ali. "A survey of validity and utility of electronic patient records in a general practice: BMJ 322 2001: 1401-1405 Hippisley-Cox, Julia , Pringle, Mike, Cater, Ruth . "The electronic patient record in primary care-regression or progression A cross sectional study" BMJ 326 (2003): 1439-1443 Thiru, Krish. "Systematic review of scope and quality of electronic patient record data in primary care". BMJ 326 (2003): 401-406. Read More