HCAD PowerPoint Discussion 1 - Essay Example

Healthcare Information Technology: Telemedicine al affiliation Healthcare Information Technology: Telemedicine Health information Technology can be implemented and utilized in numerous ways including Telehealth, Electronic Medical records, Health Information exchange and Personal Health Records (American Telemedicine Association, 2006, p. 3). Telehealth involves the technologies applications to distance consumers outreach and education, while other applications support healthcare services. Closely linked to telehealth is telemedicine which utilizes electronic information and communications technologies to offer clinical services to remotely located patients to improve their clinical health status.

Commonly used telemedicine applications and services include bi-directional video, smart phones, email, and wireless tools among others.Quality improvement using Telemedicine Within the medical field, telemedicine is not a different specialty. Instead, telemedicine is an instrument responsible for expanding traditional medical practice beyond the obvious medical practice walls to offering actual medical services remotely through technology (American Telemedicine Association, 2006, p. 3). Consequently, telemedicine promotes increased consumer participation in medical decision making, and offers novel means of sustaining healthy living.

Quality patient care attainment is promoted through qualified doctors with experience in diagnostic examination using remote technologies and who work with geographically located health care delivery teams comprising of providers with varying backgrounds for coordinated health services delivery (Masys, 2002). Telemedicine health services include specialist referrals, remote patient monitoring, provision of consumer health and medical information, direct patient care, and medical mentoring and education.

Increased access and healthcare cost reduction Increased access and cost reduction results from patient direction to monitoring centers that allow patient to retain autonomous lifestyles; use of private networks to facilitate point to point connections between hospitals and independent medical providers; interlinked programs connecting community health centers to tertiary care hospitals; and connections between health providers and homes through phone-video services (American Telemedicine Association, 2006, p. 4). Web-based e-health patient service sites offer direct services over the internet.

Slides discussion Although health Information Technology focuses more on electronic medical records and associated information systems, it greatly enhances the use of Telemedicine. Consequently, the activities and goals of telemedicine complement synergize those of health information technology resulting to optimization of health care delivery (American Telemedicine Association, 2006, pp. 4-5). Telemedicine makes use medical and health applications that interrelate with HIT components. For instance, while EMR supports care delivery system, interoperability facilitates telemedicine access to such records allowing practitioners to scrutinize, and evaluate required information regarding a patient before and during visit.

Consequently, fully implemented HER improve quality of care via telehealth comparable to improvement of care quality impacted through EHR. When used together, HIT and telemedicine define and retain networked organizational relationships; overcome resistance; and promote financial stability among others.References American Telemedicine Association. (2006). Telemedicine, Telehealth, and Inforamtion Technology. United States: ATA.Masys, D. R. (2002). Effects Of Current And Future Information Technologies On The Health Care Workforce.

health Affairs, 21(5), 33-44.