Health Care Facilities and Delivery Systems Technology - Assignment Example

Health care facilities and Delivery systems/ Technology and its effects The expanding use of technology in the healthcaresector poses several challenges in the US. This may include among others, a high increases in the cost of health care. The costs have widely spiraled beyond control. This high cost if unchecked may bankrupt the health care sector in the near future. Secondly the growth of technology in the healthcare sector is increasing the demand on the health care system from the Americas growing population. Further, the rise in technology is making the older nurses and health workers in the field to be faced out due to lack of a technical background. Additionally the use of robots has received criticism owing to the fact that they lack emotions and as such cannot replace humans. The Intranet and Internet are used in improving patients care in the following ways: firstly the intranets improve communication between staff of a given health facility. This enhances information sharing. Some of the intranet system even comes with staff directory and thus makes it easy to reach a colleague and bet in touch with them concerning any issues of concern. Secondly, the internet and intranet leads to improvement of the healthcare. This is an imperative for any health care organization since it is there core mandate to provide services to patients. This is because they can provide patient care feedback, staff training platforms where information can be shared, survey exams and quizzes can be performed through the internet on the websites, and fundraising as well can be done through establishment of a website. Further the internet and intranet can be important centralizing resources. This is because the intranet provides a central point where all the necessary information can be accessed. Forth is provision of organized department sites. This implies that the hospital can organize information in to different departments within the facility and as such increases access to the information. This makes it easier for the staff to know what is new across department and get informed appropriately. The four facts about telemedicine are as follows: first it enables an individual to virtually visit a healthcare and get help. This can be done through mobile phones or computer assisted video call. The diagnostic evaluations can be read and evaluated by a health specialist through ultrasound, MRI among other techniques. Secondly, telemedicine is convenient. This is because depending an individuals’ insurance policy they can chose a convenient service provider. Also for those in new area where they have not made arrangement primary care physicians, they can find the services through telemedicine. Thirdly, emergency services can be accessed to help in situations where one cannot easily move to the nearest health care facility due to remoteness or poor transport system. Fourth, it is a relatively new aspect. Therefore the payment system is expected change almost time after time. The impending legislation on standards is those that are geared towards removing the barriers to this service. The changes expected from this in the health care include policies concerning payments and even licensing. The role of food and drug administration in technology diffusion is to ensure that the quality of the final products does not affect the health of the public so that they are safe and effective with regard to the technology used. As such they monitor the implication of the technology adopted on the quality, effectiveness and overall health implications on humans. They further promote use of technology that promote safety of this food and drug products consumable by the public. Therefore in diffusion of technology, the food and drug administration is concerned with the ultimate safety and health of the public. The Safe Medical Devices Act of 1990 is a federal law effective in the US fro 28th of November 1991. This law gives the mandate to all facilities that are using medical devises to make a report of any injuries, illnesses of serious nature, or deaths to the Food and Drug Administration of the US as well as to the manufacturer. This at thus seeks to protect the public from unsafe substances by ensuring medical devices used on the public are safe. The act has had tremendous effects on the health care today since the stringent measures taken has improved the quality and safety of devices used in the health facilities. The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology has the following responsibilities: to control the efforts of both private and public sector to develop health information technology that is nationwide and infrastructure for health IT that is low cost and supports netter health. MIPPA is an abbreviation for Medical Improvement for Patients and Providers Act. The act affects mostly the low income seniors as well as those with disabilities. This act was implemented in to improve the health care through improving programs for financial assistance including the part D low income subsidy so that the application process can be streamlined and assets limiting be increased for Medicare savings program. The act was effective from the year 2008. The role of HITECH Act is to support the meaningful use of the health IT. It was intended to stimulate the growth of electronic health records. The meaningful use incentive programs were meant to enable the adoption of electronic health records. NAHIT defines electronic health record (EHR) as An electronic record of on an individual that conforms to nationally recognized interoperability standards and that can be created, managed, and consulted by authorized clinicians and staff across more than one health care organization. CCHIT purpose and function in the adoption of electronic records related to interoperability include the following: it promotes a widespread adoption of Health IT. Promote and broaden access to certification as well as offering the three paths to certification. The three requirements for physicians to meet Meaningful Use in Phase 1 include capturing in a standardized format the health information; using the standardized information in tracking key clinical conditions; communicate the information for the processes of care and coordination. However for Phase 2 are: health information exchange in a more rigorous manner; increasing requirements for e prescription as well as incorporating lad results; and finally incorporating electronic transmition of summaries for patients care across various settings. Regional extension centers strategies to integrate technology in health care include provision of onsite technical assistance outreach as well as education. Health Information Exchange on that other hand has a strategy that makes health care information available where it is needed. This is through intranet establishments. HIPPA has the following three standards for security of electron information: Transactions and Code Sets; Employer Identifier; and the National Provider Identifier standards. AHRQ has promoted healthcare policies for technology through controlling the cost of health care through conducting a cost benefit analysis; evaluating the impacts of the technology as well as funding. Chief information officers in a healthcare organizations deals with: electronic medical records policy development; designing as well as integrating IT systems in to the various departments; training other health worker on how to use the system among other roles. Software application includes Patient manager available through this link: Discuss the technology and include the website link: http://www.ehr-medical-software.com/. This software is an electronic medical records software that enables storage of demographics, health details, bills, images and patient documents in one place. CottageMed is another which is a free distributed EMR with a series of 22 data base files operating as one program. It can distribute files to share information across 200 users. The link is here: www.cottagemed.org/cottage-med/download-cottage-med Read More