Using Technology in Health Education - Research Paper Example

Using Technology in Health Education Introduction We are now in the “information age.” Computers, mobile phones and other newly-discovered agents of technology are vastly influencing our day-to-day communications with others. Internets and other mode of communication or transfer of information are now widely in use, all thanks to information technology (IT). Many industries make use of IT for their management of internal or external exchange and storage of data and information besides its more technical purposes. Global corporations depend on these information systems (IS) in sending and receiving information from its people located in the different areas of the world. Even hospitals, which are not really into the technical field, are now utilizing IS in organizing records [confidential or not] connected to health care in general. Currently, health care providers and advocates are employing the use of information technology to health education and health promotion. The Role of Information Systems in Health Care Communication of complex information is never easy. Sometimes, what is written by someone can be misinterpreted by another, especially when the used language or data are not common. Issues and topics concerning health are one of those that are difficult to comprehend. Despite some of the risks and disadvantages that can result to failure of communicating critical health information, however, it is undeniable that new technologies involved in the transfer of information are valuable to the maintenance and promotion of people’s health in the hospitals and other health care centers, and even those who are in distant places. This eventually leads to the improvement of the total health care delivery system. It is important that the health information will be well communicated as it “influences attitude, perceptions, awareness, knowledge, and social norms, which all act as precursors to behavior changes” (Bensley & Brookins-Fisher, 2009, p. 74). It also is directly connected to the good or poor quality of the patient care and lessens costs in the hospital and health care center settings (Haux, Winter, Ammenwerth, & Brigl, 2004, p. 11). Specifically, information systems benefit the health sector by (1) by providing clinical patient-related information on time; (2) assisting the rest of the hospital staff in their tasks; (3) providing access of information for easy management and giving administrative people and other concerned authorities the scheme that each health care provider do in the provision of individual patient care; (4) maintaining cost and time-efficient services; (5) enhancing health education by reaching more people without spending big amounts. Provision of Clinical Patient-Related Information. Before, separate records are kept by different hospital departments for a single patient. When already needed, nurses or other staffs still have to personally collect these records from those departments. This process requires time to be done. Previously, such process was well-practiced; but time is essential in health care as every minute a life can be lost or saved. Indeed, the information flow before the existence of information technology was not enough to respond to the fast pace of hospital activities. It is important to take note that the information from the different departments is vital to the diagnosis of the patients’ conditions and to the totality of the health care that is required and must be delivered to a patient. The information may range from different laboratory findings such as CT scans and x-rays results to blood compatibility tests and many other significant diagnostic examinations. If in any case that the condition of the patients needs life-saving measures, although unlikely, there would be nothing else to do but to let that measures wait until appropriate information are known. In the existence of information systems, traditional information documentation fallbacks are put to history. The use of computerized information system now paves way to easy recording, access and retrieval of information from the multiple departments of a hospital. Health care measures are not halted. Harman (2001) pointed out that this new technology “supports patient care” (p. 6). Assisting the Hospital Staff in their Tasks. Almost all hospital employees need to have an access to the medical records that contain the patient data for them to do their jobs. Doctors and nurses in the ward or any specialized departments such as the operating, delivery or emergency units note their assessments, orders, interventions and endorsements about a patient in these records; secretaries control the doctors’ or administrative staffs’ schedules and activities; laboratory departments attach the results and findings that they have obtained in conducting the diagnostic tests; the information department puts together the patients’ and doctors’ information for people who need them; and of course, the billing station, which calculates all the expenses that need to be paid by the patient based on what is seen in the patient records. The hospitals do not only exist to save the lives of the people. They too have to take care of varied and wide-arrayed records concerning the care that they provide. With the diverse roles that hospital people play, organized electronic medical records that information systems offer are really of big assistance. Lowes (1999) indicated that doctors and other members of the medical team need not bring along charts anymore because of these IS technology. They just have to do a few extra clicks or taps in the mouse and the keyboard so that information are stored in the system; then they only have to do the same to retrieve them (p. 157). Management of Medical Records for Future References. Patients’ medical records are a complex mixture of data from the different fields of medicine involved in their care. As what have been mentioned earlier, multiple departments work together so that due medical care is provided to patients complaining of different medical issues. With this, the patients’ charts end up bulked with numerous pages. Health care providers need these records for future use even if a patient had already been discharged. Organizations and other providers from other health care centers might need these records to check for certain data. Papers can be lost or probably decompose. Others can also be misplaced. This will make retrieval difficult. Using information systems, patient’s data are “automatically forwarded to a larger population data set” (Detmer, 2009, p. 57). These data are then managed by the system in an orderly manner. This way, future references about particular information such as researches, performance check, and other medically-related issues can easily utilize the records without having to disorganize other data that are not in question or desired. These records, in turn, will serve as evidences as to whether the care given to the patients were rightful and accurate. Maintaining Cost and Time-Efficient Services. Many authors agree that electronic medical records “can improve efficiency, increase productivity, and lead to cost reductions” (as cited in Wager, Wickham Lee, & Glaser, 2005). Moreover, the authors pointed out examples that can support this assumption. One example is the common case wherein doctors tend to reorder diagnostic tests in the thought that results unavailability. With IS, again, results are readily available in the system right after findings are obtained. Another is that spaces used in keeping the records are saved and are used for other purposes; and of course, the time that the retrieval of papers requires is eventually lessened with a significant sum of time and money (p. 120). Health Education and Information. Using IS for the promotion of and education about health matters is one significant use of information technology outside the health care centers and hospitals. According to an article in a magazine, IT has given the people of this era numerous ways to acquire knowledge despite the social and economical group these people belong to. In fact, there are signs that demonstrate improved health conditions as services are being used of in places where IT utilization are dominant (“ICT – Shortcut,” 2009, p. 46). Internets, World Wide Web, and even mobile internet connections facilitate sending of messages, electronic mails, articles and even video conferencing in the hope of communicating with others. This enables people to reach others, even in the most remote areas. The World Health Organization and other authorities are now in a mission to adopt application of this technology assists them in their programs toward better health in a global scale (“ICT – Shortcut,” 2009, p. 46). Information Systems in Health Education: The SOPs The issues about the use of information systems in hospitals are now concerning many individuals regarding the efficiency, safety and privacy protection that it incurs to confidential information about patients. However, these areas do not specifically concern health educators and the information that they are dealing with in the internet. Although they do have to ensure the quality of the data they are sharing, this sector involves more of the technical application in achieving information dissemination to support health empowerment and eventual change. Since health educators usually employ the use of internet in communicating health news and facts, knowledge in the use of creating and managing web applications, how to promote web content and evaluation of the consumption of the services they have created are important for both the educator and the recipients of the information (Hanson, Thackeray, Barnes, Neiger, & McIntyre, 2008). Particularly, wikis, blogs, podcasts, and social-networking pages are thought to be of major use in this arena. These web applications are user-friendly and can easily be surfed and accessed. Focusing on this, the requirements range from establishing domain names and access parameters, promoting the digital content and making sure that the information have reached many people, to evaluating the feedback that these people have provided regarding certain issues and topics (p. 157). In the ethical sense, security, confidentiality and applicability are still to be considered in the transfer of information whether it is within patient to physician communication or to an unknown requester to an unknown provider. Quality assurance, too, is measured through the information’s “accuracy, relevance, adequacy of presentation, and usefulness” (Kirch, 2008, p. 324). Use of Data at All Levels of Health Care Education Health educators and recipients of knowledge are assisted in three key points in using information systems: “(1) increasing competence for basic self-care; (2) better understanding of the possibilities and the limits of professional health care; and (3) better participation in decision making” (Council of Europe, 1996, p. 13). Health education through the internet is a good way of increasing competence for basic self-care. With familiarity in basic facts, people will eventually attain better health. The purpose of utilizing the technology is better served in enhancing population’s knowledge about health care. Health organization administrations and the providers are also made aware of the situations of many people who endure many medical complaints who are not able to come to health care centers for treatment. This is true especially to those who look up to internet-provided information about conditions that are new to them. Furthermore, the high technology pattern of today allows medical practitioners to respond to medical conditions using “interactive health communication” aided by computer, internet and the World Wide Web by providing guidance and support to many people even across the globe. Hence, by using this new media in health education, both of the parties involved in the exchange and the dissemination of health information are encouraged to share differentiated views. This further facilitates improvement in the decision making process of both sides in the matters concerning health. Conclusion Health education through communication is important in maintaining overall health of many. Awareness of healthcare is another way of combating debilitating diseases and conditions without having to experience them first. Today’s information technology makes this a lot easier for health educators in their campaign of bettering the health by promoting it in the internet, World Wide Web, and even in the text messages received in people’s cellular phones. The only thing that has to count is to make use of this technology to well. References Bensley, R. J. & Brookins-Fisher, J. (2009). Community health education methods: a practical guide. 3rd ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Council of Europe. (1996). Training strategies for health information systems. Health and Society, 42 (72), 13. Detmer, D. E. (2009, June 22). Electronic health records their time has come: after almost two decades of advocacy, the health care system might finally be ready to take full advantage of information technology to improve quality and efficiency. Issues in Science and Technology, 25, 57. Hanson, C., Thackeray, R., Barnes, M., Neiger, B., & McIntyre, E. Integrating web 2.0 in health education preparation and practice. American Journal of Health Education, 39 (3), 157-166. Harman, L. B. (2001). Ethical challenges in the management of health information. Maryland: Aspen Publishers. Haux, R., Winter, A., Ammenwerth, E., & Brigl, B. (2004). Strategic information management in hospitals: an introduction to hospital information systems. New York: Springer-Verlag. Kirch, W. (2008). Encyclopedia of public health. New York, NY: Springer. ICT – shortcut to better health and social services. (2009, November). African Business, 358, 46. Lowes, R. (1999, May 24). Switching from paper to computerized charts. Medical Economics, 76 (10), 157. Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., Glaser, J. P. (2005). Managing health care information systems: a practical approach for health care executives. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Read More