Adoption of New Technology in Healthcare - Report Example

Adoption of New Technology in Health Care (EHRs)

With the changing dynamics of the healthcare systems, embracing relevant technological innovations has proved essential. Innovations have not only revolutionized healthcare but have equally improved society’s health more so in the Western world. Technological advancements impact how jobs are done, and nursing, like any other profession, is affected by technological innovations. Even so, such innovations are not easily accepted and addressing the individual attitudes towards the innovations is crucial. Everett Rogers, a pioneer and expert in the area of diffusion of innovations, identifies five essential qualities that determine the attitudes of an individual towards embracing new technology (Rogers, 2003), (Kapoor, Dwivedi & Williams, 2014). These qualities are relative advantage, compatibility, simplicity, triability, and observable results. As a theory, diffusion of innovations aims to explain how technology spreads, why it does so and the rate at which it spreads. This paper, as such, focuses on these five qualities and how they aid in preparing nurses for new technological implementation, in particular, electronic health records systems (EHRs). The reliance on electronic health records has become the norm in healthcare settings thus replacing paper records which are outdated. Further, the paper addresses the role nurses play as change agents in the facilitation of new technology adoptions.

Relative Advantage

Relative advantage refers to how much innovation will improve an individual’s current situation (Rogers, 2003). In the medical field, the nurses will want to know how the adoption of the EHR systems will improve their services and efficiency as compared to the systems already in place. Individuals do not adopt new technology automatically. They consciously decide on whether or not to use a certain innovation. They weigh the new benefits that the innovation would bring to the existent benefits (Lavin, Harper & Barr, 2015). Essentially, relative advantage acts an incentive and enticement at the same time in influencing one to adopt a certain technological innovation. In enabling them to understand the relative advantage that comes with EHR systems, it is important that a comparison be made between the existing systems, their shortcomings as well as what the EHRs will bring on board. This includes an improved interface, better services, increased customizability, as well as user effort reduction (King et al., 2014). These are aspects likely to entice the nurses into having a welcoming attitude towards the new innovation. Emphasizing to the nurses how reliance on paper records comes with numerous disadvantages such as bulkiness and tedious retrieval of records. This will be a practical example as they are quite familiar with how tedious and cumbersome it is to handle paperwork in the hospital and at times some records are lost.

Compatibility

Compatibility is the uniformity of new innovations with the existent practices and values. New innovations need to be aligned with current trends to maintain consistency and the users’ expectations (Rogers, 2003). The nursing field and even in various health centers, there a number of values and practices that are always upheld. Technological innovations that are likely to change current practices will not be well received. Electronic health records primarily serve to replace manual paper records which often involve a lot of paperwork. An elaborate explanation will be made to the nurses on the benefits of recording a patient’s details electronically. The nurses, in this case, need to be assured of the EHRs compatibility with their practices and that the innovation will be aligned with their services. Engaging in a question-answer session will be essential in understanding the nurses’ fear with regard to the intended technological adoptions. Their fear may be attributable to a perception of a likely change of practices and values which may negatively impact on their work environment.

Simplicity

Simplicity refers to the ease in adopting a new technological innovation. One who intends to adopt new technology must be convinced that it will be easy to switch to the new technology (Rogers, 2003). The nurses will need the assurance that the EHRs are simple to use. This will involve explaining to them as to how the EHRs operate and how easy and fast it will be to learn using the innovation.

Triability

Triability is an innovation’s potential to be played around with and explored in all its capabilities (Rogers, 2003). The nurses in adopting the EHRs should have an opportunity to explore the new technology and maximize its use fully. An innovation that is limited in use or which lacks flexibility is likely to draw negative reactions from its intended users. Technology is ideally meant to make things not only easier but efficient. In preparing the nurses for the EHR systems implementation, it will be necessary therefore to demonstrate to the nurses that the EHRs will enable maximum exploration and that the opportunities associated with the new technology are immense. The nurses will equally have an opportunity to ask any questions regarding the upcoming implementation.

Observable Results

Observable results as a quality refer to the proof by the adopter of an innovation on the success of the innovation in other situations (Rogers, 2003). In this regard, the EHR systems are not new to the healthcare system. They have been tried and tested by health care providers and are increasingly being embraced. As such, explaining to the nurses on where the technology has been used successfully used and improved nursing services (Overstreet, 2015). For instance, it will be essential to explain to the nurses how the implementation will improve their skills in the nursing field and improve health care quality as a whole. In illustrating the observable results, it will be crucial to rely on examples that the nurses identify and relate with. This will help in painting a clear picture of how necessary and beneficial it will be for the EHR systems to be implemented.

Nurses as Change Agents

Nurses are at the center of healthcare, and their role cannot be underestimated. Their services significantly affect healthcare provision. As such, they are better placed to influence change in terms of technological innovations. Implementing technology within the healthcare system is not always successful (Heisey-Grove et al., 2014). This is usually attributed to the failure to involve nurses in the entire process of adopting and implanting a new technology. Their role being integral to health care provision, they are better placed to understand the kind of technology that would suit their needs and those of the health care system as a whole (Lavin, Harper & Barr, 2015). Once nurses have embraced certain technology, they are efficient in effecting change. The EHR systems, for instance, are valuable to clinical nurses as they allow easier management and retrieval of paper records.

Since the EHR systems inception, nursing professionals have efficiently used computer systems to offer patient care. Nurses are, therefore, important utilizers of information systems in the hospital, and the use of EHR systems make their work easier and efficient. The nature of their work allows them to interact with EHR systems more often than other health professionals. Further, there is sufficient proof that nursing skills, health care qualities, health care safety and reduced health cost have been improved due to the use of EHR systems (Overstreet, 2015; Lavin, Harper & Barr, 2015). The hardest task is perhaps making the nursing professional understand the relevance of having such technology within the healthcare system. Wrong perceptions and attitudes have in some instances have hampered and derailed adoption of EHR systems in hospitals. Nonetheless, nurses remain influential.

Conclusively, the ever-changing dynamics in the healthcare sector necessitates the adoption of new technologies from time to time. This is however usually a hectic process considering the differing perceptions and attitudes of individuals (Heisey-Grove et al., 2014). It, therefore, becomes necessary for those at the helm of healthcare sector leadership not only embrace new technology but to employ efficient mechanisms to enable positive reception of technologies such as the five qualities. The use of electronic health records having been widely touted as being essential to the transformation of healthcare provision, nurses should be enlightened on the enormous benefits that come with EHR systems. Technological advancements continue to expose nurses to new responsibilities and tasks. As the largest personnel in the healthcare industry, therefore, the nurses role in advocating for the use of EHR system is integral in influencing its adoption.