Nursing Informatics in Health Demographics - Essay Example

? Nursing Informatics Nursing Informatics Health information is a critical area in making important decisions in health care and understanding health demographics. Electronic health records, commonly known as HER, aids in advancing communication, safety of the patients, harmonization of health care systems, proper documentation, making clinical decisions and observance of evidence-based clinical procedures. Health is recognized as a biological condition and sociologists assert that spread of diseases is dependent on factors such as socioeconomic status, beliefs and cultural influences. For instance, demographics are analyzed when carrying out a medical research on the causes of a certain disease. Furthermore, distribution and access to to healthcare is determined by income and standards of living. These features form a social pattern in health that tends to shape health dynamics with respect to certain social requirements. It is important to note with complete patient data, avoidable hospital visits are reduced. Some hospitals use other forms of communication such as email and telephone to reach and support patients from home by checking their health records. For instance, physicians use EHR to determine a patients' health concern. An integrated and comprehensive health record transfers the trend of health care to an efficient approach while maintaining the quality of health care. This results in minimal wastage on financial implications to the hospital, patient and government. Importance of aligned financial incentives. Health outcomes for the population are seen as being influenced by the operation of the capitalist economic system at two levels. Within the capitalist societies, health matters have progressed with refined technology in drug production. Poor societies are more likely to fall ill compared to richer societies. Poor disease prevention measures, minimal awareness initiatives by stakeholders, poorly funded research and costly treatment procedures are likely to affect access to health by poor clusters of people. These are some of results of inadequate health data (Gruber, Cummings, LeBlanc, & Smith, 2009). For instance, patients in the least developed areas have been subjected to low quality medication and clinical care. As a result, many people die out of preventable diseases due to early detection or lack of treatment fees. With health records on such scenarios, it would be easy for health providers make adequate arrangements for such people. Meadows Ginny (2002) asserts that, “Utilizing clinical information systems, an informatics nurse can help other nurses explore and understand the informational and cognitive foundations of their profession. The ability to electronically record, integrate, and analyze data and information enables nurses to quickly move to the synthesis of nursing knowledge and the development of nursing wisdom, which they can then apply to affect patient care.” (Meadows, 2002). It is important to note that the rich controls the health organizations, health research institutions and drug distribution, thus making it difficult for the poor people to make any significant decision or policy on health matters. This has been achieved in some areas through creating enforcement departments within institutions to monitor progress and recommend necessary changes. EHS is important in generating information on how to tackle socioeconomic differences in health care and health policies in any nation are important for equal access to health facilities (Kaufman, Roberts, Merrill, Lai, & Bakken, 2006). This should address areas such as health information technology to shape a coordinated and focused national policy in support of patient care. A socially supportive atmosphere prompts the adoption of healthy behaviors. This can be realized when all people have equal and unlimited access to health facilities irrespective of class. Electronic health record (EHS) helps in adopting a patient-centerdness approach that involves shared decisions, outcome obligations and disease management. The use of electronic records has revolutionized the medical field (Murphy, 2010). It is widely commended for its efficiency, less cost, qualitative and easily used to detect malpractice in the health care system. Nonetheless, more research is required to help in overcoming the EHR limitations and achieving the highest quality at reasonable cost. Health organizations should consistently work with the government and policy makers to come up with ways that can help in managing health information in order to improve health care systems. According to David Weber, “Tools that give patients access to their health records, provide interactive patient education and help them carry out home-monitoring and self-testing can improve control of chronic conditions, such as diabetes” (Weber, 2005). With institutional support, expertise, and long-term support, the health experts are expected to tackle health information issues in realistic approach that would inform programs and policies of the health organizations, government and research institutions. This understanding is vital in tackling socioeconomic and racial differences in health care and health policies in any nation. The policies should address other areas such as health information technology to shape a coordinated and focused national policy in support of patient care (Meadows, 2002). This policy should assist health experts gain and maintain expertise associated with patient-centered care. In addition, it should persuade organizations to develop a custom of patient-centeredness. The usability challenges such as human factors, ergonomics, computer interaction and usability concerns experienced by staff during implementation can be easily overcome if there is a policy guideline for handling of the information system. It is important for a hospital to employ competent administrators to handle information department. This will minimize the risk of information tampering and guarantee efficiency in recording and management of health records (Murphy, 2010). The capacity of device superior information systems has overtaken the essence of how to set them up efficiently in complicated situations. There is a need to undertake an evaluation test at every stage of the system expansion. Information systems have restricted capability to manipulate healthcare processes. As a clinical administrator, the main responsibility is to have information about the daily operations with a health center. He/she is in charge of patients’ relations and administration roles. One of the most important thing in achieving the departmental goals is to have an up-to-date information and occurrences. Firstly, keeping health information and data on matters such as patients' diagnoses, lab test results and medications are important in prescribing future medication (Kaufman, Roberts, Merrill, Lai, & Bakken, 2006). The role participating in the care of a patient in several occasions makes the management of information difficult. Electronic management of such information including across hospitals would improve patient safety and the effectiveness of care (Sidorov, 2006). Using electronic health records is important in decision support since it can easily give reminders, prompts, computerized support that can help in increasing compliance with the required clinical practices. EHS are normally efficient, protected and accessible mode of communication between various health providers and patients. As a result, there is improved stability in health provision to a patient using the reliable information. It is important to note that computerized administrative processes like scheduling systems and hospital visits are likely to enhance the efficiency of a hospital in giving timely service to the patients. A clinical administrator is required to have all such information, which should be regularly communicated to the doctors and health bodies. Nonetheless, like many other electronic systems, EHS is likely to face challenges especially in the functionality (Weber, 2005). Thus, it is important to ensure that a hospital’s IT system is safe and supported using a back-up system. This can be realized by having regular checks on the system’s security and use of competent individuals to run it. Conclusion Prolonged engagements are a significant aspect calls for health professional endeavors to have a clear understanding of their work for them to comprehend make sense of the happening that they are going through. Persistent observation is a salient ingredient and to achieve competence and the required legitimacy by deeply engaging themselves in the practice to understand the nuances that are inherent in the practice and is conversant in interpretation and reinterpretation of data. This is further reinforced by industry communication enabled by peer briefing and debriefing in the numerous conferences that are conducted which can by experienced professionals that will assist to have a critical feedback when the study is being carried out as well as when the analysis is being conducted. The stakeholders need to come up with proper information management initiatives that will help inform health care systems. The application of ICT tools in the health centers may faced with challenges like any other sector of the economy. The main challenges include poor communication infrastructure development, such as telecommunication gadgets; high tax regimes; poor communication networks; and, limited expertise in the ICT field. Use of EHS is a welcome move, which is in line with the global advancement in technology. References Gruber, D., Cummings, G. G., LeBlanc, L., & Smith, D. L. (2009). Factors influencing outcomes of clinical information systems implementation. A systematic review. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing , 27 (3), 151-163. Kaufman, D., Roberts, W. D., Merrill, J., Lai, T., & Bakken, S. (2006). Applying an evaluation framework for health information system design, development, and implementation. Nursing Research , 55 (2), 37-42. Meadows, G. (2002). Nursing informations: An evolving specialty. Nursing Economics , 20 (2), 300-301. Murphy, J. (2010). Nursing Informatics: The Intersection of Nursing, Computer, And Information Sciences. Nursing Economics , 28 (3), 204-207. Sidorov, J. (2006). It Ain't Necessarily So: The Electronic Health Record And The Unlikely Prospect Of Reducing Health Care Costs. Health Affairs , 25 (4), 1079-1085. Weber, D. O. (2005). The State of the Electronic Health Record in 2005. Physician Executive , 6-10. Read More