The Impact of Technology on the Health Care Field - Annotated Bibliography Example

Annotated Bibliography: The Impact of Technology on the Health Care Field Cochran, J. . Transforming Health Care: The Financial Impact of Technology, Electronic Tools and Data Mining. New York: John Wiley & Sons. This source evaluates how technology has influenced finances with regard to healthcare and the healthcare sector. In relation to this subject, the book covers a wide range of topics including historical breakthroughs that have resulted from the development of new technologies, cost implications of new technology, and the benefits of electronic records compared to paper based records. The source goes ahead to predict the future of healthcare given the technological advancements that have so far been realized. One of the points this source raises is the fact that technologies such as predictive medicine will result in better healthcare in terms of cost savings, efficiency, and the saving of more lives. This source is written by an expert in the healthcare field and mainly targets experts in the health field as well as policy makers. The source is unbiased and presents the reality as it is, albeit putting more emphasis on the benefits of technology to healthcare. The source discusses critically a broad range of topics related to the subject which is its core strength. Collins F. (2011). Mobile Technology and Health Care. NIH Medline Plus, Winter 5(4): 2-3. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter11/articles/winter11pg2-3.html This source provides a health expert’s perspective concerning one technology- Mobile health (mhealth). Dr. Francis Collins notes that the marriage of mobile technology and applications is bound to revolutionize the world in a major way. Through mobile phones for example, he notes, members of the public are able to access summaries for more than 800 diseases and conditions through Medline plus. Dr. Collins believes that technology can be useful in controlling the global population from old and new threats. It also discusses how mobile phones can be useful in such areas as research in the field of healthcare. This source is special in that it provides information relating to the impacts of technology on the global community as opposed to patients, hospitals, and government. The source is up-to-date and focuses on a particular technology that the other sources have not discussed about. Generally, the source is focuses on one specific technology (mobile phone technology) and seems a little bias in that it does not presented the negative side of the technology. Hoskins, D. (2009). The impact of technology on health delivery and access. Workers World. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.workers.org/2009/us/sickness_1231/ Hoskins’ article starts by outlining some of the major technological breakthroughs that technology has brought in the medical or healthcare field. This source reveals that among other benefits, the application of technology in healthcare has led to the increase in the average life expectancy of the U.S. population. The source goes further to discuss the impacts of technology with regard to healthcare access, tracing the history of health access to the U.S. population from the early 20th century to the current situation. This source is important to the literature review in that it presents the issue of healthcare access in relation to technology. The source which is written by a reputable organization targeting a general audience presents the views of workers is also useful in that it presents the impact of technology on healthcare access by tracing the subject along the historical line. Generally, the source is of the view that technology has not lead to healthcare access to the level it has been expected to do. Jelinek R. (1990). Impact of technology in health care and health administration: hospitals and alternative care delivery systems. Journal of Health Administration and Education, Winter; 8(1):5-10 This journal article notes that technologies that are applied in any sector or field, healthcare being no exception, come at a cost. The source notes that the cost of purchasing technology (such as robots, computers and modern equipment) is always high. The high cost of acquiring technology according to the author imparts more pressure toward the reduction of workers. The source notes that while technology is applied to improve efficiency, the result normally is the loss of jobs, improved productivity, and a negative change (higher cost) in the overall cost healthcare. This source is important to the literature review in that it presents an unbiased view about the introduction of technology in healthcare. The source that targets healthcare administrators while a little out of date, will give healthy insights into some of the pertinent issues that administrators and managers have to face as they think about adopting new technologies, such as loss of jobs. Kabene, S. (2010). Healthcare and the Effect of Technology: Developments, Challenges and Advancements. New York: IGI Global Snippet. In this book, Kabene puts technology and its impact on health and healthcare into perspective through case studies. Using eight different countries (including the United States) spread across different continents, the source delves deep into the subject of healthcare presenting the systems of healthcare applicable to these countries and some of the technologies that they apply. Some of the subjects that the source discusses in relation to these countries include the application of technologies to ensure quality healthcare provision, to reduce the cost of healthcare, and to improve efficiency in the provision of health services. The source presents the influence of technology from patients’, physicians’, and organizations’ perspectives. Such subjects as insurance, managed care, and healthcare technology assessment are discussed in this source. This source targets a wide audience and is unbiased especially that it presents facts about different countries and how they apply technology in the field of health care. The source’s strength also lies in the fact that it is current (published in 2010). Kaiser Permanente (2008). Using Technology to Improve Health. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.dor.kaiser.org/external/DORExternal/research_report/research_technology.aspx This article is written by an organization that conducts researches related to the intersection of health and technology. The source presents a number of pertinent questions about technology that many experts seek to answer. Some the issues that the organization has sought to address through research include: whether or not technology has changed medical practice; whether or not technology has led to fewer patient visits; and whether or not technology can help sick people manage their chronic conditions is a better way. The source notes that electronic health record systems have contributed massively to research in that it has enabled researchers study patient populations that include a complex mix of descriptive needs. The source also introduces a set of new technologies that have been developed by Kaiser Permanente and discusses briefly their potential in regards to improving healthcare. Some of these technologies include A Lifestyle Intervention Via E-mail (ALIVE) and eCare for Mood and health. This source is unique and important to the literature review in that it presents the point of view of an organization that deals with research and that is profit oriented. Written by a reputable organization targeting professionals in the medical field, the source presents the advantages of technology in healthcare and is almost silent about the disadvantages of the technologies that it talks about. Mann, D. (2013). Technology plays key role in health care reform: But will technology cause us to sacrifice our privacy? Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/features/technology-plays-key-role-in-health-care-reform This source discusses the impact of medical technology on people’s privacy. The source begins by defining in lay man’s terms what electronic medical records are all about and their importance to patients and doctors. Mann acknowledges that electronic medical records (EMRs) have real benefits. However, he also notes that the records have certain barriers; mainly related to privacy and costs. The source provides vital statistics that hint to the expensiveness of implementing ERM systems. According to the source, the U.S. government hopes to offset the astronomical costs by releasing a stimulus fund to the tune of 20 million U.S. dollars that will be given to doctors and hospitals that make meaningful use of the technology. This article is written for a general audience. The source presents the positive and negative sides of electronic medical records and therefore is not bias. The source is also current and is backed by a reputable organization (WebMD). Morrison, E. (2009). Health Care Ethics: Critical Issues for the 21st Century. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning This book focuses on matters related to healthcare and ethics. The source apart from discussing the current situation of health care with regard to ethics, it goes further to predict what the future holds in the same regards. Apart from discussing the milestones that the healthcare sector has achieved with the aid of technology, the source details the limitations of technology (p. 400). For example, it notes that many Americans worry about and, in fact trust, not technology for it exposes their privacy to intrusion. Furthermore, technology has made life such that people have become over dependent on it, the result being great frustration when it fails to deliver its intended purpose. This current source presents a vital point of consideration for the literature review – ethics. The book brings into focus the subject of ethics which most of the other sources are silent about. Generally, the source is unbiased in as much as it targets professionals in the healthcare sector. Shi, L. & Singh D. (2009). Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System is a book that discusses various aspects of the system of healthcare in the United States. Among other things, the source discusses the impacts that medical technology have brought to the healthcare field. The source notes that medical technology has pervasive and far reaching effects which overlap to the extent that it is not easy to pinpoint accurately its impact with regard to the delivery of healthcare. The highlights a number of factors that qualify the care provided to be of good quality (p. 116). The source further discusses the impact of medical technology on the quality of life, cost of healthcare, and access to healthcare. This source will provide a good starting ground for the discussion of the issue of technology and its impact on healthcare. The source is current and delves deeper into the subject to the extent of discussing how the U.S. health sector has been influenced by the development of group models as a factor influenced by the development of technology. Generally, the source presents the advantages of technology and is almost silent on its cons. Srinivasan D. (2013). Impact of Healthcare Informatics on Quality of Patient Care and Health Services. New York: CRC Press. This book is written by an expert in the field of public policy. The book presents a critical discussion of how informatics has impacted the quality of care that patients receive in the U.S. More specifically, the source analyses how technologies such as electronic billing, electronic medical records and electronic prescription of drugs have impacted on the level of effectiveness and efficiency of health services (p.35). The author notes that informatics affect both the hospital (both the profit oriented and the non-profit oriented) and the patient in a positive way. The source which is up to date presents a critical view of how health informatics affects the quality of care. The source is special in that it focuses on a specific technology - health informatics. The source is unbiased in that it presents different perspectives in relation to the subject. Generally, the source targets experts in the healthcare field and policy makers. Traficant J. (2012). Is Better Technology Still The Future Of Healthcare? Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/05/16/is-better-technology-still-the-future-of-healthcare/ In this web article, Traficant who is the president of Harris Healthcare Solutions notes that healthcare in the U.S. has experienced a revolution. The author focuses on the positive impacts that have come with the application of better technologies in healthcare. Some of the benefits that he cites include improved quality of care, greater efficiency in healthcare provision, lower cost of healthcare, and improved security of patient information. The author also cites a number of studies which have established that technology has actually led to the increase in healthcare costs in that some of the tests that patients have to undergo such as CT scans and X-rays are expensive and generally shift higher the overall cost of healthcare. This source targets a general audience and is useful to the study in that it introduces some of the benefits that have come with technology in the healthcare sector without failing to point out the contrary opinion. The source is credible in that it is written by an authority in the healthcare field. The source brings to attention the fact that whatever the impact of technology on healthcare, the doctor cannot be replaced by technology. Wye River Group on Healthcare (N.d.). The impact of information technology and the Internet on healthcare cost, quality, and access. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.wrgh.org/impact_on_it.asp This article written by a reputable organization details the influence of information technology (IT) and the Internet on healthcare quality, access and cost. The source notes that IT is bound to make the realization of new models possible, the Internet having the capacity to bring trust in the relationship between various stakeholders involved in the healthcare setting. The source presents generally argues that IT and the Internet are valuable in so far as healthcare access, cost, and quality care are involved. This source is useful to the literature review in that it brings to perspective the positive effects that technology can bring to healthcare. The source is special to the study in that it focuses on specific technologies and details their effects. The source, however, is not dated in as much as its content seems credible and up-to-date. It is also biased to the positive effects of the technologies it discusses and does not present their negative sides. References Cochran, J. (2013). Transforming Health Care: The Financial Impact of Technology, Electronic Tools and Data Mining. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Collins F. (2011). Mobile Technology and Health Care. NIH Medline Plus, Winter 5(4): 2-3. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter11/articles/winter11pg2-3.html Hoskins, D. (2009). The impact of technology on health delivery and access. Workers World. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.workers.org/2009/us/sickness_1231/ Jelinek R. (1990). Impact of technology in health care and health administration: hospitals and alternative care delivery systems. Journal of Health Administration and Education, Winter; 8(1):5-10 Kabene, S. (2010). Healthcare and the Effect of Technology: Developments, Challenges and Advancements. New York: IGI Global Snippet. Kaiser Permanente (2008). Using Technology to Improve Health. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.dor.kaiser.org/external/DORExternal/research_report/research_technology.aspx Mann, D. (2013). Technology plays key role in health care reform: But will technology cause us to sacrifice our privacy? Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/features/technology-plays-key-role-in-health-care-reform Morrison, E. (2009). Health Care Ethics: Critical Issues for the 21st Century. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Shi, L. & Singh D. (2009). Essentials of the U.S. Health Care System. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Srinivasan D. (2013). Impact of Healthcare Informatics on Quality of Patient Care and Health Services. New York: CRC Press. Traficant J. (2012). Is Better Technology Still The Future Of Healthcare? Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/05/16/is-better-technology-still-the-future-of-healthcare/ Wye River Group on Healthcare (N.d.). The impact of information technology and the Internet on healthcare cost, quality, and access. Retrieved June 28, 2013, from http://www.wrgh.org/impact_on_it.asp Read More