Healthcare Information Technology Trends - Essay Example

"Healthcare Information Technology Trends" is a great example of a paper on the health system. Technological advancement has improved healthcare practice. Nurses, physicians, and patients are enjoying the benefits of healthcare technologies. The integration of healthcare technology has boosted healthcare performance, reduced medication errors, and improved healthcare efficiency. While there are a few cases of barriers encountered with technological integration, the benefits outweigh the shortcomings.

A commonly experienced form of healthcare technology is the application of barcode medication administration (BCMA). Every nurse must be conversant with the five medication rights. Nurses carry the responsibility of patients' safety by verifying all the five medication rights. The application of barcode scanning of patient medications before administration is one of the approaches that has made the process much easier. Medication errors are usually fatal, especially with drugs with narrow therapeutic effects and those administered intravenously.

Most medication errors are reported to arise due to a lack of verification. Performing medication verification is vital in lowering medication-related errors such as wrong doses or wrong patient. According to Macias, Bernabeu-Andreu, Arribas, Navarro & Baldominos (2018), the barcode medication administration system significantly lowered cases of medication errors by eighty percent.According to Strudwick et al. (2018), patient safety is an area of focus for all health care practitioners. The report highlight that BCMA has a significant impact on improving patient outcome.

Most healthcare organizations are embracing technology, and the majority has integrated the technology into their healthcare operation. The implementation of new technology comes with challenges, and BCMA is no exception. The use of technology is as good as the operator; therefore, the user's critical thinking can never be replaced. Failure to pay attention during the medication administration can still result in medication errors, even if scanning was performed. Such errors can result when medications are labeled with the wrong barcodes.

All nurses and physicians in charge should be vigilant while using the BCMA system technology. In addition to reducing medication errors, BCMA provides primary data that can be used for future research. Hospitals stores data from barcode scanning for gross analysis of the organization's functions.Based on the evidence from different health sources, applications of telehealth and telemedicine rank the most promising trend (Nelson, 2017). The technology incorporates mobile applications in healthcare provision.

It is estimated that more than half of the world population aged ten years and above own smartphones. The emergence of medical conditions necessitates the availability of smartphones for such patients. Medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, among others, are successfully monitored through mobile applications. The use of telehealth and telemedicine will open up healthcare for the majority of patients who would otherwise be barred from such services. The technology offers an easy way for patient education as well as self-monitoring of a medical condition.

Highly informed patients make rational decisions about their health compared to less informed patients. Also, informed patients are keen on following medical-related instructions such as dietary modification and exercise routines. The technology utilizes patient portals to link patients and their physicians. The website portals contain appointment dates, lab values, medical history, and other data that are vital for the management of the patient's condition. The interaction between patient and physician through the patient portal saves the patient on transport costs while also eases congestions created by face-to-face appointments in health facilities.

Through a click of a button, the patient can video-chat with a doctor and receive assistance about their medical condition. Hospital visits are only recommended if there is a complication or emergency. In summary, telehealth and telemedicine will be a massive step in healthcare practice, both to the physicians and patients.