The Latest Technology in Health Information Tracking - Research Paper Example

of the of the 29 October Introduction Latest technology in information systems improves the ability to support the health equity challenges. Improper treatment of patients can lead to loss of life. Lots of patients lost their life due to late detection of the disease or being treated late. The integration of information technology is not up to mark due to low returns of revenue on the systems which are installed. Overhead of maintenance cost of these health care systems is also difficult to handle due to low funding. Developed countries are integrating computing technology and Internet to their critical infrastructure but he health sector still lag computerized information which is needed to access health inequities. The insufficiency of computerized information related to heath care, health information systems are implemented. These systems do not support data analysis in which equity related stratifies is usually not possible. The transformation of the healthcare industry utilizing Information Technology is continuously updating. The healthcare sector’s investment in Information Technology is not up to the mark for at least a decade, as history shows that the health care industry has adopted the Information Technology late. As the increasing costs of healthcare intimidate the competitive advantage of developed countries, ways to use information technology to organize costs are being recognized. Major government projects focus on the improvement of information technology adoption and shrink costs while protecting patient privacy. Requirement for researchers to facilitate practitioners recognize how information technology can advance hospitals’ productivity is evident. As people are becoming more and more aged, population is becoming a challenge in social and economic sector worldwide. In the United States, people with age over 65 are expected to hit 70 million by 2030. This figure is doubled as compared to 35 million in 2000. Health care in the context of Information technology has become an obsession globally. These increments are been observer globally. The old aged people having diseases, requiring constant monitoring and medication and need to visit the hospitals and clinics on a regular basis. If the disease is identified at the initial stage by health monitoring techniques, the quality of life will be improved and many lives can be saved. At the same time, investigating the disease can reduce the cost and resources which are utilized for the treatment of a patient. The cost related to health care is also an emerging problem (Durresi et al. 211-218). For example, expenditures in the United States will grow to 15.9% for the health care from the GDP of $2.6 trillion by 2010 ("Keynote "). The global economy and leadership has a caterpillar approach to address the computerized health care systems. The boost is seen over recent year and some steps are taken for the resolution of these issues. The first challenge is to determine the information needs for evaluating health discrimination in order to get the inputs required by the health information systems. Todays health care environment is more dependent on information systems than ever before However, a chief executive faces two dangers in dealing with information systems- knowing too little and knowing too much. When there is a limited understanding of systems technology, decisions are made that may not be the most optimal technically but may seem best to the bottom line; and when a great deal of information is understood, an executive may wind up mired in technical detail and micromanagement. The initial purpose of a health care system is to track information from different sources. New inventions related to information tracking are launched are incorporated with latest technologies. World health organization launched a system named as “Influenza virus tracking system”. The Influenza Virus Traceability Mechanism (IVTM) is an information technology enabled system which tracks all influenza viruses of pandemic potential supported by World health organization member states to the Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN). This Influenza Virus Traceability Mechanism allows the users to trace the geographic transfer of such influenza viruses (Geotrace) and to view the Derivation Tree for the same. Geo trace is operation my clicking the locations on the map. User can select a laboratory, a year, a shipment and a material. After setting these parameters, Geotrace will then display geographic shipment tracks ("Indonesia Turns the Screw: Questions World Health Organization’s Handling of Scarce Avian Flu Virus Specimens ").Another computerized healthcare system is launched named as the community health information tracking system (CHIS). The Community Health Information Tracking System is an extendable, modular, open source information system for countryside health units. The system was initially started for Philippines. The system gathers data related to the routine health from vertical programs in the field of health information system (FHSIS). These two system are combined together to develop a comprehensive unified computerized information system in health care sector. The Community Health Information Tracking System not only provides data to the public health agencies related to community level information but also to the community itself which develops the information. The system is used for local decision making and health planning. It also supports structured capability building programs which are designed to enhance the health information systems which are located at local health centers ("Community Health Information Tracking System (CHITS)). For health care and patient care tracking is an essential factor. The implementation of RFID in the health care sector is the main reason. What is RFID? “a technology similar in theory to bar code identification. With RFID, the electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the RF portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to transmit signals” ("What is RFID? - A Word Definition from the Webopedia Computer Dictionary "). The RFID health care tracking system contains 2 components .One is the reader and the second one is the other one is a label or a tag. The reader will read tags which is its primary function. The tags are equipped with a circuit which is meant for storing information and to receive radio signals. A small antenna is installed for that purpose. The RFID systems are used for automating patient monitoring and track treatment from which they are suffering. Instead of documenting patient wealth information which is also time consuming, RFID systems enables instant access to the information by simply scanning tags. The patients will receive quick response of the health care services because the doctor may get all the information related to a patient in seconds. Patients can review the treatment history by scanning the tag. The treatment history includes what care has already been provided and what treatment they need next. This feature will increase the productivity of a doctor ("Health-care Tracking Systems). The RFID technology can also be applied to the critical equipments which are present in the intensive care unit. They can track the inventory for any important medicines which needs to be present all the time in the stock. The identification can also be applied to the hospital staff for monitoring their performance and unauthorized access to prohibited areas in the facility. RFID tracking systems enhance the overall functionality of the hospital or health tracking system to the optimal level ("Health-care Tracking Systems). Information technology has also revolutionized in the field of navy pharmacy. The pharmacy profession has not been able to adopt effective technology for effectively health care for the patient. Although technology advanced are initiated for day to day operation ranging from computers to robots. Pharmacists are establishing themselves as vital team members in direct patient care: on the ward, in ambulatory clinics, in specialty clinics, and in other specialty patient care programs (e.g., smoking cessation). An important part of the evolution is the timely access to the most up-to-date information available. ‘Micromedex’ Inc. is the leading contributor of decision support resolution that assists organizations across the healthcare industry to improve clinical and business performance. It is built on the potency of leading healthcare brands including ‘Medstat’, ‘MercuryMD’, ‘Micromedex’, and ‘Solucient’. from beginning to end, Thomson Reuters provides the solutions, information, insight, and analysis its healthcare customers requirements to manage healthcare cost, quality, market positioning, and enterprise growth ("About Us : Thomson Reuters "). has developed a number of computer CD-ROM-based full-text pharmacy, toxicology, emergency medicine, and patient education products. ‘Micromedex’ is a recognized leader with regard to total pharmaceutical information availability. This article discusses the implementation of ‘Micromedex’ products within the established Composite Healthcare Computer System and the subsequent use by and effect on the international Navy pharmacy community. Work Cited "Indonesia Turns the Screw: Questions World Health Organization’s Handling of Scarce Avian Flu Virus Specimens "Web. 12/15/2010 . "Community Health Information Tracking System (CHITS) | Medical Free/Libre and Open Source Software "Web. 12/15/2010 . "What is RFID? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer Dictionary "Web. 12/15/2010 . "Health-care Tracking Systems | Latest Articles On "Web. 12/15/2010 . "About Us : Thomson Reuters "Web. 12/15/2010 . "Keynote "Web. 11/27/2010 . Read More