The Use of Information Communication and Technology in Managing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Essay Example

The Use of ICT in Managing COPD Name Institution The Use of ICT in Managing COPD Introduction The cost of tackling the prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has become a huge burden for most if not all the governments in the world (Barnes, 2004). In Australia, it is estimated that more than 30% of the aged population have been diagnosed with the ailment (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2001). This adds up to 60% of the total financial burden of health care in Australia, which translates into $60 billion. In addition to the huge costs it has in Australia, COPD has negative impacts on the workforce, resulting in the loss $8 billion per year. The poor management of COPD results in cases of amputation, kidney failure, and even heart attack. COPD constitutes close to 50% of all hospital admissions in Australia; therefore, it has negative impacts on the socio-economic and political aspects of Australia. However, these cases can be reduced through better primary care of COPD patients and also through preventive measures. As a result, the government, in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders in the health care sector, have come together to reduce the impacts of the disease through the use of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) (Boxall, 2011). This paper is going to discuss the reduction of impacts of COPD through an effective management of information of COPD patients in Australia through ICT solutions for health care. ICT Knowledge, Connectivity and Autonomy The implementation of ICT in knowledge sharing and data management of information in the health care sector has huge benefits (Aboumatr & Pronovos, 2013). At the global arena, it is evident that the sharing of information and knowledge related to COPD will bring about reduced costs in relation to the expenditure on the treatment of COPD in Australia (Australian Center for Health Research, 2011). This is because the inclusion of ICT in health care has brought about an automated system that helps hospitals in Australia tackle COPD. Through the implementation of ICT in the health care sector of Australia, health practitioners have become knowledgeable in handling COPD patients, COPD treatment, and the prevailing environment of the Australian health sector with regard to the disease (Chandra & Paul, 2004). The aforementioned levels of knowledge are deemed critical because the key to successful health care is knowledge. In addition, there are three major keys that led to successful implementation of ICT in providing better health care to COPD patients in Australia, including the knowledge enterprise, open internet networks based on business, and connectivity. Connectivity has enabled a constant flow of information regarding COPD through the implementation of the electronic health record (EHR) system, a tool which has been key to the successful sharing of knowledge in the Australian health care system (Al-Kahim, 2007). The Australian health care system is designed to accommodate the incomplete and heterogeneous nature of information. The Use of ICT for Better Management of COPD The introduction of ICT in the Australian health care sector is a critical tool in the transformation of the process of managing COPD (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2013). This step interested me because it focuses on three main areas, which are important in the process of reducing the negative impacts of COPD in Australia (Health Care Financial Management, 2013). The three areas of focus are: connecting together the Australian health care providers dealing with COPD, tracking all health care campaigns and events related to COPD, in addition to the development of services that support the management of the disease (Australian Health Minister’s Conference, 2008). The implementation of ICT in the management of COPD in the Australian health care sector enables the access of information through open interface services, making it possible to add services to this network, for example, Application Service Providers (ASPs), which assist health practitioners in effectively managing COPD (Barnes, Drazen, Renard, & Thomson, 2009). The inclusion of ASPs will provide a wide range of applications; for example, it will enable the effective processing of intelligent monitoring of COPD in the Australian health care sector (Chang, 2008). Such inclusion also comes along with the software that aids in the management of tasks, such as creating personalized care plans, incessant patient monitoring, reminding health care workers of various tasks, and also the tracking of personalized plans (Carretta, Chukmaitov, Tang, & Shin, 2013). Therefore, the software provides a very cost-effective and scalable method of helping health care providers in Australian hospitals to comply with evidence based methods of managing COPD. Its ability to alert and remind health practitioners and patients will help them keep in mind appointments, such as medical tests, check-ups, and the renewal of medications (Carl, Joan, & Ruth, 2006). The development and application of these services in the Australian health sector enhance the management of COPD, through audit based on population, the provision of feedback, self education, automatic billing systems, and referral management (Clini, Foglio, Porta, Mitchel, & Ambrosini, 2001). The above capabilities have been made possible by incorporating them into open internet, enabling the development of a fully operational electronic system of health care (Guarascio, Ray, Finch, & Self, 2013). The creation of an electronic based health care system enables stakeholders in the Australian health care sector to collaborate by linking via the internet and other technology (Dunphy, 2013). An example of this is the collaboration that is going on among health service providers like the Australian Department of Health, Diabetes Australia, and Precedence Health care, among other stakeholders working together to come up with a broadband of health networks for managing COPD in West Australia (Young, Sparrow, Gottlieb, Selim, & Friedman, 2001). This system is referred to as the Intelligent Disease Management Service (IDMS), which comprises services aimed at managing COPD, for example, through the process of monitoring the wellness and performance of patients who have been diagnosed with the disease, in addition to health care surveillance of victims of the illness (Lutwak & Dill, 2013). This system relies on the use of broadband networks that make use of web based services in order to collect information that is related to health and monitor patients in hospitals, pharmacies, and even community based health centers (Soriano, Brusasco, & Din-Xuan, 2011). This helps health care practitioners in charge of COPD patients, as well as the patients themselves to engage in the process of continuous management and monitoring of COPD. This enables better coordination between health care providers and patients (Fortenberry, 2010). IDMS use various channels of communication, for example, email, SMS, and other web based channels of communication in order to exchange information between health care providers and patients (Price, Freeman, Cleland, Kaplan, & Cerasoli, 2010). These channels of communication are very effective in enabling health care providers to communicate with their patients (Cukter, Wikkler, & Basch, 2012). This is because they are able to receive alerts related to their patients, for example, the condition of their patients with regard to prescribed medication; therefore, this enables them to manage and monitor the performance of their patients (Rabe, Wedzich, & Wuoters, 2013). The implementation of ICT in this practice is aimed at increasing the implementation of the best practices, which are evidence based, in the management of COPD in Australia. The use of electronic systems has helped in doing away with the long queues in health centers in Australia, not only for those suffering from COPD, but even those with other diseases. This practice will hugely contribute towards the reduction of the number of patients hospitalized in Australia (Sadeghi, Brooks, & Goldsteig, 2013). Legal Requirements Associated With ICT in Health Care Despite the many advantages associated with the implementation of ICT in the Australian health sector, there are a number of legal requirements that should be met in the process of enjoying ICT benefits (Wesswell, Ornstein, Jenskin, Nemmeth, Litvin, & Niertet, 2013). The implementation of ICT capabilities must be utilized according to the rules and regulations of the laws of Australia, particularly the legal requirement relating to human rights, privacy laws, and the freedom of information. As discussed above, the internet, which is the major driving force behind ICT, is free and open to everyone (Kargul, Wright, Knight, McNichol, & Riggio, 2013). Therefore, it is easy to access or publish nearly all information over the internet. The access to the internet is less controlled and can be misused by ill intended individuals; therefore, the government has laid down rules and regulation to control citizen’s activity over the internet. This is meant to protect individuals’ right to information and also the right to privacy. Hospitals that implement ICT have databases of patients diagnosed with COPD. This information is accessible to health care providers who need it the most; however, the information is at risk of being misused (Hanania & Sharafkhaneh, 2011). The law requires that medical services providers guarantee the confidentiality of all patients. Doctors and nurses are not allowed to publicly display the health records of their patients except for when the owner’s consent has been duly given. Evaluation The government of Australia advocates for the implementation of ICT in the health care sector, with certain goals and objectives to be achieved in the long run. Therefore, there are a number of expectations and outcomes to be achieved, including the evaluation criteria of the implementation of ICT in the management of COPD (Harman, 2006). The major criteria of evaluating the outcomes of this improvement initiative is the observation of the number of hospital admissions and deaths as a result of COPD, as well as the amount of financial costs spent by the Australian government in managing the disease (Berning, 2013). A reduction in the above would mean a success for the initiative. Conclusion The economic impacts of COPD continue to be a significant burden to all governments across the global arena. However, its impacts can be reduced by taking preventive and early treatment measures. It is due to this reason that the government of Australia has chosen to implement the use of ICT in order to share information and knowledge, as well as managing COPD, which is one of the leading causes of hospitalization and death in the country. The full implementation of ICT has proven capable of greatly improving the quality of treatment and medical care that is given to individuals diagnosed with the disease. This is because through ICT, the stakeholders in the medical sector are able to share knowledge among the team of health care providers, who in turn are able to provide better services to their patients. Therefore, the use of ICT is beneficial to health care providers because it helps them in the better management and treatment of the ailment. This in turn helps in reducing the number of COPD cases in Australia. 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