Technology Assessment (Essay Sample)

Technology Assessment in the Healthcare Industry
Student’s Name
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Table of Contents
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Technology Assessment in the Healthcare Industry  PAGEREF _Toc379869157 \h
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Information Technology (IT) in the healthcare  PAGEREF _Toc379869158 \h
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Computerized Provider Order Entry  PAGEREF _Toc379869159 \h
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Quality and Health Information Technology  PAGEREF _Toc379869160 \h
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Conclusion  PAGEREF _Toc379869161 \h
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References  PAGEREF _Toc379869162 \h
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Technology Assessment in the Healthcare Industry
The trend of technological innovation and development is increasingly becoming part and parcel of human life. Ideally, technological advancements have changed many aspects of human growth and development in most parts of the world (Duplaga, 2006). Despite significant trend of improved healthcare services due to technological innovations, the industry still face myriad of challenges in fully adopting technology. This is owed to the high cost and availability of quality healthcare in the society. Therefore, healthcare industry needs to fully implement technological innovations through involvement of all stakeholders. The stakeholders include patients, health providers, claim processors, clinical staff, underwriters, auditors, policy makers, insurance agents among others (Fasano, 2013). This would enhance the provision of effective, efficient and quality healthcare services in the society. Consequently, medical practitioners and stakeholders have acknowledged several technological innovations in the healthcare industry. These include medical devices systems, pharmaceuticals, surgical procedures, medical waste management and disposal (Fasano, 2013). However, the most significant technology in the healthcare industry is the use of information communication technology.
Information Technology (IT) in the healthcare
IT is the most significant technological advancement required in the healthcare industry. Generally, information technology enables the collection, storage, retrieval, and transfer of healthcare services by the use of electronic devices (Jones, 2011). It is argued that full implementation IT will improve quality, efficiency and safety of healthcare services delivered in the society. However, the choice of Information Technology to be purchased by a medical facility will depend on administrative, clinical and infrastructural factors. For example; first, healthcare administrators are able to make hospital billings for their respective clients. This helps in maintaining clear financial records of the client for later use by administrators and financial auditors. Hence, there is improved financial transparency and accountability of the healthcare facility. In addition, administrators use IT in maintaining general ledgers, scheduling, patient registration and electronic materials. Secondly, IT is used in maintaining electronic health records (EHRs) of the patients (Jones, 2011). Clinicians are able to keep track records of entry, healthcare data. EHRs have been used in hospitals to track patients who sneak from the hospitals. There are cases when patients have left healthcare facility without following the right procedure. This could be attributed to failure to clear hospital bills, psychological restlessness caused by health condition and/or hospital environment.
Computerized Provider Order Entry
“Computerized Provider Order Entry” (CPOE) has often been utilized by clinicians and administrators in providing orderly medical services process. Patients are able to follow strict rules and procedures in seeking laboratory, radiology, transfer, discharge or referral services (Fasano, 2013). Fourth, the use computerized of clinical decision support system (CDSS). This system offers physicians and nurses with up-to-date diagnostic and treatment recommendations of various diseases. Physicians, researchers, stakeholders and World health organization have developed installable medical symptoms, diagnostic, possible treatment and control measures of various diseases. Prior to this technology, there were many cases of misdiagnosis and treatment of diseases made by physicians and other medical practitioners (Fasano, 2013). The victim patients developed drug complications such as resistance/allergies, mutations or sometimes died. Fifth, information technology can be used in picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Diagnostic and radiological images are captured and integrated in a computerized software system. It is used in the dissemination of x-ray services, repository data among others. Sixth, IT can be used in healthcare to facilitate bar coding foe example optical scanner is used to capture encoded medical information needed by opticians. Seventh, the automated dispensing machine (ADM) is used in the distribution of medication doses. This involves the use of catheter-like machines in administering patients with medication dose as prescribed and captured in the system. It enhances time management in the healthcare facility. Eight, healthcare organizations may use electronic material management (EMM) to track and manage supply of pharmaceuticals, resource planning among others. Moreover, medical organizations are able to enhance security and privacy safeguards through the messaging system.
Quality and Health Information Technology
Despite the key the important medical services offered by the use of IT in the health sector, further research should be done to medical enhance quality. This is because poor medical link between healthcare information Technology and implementation strategies (Fasano, 2013). The inability to carry frequent and continuous research hinders healthcare industry from getting up-to-date IT guidelines and clinical information. For examples, institute of medical research established that the usage of IT is varied in relation to healthcare setting. Hence, pharmacies and home based healthcare providers have endorsed mobile phone usage in communicating with their clients. There are also numerous online social media network that provide healthcare consultant services to the public. However, these strategies should be used controllably to enhance privacy. This is because of the controversies caused by accessing another patient’s medical information (Jones, 2011). Apart from privacy, many factors have inhibited the adoption of improved technology in the healthcare industry. The investment cost of IT remains a major challenge in the implementation of efficient healthcare. Stakeholders have prioritized on healthcare information technologies which can return installation cost without delay. This selective adoption of IT cause financial loses not only to healthcare provider but also to economic status of the country.
However, various governments offer various financial interventions to healthcare service providers and encourage private-public partnership to enhance efficient healthcare provision. In addition, private-public partnership ensures the sustainability in the provision of improved healthcare services (Jones, 2011). Ideally, the cost of purchasing healthcare technology is much less compared to sustainably implementation. This is because new medical applications should be efficiently tested and integrated in the existing ones. Poor information technology providers are also cited to be an impediment in the adoption of modern healthcare services. Information technological providers face challenges in offering effective and satisfactory products and services to buyers. Policy makers have significantly formulated rules and regulations that facilitate the delivery of quality IT products and services to healthcare providers. Governments recommend the use of the procureme...