As the technology movement has begun, healthcare providers are on the move to get on board. Innovation plays an essential role in the provision of healthcare. Technology in the health care sector is advancing at an advanced rate. Advancement and innovation in medicine has led to improved patient care. Technology is a big contributor when it comes to people living longer and healthier lives. Doctors are now able to treat patients even quicker all thanks to technology innovations. Technology has changed the way how providers and patients interact. It has provided patients with more personalized diagnostics. Also, it has enabled patient’s to be more proactive about their health care, especially with things like the web. The introduction of technology into the healthcare field has had its impact on healthcare staff and patients alike. Providers are on more efficient path to patient care. However, can things like the electronic health record and telehealth be posing a security risk to patients? Moreover, technology in healthcare is always growing and changing to become better; it continues to grow at a rapid rate. This in turn creates a higher standard for health care. Out of all the industries technology plays a role in, healthcare is definitely the most significant. Technology has had a profound effect on the health care industry overall.
Impact On Healthcare Providers
In the healthcare industry, technology innovation provides healthcare providers with new ways to deliver quality care to their patients and to the progress of improved health care around the globe. Things like medical databases make it easy for doctors to look up patient records and share information amongst one another. Scientists and providers are constantly testing out new procedures to prevent, diagnose, and treat illnesses; technology has been a major factor in improving patients’ lives. Providers are using technology to reconsider how they communicate with their patients. Technology has enabled health providers to use e-mail, videos, and texts; this is known as telehealth. For health care providers who once charted on paper or used old technology they now are able to chart electronically (Foley, 2017). Technology like this has made things easier for providers to store patient information. According to Sharma almost 90% of doctors are now storing all their patient records in a digital format (Sharma 2015). Digital records make it easier for health care providers to communicate about patient health. Technology makes charting and looking up patient records much faster. For example, instead of waiting on paper labs it now pops up in healthcare databases for providers to see sooner. According to Ranger, there has been more participation of minorities and women in senior-level IT management and database administration in the health care sector (Ranger 2014). The technology movement in healthcare has enabled providers to respond quickly to preventative measures regarding a patient’s health. This enables providers to provide the best care possible. Technology not only allows providers to interact with patients better but also with each other. For example, the whole medical team can view patients chart electronically; this way the whole medical team is on the same page when it comes to the patients’ care. When health care providers are able to communicate better this makes the patient feel more at ease about the care they are receiving. Technology has helped communication among providers a lot easier and faster. Good communication amongst providers increases efficiency when it comes to the patients’ care. Technology in healthcare allows for more data driven decision making that will be useful for health care providers of the future. The impact on the health care team has been focal. Providers are now able to diagnosis patients faster due to technology. Overall, the use of technology has had a positive effect on health care providers.
Impact On Society
Technology has changed healthcare considerably: by providing new machines, medications, and treatments that has improved the lives of so many people. New technology has improved research so medical professionals can make health care even more successful. According to Ranger the biggest change has been the transition from paper healthcare workflows to digital. “It allows data to be presented in a useful way” (Ranger 2014). As reported by Sharma “Telehealth has opened new avenues”. Telehealth has allowed patients to connect with doctor's using mobile devices and video chat (Sharma, 2015). Telehealth provides medical care through medical information, transcription, videos, graphics, text, Internet, e-mails, and CD’s (Sharma, 2015). Digitalization in healthcare contains all aspects of a patient’s health and has reduced the risk of medical errors. Mobile applications also contribute to the increased efforts in telemedicine. Wearable technology has also increased in popularity; for example, heart rate monitors, fitness trackers, and motion trackers. Fit Bits are also a huge commodity among consumers concerned with their health; it even has the possibility of tracking a person’s sleep rhythms. Wearable technology is a new and creative way for society to become more proactive about their health. Moreover, we live in a computer based society, patients are utilizing technology to tackle their healthcare needs more than ever before. For example, Web MD allows patients to look up possible treatment options online. In accordance with Price, “Online portals offer an array of benefits” (Price 2017). Also, Price states that patient portals offer a greater level of engagement from people who use them (Price 2017). Increased patient action will result in better patient outcomes. Price explains that better patient outcomes stem from the amount of time saved. For example, portals allow patients to access important medical documents that can be reviewed and completed before visiting the health care provider in the medical office. This allows more time for the actual visit and for more effective care to be administered (Price, 2017). Moreover, the electronic health record allows medical professionals to find out a possible illness with the touch of a button. What is more, the digital technologies in the health care sector allow population statistics to be tracked and can help with diagnoses. In addition, hospitals are using social networks to answer frequently asked questions. This enables patients to receive answers on common questions in the blink of an eye. By hospitals doing this, it enables hospital to maintain a healthy relationship with its patient's. The usage of technology in hospitals provides a more knowledgeable health care institution. We live in a world where people want information fast so it is smart that hospitals reach ouch to patients via social media and the Internet. We are living in a connected and engaged society. Real time data can be used to structure care for each individual patient. When it comes to health care service delivery, patients are expecting are asking for improved results: better access, faster diagnosis, faster treatments and more convenience. This is possibly the most motivating factor for improvements in healthcare technology. Healthcare institutions and practices are embracing the changes while seeking new ways to become better and more involved. According to Foley, “Despite all of the changes shaping the industry, the consumerization of healthcare will continue, making it imperative for all sectors of the industry to provide consumers with the tools and services necessary to navigate the complexities associated with health care and make sound personal healthcare decisions” (Foley, 2017). If neither the provider nor the patient were interested in utilizing these technologies than no one would benefit from them. Increasing demand for different medical options has skyrocketed , society is always looking for new and improved ways to receive top-notch healthcare.
Risk Factors Of Healthcare Technology
Despite all of the new technology developments, accidents and mishaps can still occur. Just like humans, technology is not perfect; mistakes are bound to happen. According to Price, “Although patient portals can offer a wide variety of benefits for all parties of the healthcare system, there remain several challenges” (Price, 2017). The security of patient portals has proven to be one of the biggest challenges thus far. Price noted that more than 16 million healthcare records were compromised in 2016 (Price, 2017). Moreover, medical staff may become too dependent on electronic health records and spend less time assisting the patient. Additionally, what if there is a power outage? Will the health care provider still be able to assist the patient even without the technology at their fingertips? There is also risk for malpractice; for example: data loss or destruction, incorrect corrections to health records, inaccurate data entry. Patient information may also not be accurate if it is not updated in ‘real-time’. Also, there is the issue of some patient's not being thrilled about their healthcare information possibly being compromised. Many patient's also may feel neglected with their health care providers constantly looking at a screen and not at them. Moreover, not all healthcare professionals are trained in the new areas of medical technology; this increases the risk of patient information being compromised. HIPPA compliance poses a serious risk for health care providers. Patient records can get stolen just like credit card information. Foley explains that, “Security concerns extend beyond patient privacy data and the cloud. It is undisputed that security concerns have been top of mind for some time now”. Foley also explains that there needs to be a continued focus as potential breaches can affect medical records and privacy issues (Foley, 2017). Other issues that can arise is the patient having two health care records, one paper and one electronic; this could cause some information to be missed or even breached. Whenever you have computerized records, you have to be careful about protecting the data from unauthorized access. It is sad to say but we live in a world where cyber criminals and hackers exist. Furthermore, it can be extremely costly to keep electronic health records up-too-date and installed properly. If not installed properly than, again, patient records could be at risk for a breach; software must be upgraded on a regular basis. Moreover, implementing a training program to train employees can also be very expensive. In addition to training, some employees may not catch on to the transition as quickly as others might. Despite all of the new developments, health providers are still responsible too maintain quality healthcare without breaching any HIPPA laws.
Health Technology Evolution
The technology revolution is here, more and more patients are expecting top-notch care with the introduction of things like the electronic health record (EHR). According to Foley the pay for performance is expected to accelerate (Foley, 2017). As a result of the pay-for-performance era, organizations will be increasingly called on to demonstrate continuous improvements within the health care sector. Foley also goes on to explain that in today’s world time is of significant value. Today’s health care is being shaped by patient engagement. With all of this technology on the rise, patients are less willing to spend a whole lot of time waiting for care. Patient's know that in today’s healthcare world they could take a picture and send it electronically. More and more patients are embracing the shift towards technology, as it is so convenient. The success of new technologies depends on the efficiency of health care providers. According to Foley, over the last eight years, the healthcare industry has heavily relied on the electronic health record; he sees this only increasing in years to come. According to Price, “As the digital transformation continues to spread across all industries, healthcare in particular will see increased use in and better design for patient portals” (Price, 2017). Price also expects to see an increase in patient engagement. Patient portals will help launch the future of healthcare technology into the future and will also create higher standers for receiving health care. According to Hayhurst, medical technology advancements continue to reduce health care costs, older adults are living longer lives. Patients are spending less time in medical facilities and are returning home quicker (Hayhurst, para. 8). The Affordable Care Act is responsible for most of this, as it pushes too move people with non-life-threatening conditions out of hospitals. Hayhurst explained that healthcare is evolving and medical devices and technologies are evolving with it. Moreover, Foley describes that despite all of the medical advances, the three e’s (of The Affordable Care Act) : efficiency, effectiveness, and experience will remain a top-priority among health care providers and also in the health care industry (Foley, 2017).
Conclusion
In order to maintain HIPPA laws, health care providers must always stay trained and be up-too-date when regarding technology. It is of up-most importance that patient files (EHR) do not get compromised. Also, it is important to keep hard and software up-too-date. With this being said, healthcare technology has been vital in helping patient's live longer. Moreover, the telehealth will stay on the rise. As mentioned earlier, time is money and patients are less willing to spend a lot of time in health care facilities. How could you blame them? Things like telehealth and social media have made things more convenient for patient's. We cannot stop the technological developments in healthcare; it is moving at an ever-growing rate. We must face the future with courage and turn too technology with an open-mind and prepare for this changing world with as much knowledge as possible. Even with a few hiccups here and there, technology can only improve our lives for the better. Technology in healthcare is leading to healthier lives and healthier communities.