Information Science and Technology
Health Information Technology: Transforming Patient Care in Canada
In the 21st system of healthcare, health information technology is one of the solid establishments of the future. Modernization in the healthcare system is unmistakably noted when we think about how we were forty years prior and where we are today. The requirement for development in healthcare was the main motivation behind the innovation and development of computers in medical service provision (McBride et al., 2012). A large portion of the previous forty years of technological development was spent on applications of computers for purposes of administration but of late clinical process patient care has become the main focus of the foundation of new information and ideas in healthcare technology Growth in technology in clinical applications is the new pattern in healthcare, and it will keep on assuming a key role for a considerable length of time to come.
Patient-centered care is the most vital feature of high-quality care. Informatics of health particularly technological advances can facilitate patient-centered care as with the help of information technology there can be a mechanism where the patients can not only avail important information to their clinicians but also share the information with family, friends, and other patients. This information may make the patients to significantly control their care.
Information technology may also be used by nurses in coordinating care and sharing important information with their colleagues (Doswell et al., 2013). Information resources and communication tools can be utilized by nurses and patients in their interactions in one way or another. Healthcare settings currently coordinate online booking arrangements, electronic prescription of medicine, telehealth, and laboratories which are portable where informatics clinicians are vital in ensuring that the computerized solutions interface with one another.
Technology helps reduce errors in medication. Errors in prescribing medication are another normal clinical blunder that can prompt very adverse problems. An electronic prescription can help lessen errors in prescription by permitting the medical attendants to electronically send prescriptions to the pharmacy. Clinical alarms, banners, and updates are likewise ways in which technology can assist lessen errors in medication and advance the safety of patients (Friganović, 2016).
Nursing documentation is an element of information technology in healthcare services.
The systems of nursing information are designed for clinicians where documentation can be best utilized to grow their skills and knowledge of quality care. Nursing, specifically, has essentially profited by these new ideas and keeps on looking through better and fresher techniques to improve patient care. The electronic patient record has become a significant aspect in the workflow of information and using information technology will end up improving the efficiency and quality of patients' results. Patient documentation is a very important skill when it comes to communicating the patient’s condition and organizing care depending on the patient's needs.
Errors in medical fields cost about 40 Billion dollars yearly and these errors can be avoided by using information technology (McBride et al., 2012). The information, however, does not only give nurses alerts so that they can avoid errors but also helps them automate several tasks thus improving the productivity of nurses while at the same time reducing costs that are associated with healthcare.
Baccalaureate Generalist medical attendants are significant in making sure that information technology is used in the healthcare systems (Doswell et al., 2013). They provide both direct and indirect care. In this role, nurses pay the part of advocating for and educating patients. These roles are as of late done using information systems installed in medical clinics and the utilization of other distributed systems. Changing socioeconomics and progressing advances noted in information technology are a truth of healthcare practice. In this concern, therefore, generalist nurses give proof-based care to patients and casualties inside this environment that is changing. These nurses utilize research discoveries in structuring and actualizing care that is cost-effective, multidimensional, and of high caliber. Understanding patients and the significant qualities they add to the healthcare relationship is equally paramount.
The Baccalaureate nurses give care across all environments, that is, they center around population healthcare, individual, family, and community as they monitor and oversee parts of the surroundings to foster good health. Baccalaureate medical attendants are monitors, organizers, organizers, and managers of care. Every one of these roles requires information technology for it to work out (Fujino & Kawamoto, 2013). Decisions and recording systems should all be incorporated into the healthcare systems to play out these jobs adequately. As experts, Baccalaureate nurses are knowledge workers who utilize a wide and all-around depicted knowledge base for training. This knowledgebase must be installed in an information system.
Proficient Nursing requires solid correspondence, critical thinking, clinical judgment, and appraisal aptitudes which some can be joined into the information systems, for example, decision-making systems, to help in thinking out.
Nurses use technology diversely to settle on healthcare-related choices. The eCare systems give data for better and reliable decision-making at all degrees of management. In the interim, directors in many hospitals are utilizing a similar blood sugar level reading in various manners. The eCare data feed into the medical clinic's key performance indicator (KPI) dashboard, which reports hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic rates at the hospital, department, and enterprise level. By accessing that information in near-real time, bedside staff, senior leaders, and unit managers can be inconsistent and efficient communication about desires and how to get rid of hindrances to accomplishing metrics of performance and clinal standards.
Computerized decision-support systems can assist nurses with bringing together complex data and guide medicinal services management and treatment. The systems coordinate patient attributes to an electronic knowledge base to adequately create patient-specific evaluations or suggestions. Straightforward Decision support can be paper-based; however, computerized decision support systems have the benefit of having the option to process patient-specific data quickly and match it to mechanized choice calculations. The systems are intended to help with the clinical dynamic procedure.
Electronic documentation tools give numerous features that are simply intended to increase both the quality and integrity of clinical documentation, improving communication between all stakeholders of the hospital. It is unlike the past where the information was inaccurate as it was handwritten some of which could get lost. The quality of the information entered into the social insurance database might be controlled consequently compromising the integrity of the outcomes given to the patients. These features address conventional prerequisites for documentation rules while supporting late far expansive technologies. There are many existing standards and guidelines on documentation standards and rules that primarily address evaluating documentation authorship standards, and structures advancement in a paper health record (Fujino & Kawamoto, 2013). With the proceeded with the progression of electronic medical records, there is a concern that an expected loss of documentation integrity could in the long run bring about undermined patient care, quality detailing, and examination, care coordination just as fraud and abuse.
References
Doswell, W. M., Braxter, B., Dabbs, A. D., Nilsen, W., & Klem, M. L. (2013). mHealth: Technology for nursing practice, education, and research. J Nurs Educ Pract, 3(10), 99.
Friganović, A. (2016). Nursing and implementation of modern technology. Signa vitae: journal for intesive care and emergency medicine, 12(1.), 23-27.
Fujino, Y., & Kawamoto, R. (2013). Effect of information and communication technology on nursing performance. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 31(5), 244-250.
McBride, S., Delaney, J. M., & Tietze, M. (2012). Health information technology and nursing. AJN -*12The American Journal of Nursing, 112(8), 36-42.7`1 --+ 11=
The Transition from A Student to Nurse
Working with patients and coordinating with specialists from other fields, nursing is an exciting and rewarding vocation. New nurses are recent nursing school graduates who have recently begun working in the medical field. They need a wide range of abilities and information to function in a medical setting. They must realize the importance of their function in the facility to the patient's health and rehabilitation. Nonetheless, many beginning nurses struggle when faced with dealing with patients of varying personalities. As a result, individuals can further their professions by consulting with mentors, medical institutes, or seasoned nurses. As medical jargon is always evolving, doctors must continue their education throughout their careers. This research considers the tools and strategies that might assist new nurses in meeting the demands of their profession.
Roles of a New Graduate Nurse in Today’s Complex Healthcare Environment
In today's complicated healthcare system, newly graduated nurses' duties include patient care, teaching, and research. New graduating nurses provide rapid patient care. It requires taking vital signs, taking medication, and comforting patients' family. New graduate nurses may also examine patients, create treatment plans, and collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
New graduate nurses educate patients and their families about health issues, treatment alternatives, and self-care. Fresh graduate nurses may also educate healthcare workers. Ultimately, fresh graduate nurses help research. They may investigate, establish, and evaluate care protocols. Newly graduated nurses may write and publish scholarly articles.
Skills, Knowledge and Attitudes Nursing Leaders Desire in New Nurses
Leaders in the nursing profession want new nurses to have the skills of critical thinking, clinical reasoning, communication, teamwork, and a willingness to continue learning throughout their careers. A solid grasp of critical thinking and clinical reasoning is essential for a career in nursing. It offers a foundation for subsequent education and helps nurses make educated judgments while caring for patients. Nurses need strong communication skills to properly interact with patients, family members, and other members of the healthcare team. Nurses, who frequently collaborate with professionals from other fields, understand the value of teamwork in patient care. Last but not least, nurses need to make continuing education a priority if they want to keep their licenses current and provide the best possible care to their patients.
Personal Communication Between Nursing Leaders and New Nurses
According to the nurse manager, new nurses frequently have inadequate clinical skills. They stressed the need of training new nurses to assess patients, start IVs, and treat wounds. They also stressed the need of new nurses being knowledgeable about drug administration and knowing when to seek medical advice from a doctor. The nurse continued by saying that it is common for new nurses to be unfamiliar with the nursing procedure. They emphasized the need of new nurses having a firm grasp of the nursing process from assessment to diagnosis to planning to execution to evaluation. They also stressed the need of basic illness recognition skills for novice nurses. According to the nurses, a common problem among new nurses is a lack of critical thinking abilities. They emphasized the importance of new nurses having the capacity to assess data and make appropriate clinical judgments. New nurses, they argued, should be able to see issues and come up with answers.
Challenges and Issues that New Graduate Nurses Experience
One of the most common challenges that new nurses face is learning how to effectively manage their time. It's not always easy to figure out how to make the most of a shift when there are so many patients to see and responsibilities to fulfill. Stress and anxiety are common among newly licensed nurses and have been linked to medical mistakes. Another major problem and hurdle for new nurses is dealing with stress. Physical and mental exhaustion are possible workplace outcomes. In order to maintain their health and avoid burnout, new nurses need to learn how to deal with stress. New nurses may also have trouble with conflict management. With so many patients and employees to deal with, disagreements are certain to arise. In order to do their jobs well, new nurses must learn to resolve conflicts in a healthy and mature manner.
Strategies to Assist New Nurses in Transitioning into the Nursing Profession
New nurses might benefit from the support and resources provided by joining a professional nursing association. For instance, the American Nurses Association provides opportunities for continuing education and lobbying support. Meeting other nurses and staying abreast of industry trends can be facilitated by participating in nursing conferences and activities. Having a mentor who can offer advice and encouragement as they navigate the transition into nursing is another useful tactic. New nurses might benefit from having a seasoned nurse as a mentor when they enter the field and begin building their careers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when they begin their careers in nursing, new nurses will be faced with a wide range of duties and learning opportunities. Once they begin working in their new surroundings, they may encounter a number of difficulties. Nonetheless, they should be able to manage the difficulties by employing tactical solutions. They need training and education to help them succeed in the field of nursing. It can appear to be a long and arduous road ahead.
Nonetheless, nurses improve as professionals as they adapt to their new surroundings and acquire a wider vocabulary. Nursing is a rewarding job, and with practice and training, novice nurses may achieve expert status.
References
Yu Maria, D. H. U. N. G., Ki Stanley, L. A. M. K., & Lai Mei, W. O. N. G. (2017). The first year of professional nursing experience:the transition challenges faced by new graduate nurses. The First Year Of Professional Nursing Experience:The Transition Challenges Faced By New Graduate Nurses. https://doi.org/10.5176/2251-3833_ghc17.48
Murray, M., Sundin, D., & Cope, V. (2019). New Graduate Nurses’ understanding and attitudes about patient safety upon transition to practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14839
Boling, J. L., & Kelly, P. (2018). Transition from student nurse to leadership and management of your future as a registered nurse. Introduction to Quality and Safety Education for Nurses. https://doi.org/10.1891/9780826123855.0017
Healthcare Moral Paper
Physician-assisted suicide occurs when the patient is helped commit suicide by the physician upon being requested by the patient. Assisted suicide occurs when the patient wants to die, and the healthcare provider responds by assisting them in completing their request.
Therefore, this paper aims to explain the legal and ethical issues surrounding physician-assisted suicides and their implications on the manager's health services economics (Quill, 2018).
Legal and Ethical Issues
Several people have believed that criminalizing physician-assisted suicide should be done since it is viewed as murder though this is unconstitutional. Some states have started enacting laws that declare the practice of physician-assisted suicide legal. Some of the legal issues that arose from PAS were that when this practice has been legalized, it will pressure patients with terminal conditions and fear that their illness is emotionally, financially, and physically burdening their families. Besides, assisting patients in committing suicide is going against the two thousand years of medical ethics and practice (Jansen et al., 2019).
Ethically, the healthcare provider is expected to be the patient's healer, a provider of life, and not the person who takes away the patient's life. Even though a state may pass the physician- assisted suicide legalizing law, the healthcare provider may not believe in it since it goes against what they lean in medical school. Healthcare providers are taught not to cause suffering and pain to the patients, and by helping them end their life, some may believe this is not ethically right.
The healthcare provider has the option of not helping e client commit suicide. However, they may feel sorrow for the patient and the state of their suffering.
It is ethical for every person to be responsible for their own lives since it is fundamental for everyone. Physician-assisted suicide will only be conducted safely and ethically when physicians ensure that proper safeguards, measures, and consents are enforced (Summasy & Mueller, 2017).
Implication on Managers
The implication of physician-assisted suicide is not only causing legal and ethical issues but also affects health service managers. The repercussions affect the health managers deciding for those in a situation where they want to commit suicide, and the manager is unwilling to support them. As health service managers, one must advocate for other providers and the patient's wishes even if one does not believe in patient-assisted suicide. The health manager's work is to bring an opinion that is biased and ensure that the wishes of the patient are obeyed if the state laws have legalized the act (McClelland & Goligher, 2019).
Healthcare managers are the face of health organizations. The entire community looks up to them, seeking answers to why an action happened or failed to happen. This occurred commonly when the patient underwent physician-assisted suicide, but their family members were not supporting the idea. As a healthcare manager, one needs to remain educated and grounded and understand that their work setting involves patient emotions. However, this should not affect the manager's role. The manager is expected to support the patient both ethically and legally.
Implication on Health Economies
Previously people used to think that physician-assisted suicide helps the country with healthcare savings. When the breakdown of savings of physician-assisted suicide was laid down, it was reported that approximately 2.7 million American patients die every year, and these patients are likely to choose physician-assisted suicide. It is estimated that these patients' hospitalization cost in the last month of their life is $10 118. It is estimated that when physician- assisted suicide is legalized, it will save around $627. This figure is less than 0.07% of the country's expenditure on health. Therefore, choosing physician-assisted suicide will not have any significant impact on health economics (Largent et al., 2019).
References
Jansen, .L A., Wall, S., & Miller, F. G. (2019). Drawing the line on physician-assisted death. Journal of Medical Ethics; 45:190-197. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2018- 105003
Largent, E. A., Terrasse, M., Harkins, K., Sisti, D. A., Sankar, P., & Karlawish, J. (2019).
Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Death From Individuals Who Learn They Have an Alzheimer Disease Biomarker. JAMA Neurol. 76(7):864–866. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.0797
McClelland, W. & Goligher, E. C. (2019). Withholding or withdrawing life support versus physician-assisted death, Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology: Volume 32 - Issue 2 - p 184-189 doi: 10.1097/ACO.0000000000000686
Quill, T. (2018). Dutch practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide: a glimpse at the edges of the practice. Journal of Medical Ethics 2018; 44:297-298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2018-104759
Summasy, L. S., & Mueller, P. S. (2017). Ethics and the Legalization of Physician-Assisted
Suicide: An American College of Physicians Position Paper. Annals of internal medicine.
https://doi.org/10.7326/M17-0938
Critique of Scholarly Nursing Literature
Purpose of the Study, Research design, and Methodology
The article "Depressed mood and anxiety as risk factors for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; a systematic review and meta-analysis" focuses on looking at the effects of a carrier having anxiety and depression on the pregnancy. It has been known that having stress and such psychosocial factors influence blood pressure in the general population. Still, many are less familiar with its effect on hypertensive pregnancy disorders (HDP), which is among the most significant maternal deaths. This research was put forth to tackle that case. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between depression and pregnancy anxiety and hypertensive disorders and to determine if their presence is a risk factor in early pregnancy. The methodology used was a combination of medical data sources and research from Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. It accompanied an analysis of the presence or non-existence of psychosocial causes or a medical report of clinically relevant symptoms. Consequently, a diagnosis of HDP was made, and finally, the comparison between the depressed and anxious to their opposites was made to get an inference.
Data collection methods, sample size, and summary of findings
Comprehensive, detailed research was done up until March 2020 across 61.2 million pregnancies, involving a total of 44 studies, and out of that, 6291 inferences were made. The data was of mixed-method, both qualitative and quantitative. There is the clinical diagnosis of significant symptoms of depression and anxiety that were carried out. Also, a look at a pregnant woman's medical record to see for the recent history of a former diagnosis was considered. The 6291 citations found that depression and anxiety were associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The results were tabulated at a confidence interval of 95% and came out with a risk ratio of 1.39.
In summary, whenever it was found that anxiety or depression existed during pregnancy, the relation between depression and anxiety with HDP stood. The risk ratio was at 1.27 at a 95% confidence interval (Shay et al., 2020). Therefore, females who experience anxiety and depression within their pregnancy have a higher prevalence of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy than those with no symptoms.
Strengths and Limitations of the study
From what I have observed, the research conducted had several strengths. First, it was done over a long period and across very many pregnancies amounting to 61.2 million, and this ensured quality of the conclusions made. Furthermore, many sources were used to gather the data, including Medline and Embase, similarly ensuring accurate calculations. The quantitative data was relatively easy to analyze, and it provides data that is very precise and reliable. The qualitative data is cost-efficient, and it complements the quantitative data by providing more information to explain complex issues.
There was a couple of limitations of this study from what I have observed. Time was consumed in the data collection stage, difficult to analyze, especially the qualitative data. Another limitation is that the pregnant women may not have been open about expressing their psychological issues, which would consequently lead to erroneous data. Since it takes a long period and access to personal information, it is an expensive research study.
Recommendations
The following are the recommendations I figured best fit for the future potential application from the limitations and strengths. The research study should aim more to get more quantitative data than qualitative data, enhancing the findings' accuracy. Data should be collected from a psyche evaluation that has been done while the woman is pregnant and not taken from the history of the medical records.
References
Shay, M., MacKinnon, A., Metcalfe, A., Giesbrecht, G., Campbell, T., & Nerenberg, K. et al. (2020). Depressed mood and anxiety as risk factors for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, 50(13), 2128-2140. https://doi.org/1 0.1017/s0033291 720003062
Comfort Theory by Katharine Kolcaba
In a hospital setting patient recovery integrates both medication procedures and other additional care practices. Through thoughtful processes, nursing theorists have been able to come up with various nursing theories that are key in ensuring both the patient and the nurse achieve their care desires and outcomes. This paper describes comfort theory developed by a nurse theorist Katherine Kolcaba. The paper provides Katherine's background as a nursing theory, including the various social and professional concerns that led to the development of the theory. Also, the discussion presents the major assumptions that might have been taken into consideration while developing the theory, some of the assumptions made by the theorist, and the application of the theory to a clinical situation.
Background of the Nurse Theorist and Various Issues that Influenced its Development
The comfort theory is a nursing philosophy that was developed by Katherine Kolcaba. Kolcaba is an American nurse, born in December 1944. Her theory has overtime been applied at institutional levels and is regarded as a midrange theory. All through her career, Katherine Kolcaba has been able to work in various sections in a hospital setting as a caregiver, which includes working as a long-term caregiver, medical nurse, and home caregiver. Although the concept of comfort in nursing existed even before Katherine, she revolutionized it by making it measurable by enhancing aspects that could be defined making her the pioneer of the theory (Snowden et al., 2014). Various social and professional concerns led to the development of the theory.
Katherine became more interested in turning around the concept that existed in nursing and caregiving and introduces a comforting concept that would facilitate measuring and evaluating the quality of care. One professional concern leading to the development of the theory was the unavailability of aspects that could evaluate the level of comfort existing in a caregiving setting for both the patient and the caregiver. She became more intrigued while working as a caregiver to patients with dementia. The realization that comfort was key to the quality of care given to patients led Kolcaba to integrate the environmental, physical, and sociocultural aspects that brought comfort.
Major Concepts and Relational Statements of the Nursing Theory
In most cases, the healthcare environment becomes a burden to both the care giver and the patient unless comforting measures are put in place. In the case of patients, they are often discomforted with the treatment procedures and medication they are subjected to for them to manage the disease they are battling.
From that perspective, Katherine Kolcaba identified the need for a measurable comfort philosophy and she believes that comfort is key to patients under care due to the side effects of the medication process. Thus, she developed comfort theory as a guide and a way to address the need for comfort during care. The major concepts of the nursing theory are that by providing a care setting that provides the patient with ease, relief, and transcendence, the patients, their families, and nurses can develop health-pursuing behaviors. The relational statement of the theory is that the main point of focus in caregiving is the patient. Thus, nurses are tasked with seeking approaches that provide a desirable physiological, mental and environmental state to the patient (Xiong et al., 2019). Therefore, by providing comforting parameters to a patient that is through availing ease, relief, and transcendence, the patient can cope with the stressful circumstances that arise due to the medical care process. The nurse, alongside the patient's family, is also afforded a sense of comfort regarding the patient's situation.
Assumptions made by the Nurse Theorist
The assumptions made by Katherine Kolcaba while developing the comfort theory are centered on the idea of a patient as any other human. The key assumption is that as human beings, patients respond to complex stimuli holistically. Therefore, as human beings, patients endeavor to attain a sense of comfort, and once they are availed with ease, relief and transcendence they gain a feeling of strength. In this case, ease creates an environment of contentment for the patient.
Providing a form of care that appeals to the patient whereby they can attain some sense of happiness and show gratification then they achieve comfort in form of ease.
The sense of feeling content with the care and overall treatment offered to the patient creates comfort. Another form of comfort needed by patients is through helping patients experience a sense of relief. That could be relief from the pain caused by medication procedures undergone or the side effects of the medication.
Relief could be in the form of medication intended to minimize the pain resulting from a medical procedure or a specific ailment. With transcendence, the assumption is built on the idea that patients provided with this sense of comfort can overcome the challenges the diseases are causing them. For instance, a patient suffering from a terminal illness understands that at some point they will have to give up their lives, however, through transcendence they are strengthened to overcome the anxieties and worry. The assumptions of comfort theory are consistently compatible with the personal philosophy of nursing, especially because comfort highly contributes to the quality of care given to a patient.
The Application of Comfort Theory to a Clinical Situation and How it Influences the way Care is Given
Comfort theory offers aspects through which a nurse can receive guidance in the provision of care and also evaluate their actions. The three main elements are ease, relief, and transcendence. The theory is applicable in a clinical situation where the patient under care is suffering from a terminal illness like cancer. In this case, the patient understands that they are will not recover and the realization that they will lose their lives can be discomforting. Also, the various medication procedures the patient underdoes put them in pain and discomfort. However, having a care setting that is guided by the comfort theory, the patient can receive comfort. Through ease, the caregiver can attend to the patient and provide contentment and satisfaction that helps the patient overcome any form of anxiety. Additionally, through relief, the patient can be relieved the pain and strain. Cancer patients are faced with many challenges including the side effects resulting from medication (Chou et al., 2016).
Therefore, through relief, the nurse can know how to attend to the patient and provide medication that reduces pain. Transcendence offers the patient the ability to stay strong and accept traumatizing facts like the disease is incurable and they will at one point lose their lives. The theory influences caregiving in a clinical setting by improving the quality of care for patients with terminal illnesses.
References
Chou, F. Y., Kuang, L. Y., Lee, J., Yoo, G. J., & Fung, L. C. (2016). Challenges in Cancer Self-management of Patients with Limited English Proficiency. Asia Pacific journal of oncology nursing , 3(3), 259-265. https://doi.org/10.4103/234 7-5625.189815
Sitzman, Kathleen; Eichelberger, Lisa Wright (2015). Understanding the Work of Nurse Theorists. Jones & Bartlett Learning. ISBN 978128411 311 2.
Snowden, A. Donnell, A. & Duffy, T. (2014). Pioneering Theories in Nursing. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 9781856424806 .
Xiong, Y., Xing, H., Hu, L., Xie, J., Liu, Y., & Hu, D. (2019). Effects of comfort care on symptoms, gastric motility, and mental state of patients with functional dyspepsia. Medicine, 98(25), e16110. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.000000000001 6110
Clinical Systems Literature Review: The Australian Healthcare Context
Health facilities and hospitals are continuously trying to improve the delivery of care given to patients, their accountability, efficiencies, time, and reducing costs. A good method of improving quality measures within any healthcare organization is using available resources so that they can achieve greater leverage concerning technology developments and advancements. It is imperative for healthcare organizations to facilitate coordination of patient care across all levels of treatment so that timely efforts and safety are placed at the forefront (Lim, 2017). A significant method of improving care and coordination is via increasing the connectivity capabilities that exists among the multiple clinical systems (p. 9). Thus, a proper integration among these systems should be adhered to so that clinicians can obtain efficient patient information at whatever time they need it. It is also essential for all healthcare organizations to turn their attention to new advanced technology availabilities given that technology enhances the care of delivery and because it is useful towards increasing efficiency, security, workflows, safety, and can help decrease medical mistakes. The study conducted by Jenkins (2017) had objectives that measure the association among advanced electronic medical records and how diabetes quality measures would correlate to bring about positive results for patients. The design of the study used a retrospective audit of PHR as well as a multivariable regression analysis (Jenkins, 2017). The patients used in the study included 10,746 participants among the ages of 18 to 75 that were being seen at a primary care facility location in Cleveland from 2008 to 2009 (p. 423). The results of the study concluded that patients using clinical support systems improved their diabetes outcomes due to the levels of higher engagement that took place concerning them becoming more involved with their health.
Clinical systems are vital elements of achieving better communication and it is essential given that when failures of communication happen, the coordination also fails which can cause potential deaths or health risks for patients (Lim, 2017). Developing excellent coordination skills can help improve the variations and methods of health records whereas electronically, they are created within the system. This also helps productivity because it is much easier to locate and distribute health records of patients as opposed to how it is with the traditional paper methods.
Clinical records allow for easier retrieval and distribution as well as capturing significant details of the patients past and current medical data that clinicians can use to increase the quality of care for patients (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017).
There have been recent studies regarding applications of personal health records becoming effective for those suffering from diabetes. Within this literature, there are revisions of elements that relate to how diabetics can utilize technology advancements to maintain and control their sugar levels (Jenkins, 2017). The study uses ideas from a clinical specialist that has developed and validated the components of diabetic diseases so that patients can take increased advantages towards recording their data and gaining up-to-date information concerning their health (p. 47). Clinical applications also help those with diabetes to provide accurate and efficient information at the point of care which enables for quicker access to the information presented in the form of data.
Records help patients keep accurate details as well as provides them with opportunities of achieving a better diagnosis regarding their diabetic situations. Clinical applications also provide safer and realistic methods of improving security measures with privacy alerts so that patients can identify if access is authentic or not (Jenkins, 2017). The diabetic health records also ensure that the patients suffering from diabetes achieve better health care, an increase in safety measures are met, as well as efficiency and communication elements for the patients are successful with physicians. The records also help patients understand better healthier choices they can make concerning their health as well as engaging in more physical activity (Jenkins, 2017). Physical activity is essential for those who have diabetes because it helps to improve their nutritional values while avoiding risky lifestyles or behaviors.
Most healthcare facilities are in the process, have already, or are planning to incorporate the new and improved technologies available so that assurance can be made to fill in the gaps that have decreased coordination among facilities. According to Detmer (2018), "care coordination and software is a growing market that is expected to increase by 26% in the year, which is a significant increase from 2015 to 2018" (p. 46). Coordination is essential to be included among the variations of technologies that are available given the different degrees of functions and integration capabilities. This also includes real-time communication processes providing physicians with the abilities to analyses and report the variations to the stakeholders ("HealthIT.gov", 2019). Thus, becoming essential when it is time to address the complex financial issues and operational challenges that arise in the healthcare industry.
It becomes essential for health care systems and facilities to maintain their focus towards reducing costs while also leveraging the available platforms and technology resources so that optimization of workflow is achieved within the clinical setting (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017). This would help address the challenges in healthcare that is a result of poor coordination and communication. Communication and collaboration help sustain the productivity levels of clinicians so that improvements in safety and care can be achieved, leading to greater satisfaction outcomes concerning patients. Thus, an improvement in readmissions and reimbursements would be made.
When it pertains to personal health records, these are mandated to become available for patients in providing them with better access to their health information records. Thus, encourages that they participate in the decision-making process to that better health outcomes can be achieved which also enables for corrections of errors if they are found within the data. The purpose of the study conducted by Jenkins (2017), provides an analyzes towards the important components of enabling patients to be able to view their records and how providers and patients through collaborations succeed with positive end goals" (p. 47).
According to Healthlt.gov (2019), "personal health records are essential tools for healthcare providers and patients alike because it enables for better results towards corrections that help achieve positive outcomes concerning the data input and output." Personal health records can also present challenges for the patients who aren't understanding towards the usage of it. The providers can become concerned regarding the relevance as patients enter into their portals because it allows for actions to eliminate the critical information that is contained within the records ("Healthit.gov", 2019). Concerns regarding this understanding and the legal liabilities that go along with it are not the time nor cost-effective for providers to achieve proper efficiencies.
Past records were in the traditional paper sense whereas it made it harder to locate information concerning patients, find errors and correct them, as well as hard to transfer to other facilities. However, with advanced and new technology, patients and physicians can find anything they need with one click as well as submits information electronically. In the study conducted by McGonigle & Mastrian (2017), they excluded high-risk bias and those conducted in non-clinical settings. The research analysis was conducted by using both published and non published resources and included Medline, Cochrane Database, and Embase as their searching strategy. The study found that the clinical decision support helps provide medical professionals with the necessary information needed that is patient-specific and that is intended to increase positive decision making concerning the outcomes of patient's satisfaction and well-being (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2017). The study also concluded that when facilities use clinical systems it is found effective in changing and prescribing medication errors that have resulted in clinical importance towards treatment outcomes.
In conclusion, clinical systems have greatly benefited the healthcare system while helping to improve safety measures, medication and records errors, as well as patient satisfaction.
Clinical systems help physicians find support when it concerns locating, retrieving, and allocating patient-centered data and enhancing the decision-making process when it concerns diagnosing patients. Clinical systems also provide full access to patients so that they can understand what is going on with their health to take responsibilities towards the future of their health outcomes. There is significance importance when it concerns the personal health records and support data for diabetic patients so that physicians can better treat them and so that they can take charge of their own health such as the lifestyle-changing, they need to make or increase.
References
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Detmer, D. M. (2018). Integrated personal health records. Medical informatics and decision making, 45-59.
Jenkins T. M. (2017). The association between personal health record use and diabetes quality measures. J Gen Intern Med. 2012; 27(4):420-424.doi:10.1007/s11606-011-1889-0. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3304034/pdf/116062011Article1 889.J;ldf
Lim S, K. S. (2017). A survey on ubiquitous healthcare service demand among diabetic patients. PubMed, 7-13.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2017). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.