NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends
NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends
BY DAY 3 OF WEEK 6
Post a brief description of general healthcare technology trends, particularly related to data/information you have observed in use in your healthcare organization or nursing practice. Describe any potential challenges or risks that may be inherent in the technologies associated with these trends you described. Then, describe at least one potential benefit and one potential risk associated with data safety, legislation, and patient care for the technologies you described NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends. Next, explain which healthcare technology trends you believe are most promising for impacting healthcare technology in nursing practice and explain why. Describe whether this promise will contribute to improvements in patient care outcomes, efficiencies, or data management. Be specific and provide examples.
Healthcare Information Technology Trends
Electronic Health Records (EHR), MyChart, which enables patients to view results and contact their doctors, and more recently, Covid-19 for telemedicine video visits are all used at my place of business to guarantee that care is accessible across all specialties. Most hospitals in the United States now use EHR due to the simplicity with which many professionals can view charts and the convenience of digitally making all the information available. Patients can view their charts, communicate with their doctors, make appointments, and keep track of their child’s care using the MyChart app. Telemedicine is now a viable option for receiving medical attention without leaving the comfort of your home or visiting the hospital. Without the additional strain of the epidemic, they have aided those seeking long-term therapy for mental health issues. People with chronic illnesses can also benefit from routine checkups. We are also using them to measure blood pressure and weight to help manage pregnancies during the pandemic and monitor preeclampsia.
Challenges And Risks at Work
One of the biggest technological challenges we encounter at my job is that most programs are in English. Spanish and Somali are the two languages that my non-English speaking patients most frequently speak. MyChart, for instance, is only offered in English. To receive test results and instructions on what symbols to look for, I can assist patients in setting up email accounts. All icons and links are in English, even though MyChart allows us to send messages in multiple languages. After researching, I learned that the mobile app’s default language could be Spanish (Shull, 2019). It isn’t compatible with Somalia and is only accessible via the mobile app. Even though MyChart allows for language switching, not all healthcare organizations can use this feature (Shull, 2019) NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends.
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A patient care, safety, and law: advantages and risks
Patients and families with chronic illnesses, restricted mobility, or complex care management benefit from the convenience of telemedicine visits. Telemedicine monitoring of vital signs or video can be helpful for families who need daily checkups but struggle to get to the hospital (Kleib et al., 2021). Community nurses who perform training visits and vital sign checks may benefit. To assist families in learning how to stay on top of new diagnoses, we provide home nurses who provide early diabetes and asthma care.
The issue with telemedicine regulation is that providers must hold a license in the state where the patient is currently located to treat such patients (Shull, 2019). At my place of employment, due to liability concerns, nurses cannot provide instruction, assessment, or other medical services via video visits. I am aware that insurance companies have given some thought to not providing coverage through my employer. Obtaining everyone’s permission in the house before a telemedicine appointment is another safety concern because they can hear sensitive medical information. Additionally, you should be aware that all consultations between the family and the doctor are confidential (Kleib et al., 2021).
Foreseeable healthcare trends
A rising trend is digital health literacy, which comprises of knowledge and the skill of using digital technologies in a connected health environment (Balaji & Clever, 2021). Wearable medical technology will be the newest development in outpatient healthcare. My employer provided Fitbit scales and Bluetooth to track patient care through grants to physicians and nutritionists who operate weight management clinics. To track their activity levels and log their meals for a nutritionist’s review, patients can use the FitBit app to track their activity levels. NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends The provider’s weight management database stores patients’ weight and daily exercise information. They can keep an eye on their eating and exercise to lose weight and enhance patient outcomes.
References
Balaji, A., & Clever, S. L. (2021). Incorporating medical students into primary care telehealth visits: Tutorial. JMIR Medical Education, 7(2), e24300. doi: 10.2196/24300.
Kleib, M., Chauvette, A., Furlong, K., Nagle, L., Slater, L., & McCloskey, R. (2021). Approaches for defining and assessing nursing informatics competencies: a scoping review. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 19(4), 794-841. doi: 10.11124/JBIES-20-00100.
Shull, J. G. (2019). Digital health and the state of interoperable electronic health records. JMIR Medical Informatics, 7(4), e12712.
BY DAY 6 OF WEEK 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, offering additional/alternative ideas regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations shared.
I really appreciate your post and the attention it draws to the need for being able to provide access for non and/or Limited-English speaking patients.
I live in Maine and work for Maine Behavioral Health. I am new to my present job but worked for the same agency a few years ago, and having translators available for live patients has always been a priority for Maine Behavioral Health. When I was a floor nurse in the locked psych unit we had translators for everyone through an agency, available to come to the facility and also by phone. Maine also has a large Somalian population, so we had translators for Somalian patients.
However, as you point out, with the trend of patients using telehealth for treatment and patient portals that are not written in their native language, the ability to effectively serve people is hampered. Jones et al. (2022) discuss how English-speaking patients were satisfied with a telehealth and patient portal experience vs Limited English-speaking patients who were generally left unsatisfied with the experience. To ensure health equity, there is a responsibility for providers to ensure that even people who are not native speakers can access the same health benefits, such as the use of a patient portal. Saif et al (2022) also identify patients who are limited in their English speaking as infrequent users of patient portals. This study recognizes the need for change and promotes that greater language accessibility in portals will increase use. NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends However, the changes in this study only include adding Spanish language capabilities to the portal.
Lyels et al. (2017) point out that currently, there are no federal guidelines for language accessibility for EHRs. However, they look to the model of accessibility for the world wide web that ensures translatability and access to pages for people of many languages. The suggestion of these writers is that providers of EHRs look to taking a proactive approach to developing this accessibility. I hope that your agency (and mine) takes the time to help remove these barriers for their Limited English-speaking patients.
Jones, S. A., Van Driest, S., Sommer, E. C., Brown, M. M., Carlson, K. L., Yared, A., Bialostozky, A., Bonnet, K. R., Schlundt, D. G., & Barkin, S. L. (2022). Direct-to-patient telehealth equity: Reaching diverse pediatric populations in primary care. Families, Systems, & Health. https://doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000685Links to an external site.
Lyles, C. R., Fruchterman, J., Youdelman, M., & Schillinger, D. (2017). Legal, Practical, and Ethical Considerations for Making Online Patient Portals Accessible for All. American Journal of Public Health, 107(10), 1608–1611. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.303933
Saif, N., Blackstone, S. R., Sebring, A., & Compton, R. (2022). Improving Electronic Patient Portal Use in Groups with Low Utilization at a Family Medicine Practice. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 26(2), 4–15
NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends sample 2
Main Question Post:
Technology usage in healthcare is continuously evolving. Many organizations have shifted from the standard way of paper charting to electronic charting, hospitals also offer patient portals to access health information, and electronic devices (cardiac monitors or vitals machines) can now be used to monitor patients. Some healthcare trends that I have observed within my hospital are the use of electronic heath records (EHRs), and the use of mobile apps by patients.
Technologies in Healthcare
EHRs are digital versions of a patient’s chart, that provides real-time, patient-centered records that make information available instantly and securely to authorized users (HealthIT, 2018c). I work as an endoscopy and motility nurse. As a motility nurse the EHR is useful if my patient forgets certain procedures they have had performed. I can easily get into their chart and look under the procedures tab to locate the patient’s specific procedure and date it was performed. The EHR provides easy access to patient information by clinical staff. As an endoscopy nurse I can use the EHR to chart medications as well as vital signs during a procedure. NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends The use of mobile apps such as (MyChart) is another healthcare trend that has gained popular use in my hospital. The MyChart app allows patients to view basic information and results from their hospital visits. I cannot count how many times a patient has asked “So will that information be available in Mychart?” This entails that patients are eager to track and see their healthcare information as it becomes available.
Benefits and risk associated with Technology in Healthcare
One of the benefits of having an EHR in the hospital would be being able to access patient information quickly and increasing patient safety. For instance, when administering medication to patients there is a prompt to scan your own badge for identification, the patients badge for identification, and lastly the medication. This system within the EHR aids in reducing medication error to increase patient safety. McGonigle and Mastrian (2022) mention a study that concluded that nurses report better care outcomes and fewer concerns with patient safety if there is a basic EHR. One risk of patients being able to use mobile apps for health information is privacy breaches. Patients can easily be targeted for health information, if they are not aware of certain phishing acts. It would be important for nurses to educate patients on using secure devices, and internet services if they will be using mobile apps.
Healthcare technology trends most promising for the future
Telehealth is one of the technology trends that I suspect will continue to impact the nursing practice. Telehealth is the use of digital information and communication technologies to access health services remotely and manage healthcare NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends. Telehealth has many benefits such as making health care easier to access for people in rural areas, keeping the community safe when there are infectious diseases (such as Covid-19), and making healthcare easy to access for people with limited mobility, or transportation issues (Mayo Clinic, 2022). Telehealth visits can also be utilized by those that are immunocompromised. Instead of having to go to the hospital where they can be exposed to certain pathogens, they can safely be at home for routine visits or follow up care NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends.
References
HealthIT.gov. (2018c). What is an electronic health record (HER). Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-health-record-ehrLinks to an external site.
Mayoclinic.org. (2022). Telehealth: Technology meets health care. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/telehealth/art-20044878Links to an external site.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends sample response
I enjoyed reading your post, it is very detailed and informative. Indeed, telehealth is taking healthcare to a new state and impacting nursing practice positively. Telehealth certainly helps keep patients safe as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, it helped prevent the spread of infection by allowing healthcare providers to communicate virtually with patients from safe locations. Although telehealth visits occur virtually this does not interfere with the ability of nurses to provide adequate patient care. McGonigle and Mastrian (2018) mentioned the importance of telehealth in helping nurses adhere to standards of practice and perform their tasks efficiently.
Cost saving is another important way telehealth has improved healthcare. For healthcare organizations, telehealth ensures more patients are seen compared to individual visits which take time and with high potential for patients to cancel appointments. In addition, patients are able to save money and time with the use of telehealth instead of commuting to the doctor’s office, especially if the appointment is not medically urgent. Marr (2022) mentioned providers have realized that for many conditions, care can be provided more efficiently and cost-effectively at a distance.
The use of electronic health records (EHR) helps provide safe and proficient care to patients. As you mentioned, EHR helps nurses easily access their patient information which has led to improved documentation. The adaptation of EHR better helps nurses with understanding patients’ medical history such as allergies, treatment plans, and current and past medications used. EHRs are a vital part of health IT and contain a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images, and laboratory and test results (HealthIT, 2018c). It is important that all healthcare organizations incorporate the use of EHR in their documentation system to better navigate patient health information.
References
HealthIT.gov. (2018c). What is an electronic health record (EHR). Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-health-record-ehrLinks to an external site.
Marr, B. (2022). The Top 5 Healthcare Trends In 2023. Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2022/12/06/the-top-5-healthcare-trends-in-2023/?sh=170a4717565bLinks to an external site.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends sample response 2
I enjoyed reading your post and can relate to the growing use of patient portals such as MyChart. My organization too uses this platform to provide patients with real time electronic medical record results and many other advocating features it offers. Interestingly, our organization with the start of MyChart had much difficulty getting patients engaged in its use with only 30% of our patients utilizing it but have recently identified nearly 75% of our patient population using the platform since the COVID-19 Pandemic. Individuals are becoming increasingly accustomed to having access to their provider and health information real time via tele health and electronic records which certainly puts added pressure on healthcare organizations to stay current and continue to learn about new advancements in regards to health care delivery. The electronic health record (EHR) has great potential for improving patient outcomes and can allow clinicians to better advocate for their patients through unique advantages such as using the EHR and decision support functions to identify patients who qualify for research studies or prescription drug benefits offered by pharmaceutical companies at safety net clinics and hospitals (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022) NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends. Safety net refers to U.S. medical hospitals and clinics that have a mission, legal duty, or obligation to afford health care to individuals regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022). The emergence of Telehealth supports many different patient populations but holds great promise for the delivery of care of the mental health patients. In randomized trials telemental health has been shown to be comparable or even superior to in-person care, including patients with depression and schizophrenia (Patel et al. 2020). Also Telehealth services allow for patients to receive needed care that might be difficult due to transportation issues. The barriers that must be eliminated are the lack of confidence and trust in the healthcare delivery system, lack of standardized health information, payment and reimbursement issues and the fact that privacy laws are not standard and can lead to misinterpretation (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2022).
References
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of
knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Patel, S.Y., Huskamp, H.A., Busch, A. B., & Mehrotra, A. (2020). Telemental Health and US Rural-Urban Differences in Specialty Mental Health Use, 2010-2017. American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1308-1314. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305657 NURS-6051N Module 4: Week 6: Discussion healthcare information technology trends
