Everyday Dangers and Benefits of the Information Technology in Healthcare

Introduction

Information Technology (IT) has much benefits in health care while it rapidly grows since 2012. However, technology can have a negative impact on care to patients or cause costly mistakes that impacts patient safety. Information Technology currently is being used in healthcare for various things such as tele-medicine, tele-health, and telecare devices. The use of the Triple Aim Framework was developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to optimize the performance of the health system. The Digital Health Selection Framework (DHSF) software was incorporated to guide patients, providers, and physicians with the framework to the health system. The intentions of the IHI Innovation Project to scan for health technology innovations that will provide value to the health systems in order to achieve the IHI Triple Aim. Many believe that the use of technology is beneficial, reliable and cost effective, however some issues that can cause everyday dangers to the industry in the areas of patient safety, technology tasks, and organization and environment. Understanding the dangers and minimizing risks is key to protecting patients and their rights.

The Increasing Everyday Dangers of the Technological Progress

With the constant changes in technology, computer-science literature is used to assist with the production of the process to maintain the digital health technology framework which is currently viewed as an asset to the health systems. Some analytical data has shown that there is a demand for further expansion in the technology area in order to provide jobs opportunities to make the frame work expandable and more efficient to all. It has also shown that the dangers keep increasing as expansion and upgrading of systems are made.

Everyday Dangers That Impact the Technology Communication of Platform Exchange

As stated in the introduction, with the various technical infrastructures that are used in the healthcare industry, there are gaps that do not allow the different devices to connect to the main framework. There are various systems being used to offer support to medical professionals such as the Patient Care Information Systems (PCIS), Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) and systems that are used for medication dispensary. With the current global shortage of workers within the healthcare industry, like health providers and assistants, it has caused nurses and doctors to not full-fill to their capability the demand for care, whether it be in the hospitals, rehabilitation center, hospice, or in-home care facilities. The demand for technology and innovators has created products that will take some of the work loads of many health facilities and medical professionals to reduce time and efforts, but it takes away from quality of care and patient medical professional relationships.

Benefits and Everyday Dangers of Electronic Health and Medical Records

Using the Electronic Health Records or Electronic Medical Records has proven to be beneficial, those that use various software programs may not allow a patient records to be consolidated into one record for John Doe as an example. John may have three records across five different platforms. Each record that is missing pertinent information can lead to misdiagnosing or duplication of testing. If John receives Home Health Care, that information should be uploaded to a central unit that authorized physicians can access his records to monitor his care or view his history. John or authorized relatives should also be able to have access to some of the same information to follow along with past and current treatment plans. The devices that he uses such as glucose meter, or mobile apps, should have the same capability to be uploaded int the central unit. However, there is a barrier that does not allow for the multiple platforms to link which will mean that patients must keep records of all treatment plans or an organized folder of all healthcare records.

There are frequent changes an upgrading in the use of technical devices which puts facilities at a disadvantage when trying to keep up with the latest machines or devices. It also impacts the delivery of care to a patient. Each system must maintain the current data interchange formats to ensure that the encoding and sequencing in order to exchange information. This is vitally important if patients are using home-based technology. There are risks associated with home-based technology if the patient cannot maintain the upgrading of the devices.

Everyday Dangers That Impact Patient Confidentiality

Patient information should be held with strict confidentiality, however when storing patient records on computers or in a cloud base, it puts the patient’s information in a vulnerable state. This state allows for cyber criminals to access and retrieve the sensitive data and hold it at ransom. However, patient safety is not only threatened by the cyber criminals, there is also internal data breaching by employees who gain access without permission and share patient information. This information can be used to gain financial information of a patient; steal a patient’s identity; use the information to jeopardize a patient’s employment. This is a small area of how patient safety is in danger due to technology.

The Lose of Patient's Privacy as One of the Everyday Dangers 

Another risk is the patient’s use of mobile devices to access their records. If the patient does not log out and they lose their mobile device, others will be able to access their records. Patients must understand that it is their responsibility to protect the device that they use and safeguard any confidential information given to them regarding their health whether it is hard copy information or information that they retrieved electronically. Patients also run the risk if they use secondary apps from their mobile devices that may save some of their personal information or it may provide the patient with information for self-diagnosing which may not be accurate since the app would not initially have all the patient’s medical history. This can cause confusion with the patient and physician as most times the patient will query what the doctor has diagnosed.