Final Views on Emerging Healthcare Information Systems

Throughout this blog we have covered several topics concerning the information systems in the field of healthcare. Included have been the basis of what information systems are and how they have previously been used in healthcare to possible new technologies and innovations that can further increase the efficiency of these information systems to the upgrading and implementation of these technologies to the healthcare information systems before our own eyes.

We touched on a few of these innovations that have propelled the efficiency of information systems in the field of healthcare such as IBM's Watson, tablet devices, and online health sites that allow patients to schedule e-visits. Each one of these technologies has brought something new and different to the field of healthcare. IBM's Watson provides the ability to use data analytics in order to more accurately diagnose patients as well as speed up the process of diagnosis. Tablet devices have provided doctors and nurses to have information about their patients more readily available and have given them the ability move more freely from patient to patient since tablets eliminate the need to switch out hard copy charts with separate patients. Interactive healthcare websites have made a world of difference in healthcare, because now people have convenience on their side; after all one of the most common reasons people do not visit the doctor regularly is because they simply do not have time to work them in to their schedule. The three key factors that information systems have improved in the healthcare field are accuracy, speed, and making healthcare more obtainable.

The last innovation we are going wrap things up with is 3-D printing. This innovation was created by merging information systems connected to the 2-D printing industry with the information systems of protoyping and small scale model businesses; which was brought about in the 1980s. But how is this related to the healthcare industry? Just recently 3-D printing has made its debut to the healthcare industry and has greatly impacted the healthcare industry by providing doctors with the ability to preview a to scale model of a specific patient's organ or organs before entering a surgery; this allows a tremendous amount of insight and information that is simply impossible to gain from looking at a CT scan or MRI. 3-D printing has also broke ground in the prosthetic limb and total knee replacements. With the ability of in house 3-D printing or access to a 3-D printing firm doctors can now customize prosthetic limbs and knee replacements to fit each individual patient as close to perfect as possible; instead of the previous way of having to choose from only a select few models that a prosthetic limb or medical supply company may provide. The mesh between the healthcare industry's information systems and printing industry's information systems may pose as the next significant disruptive technology. We feel that this innovation, although a "disruptive" technology will bring about a greatly increased success rate in procedures and in patient recovery to the healthcare systems; which has all been made possible by information systems coming together.

We are excited to see what the future holds for the healthcare industry and although we can not be sure of what it will bring, we are positive that whatever it is will be mind blowing.

 

sources:

http://dailyreckoning.com/3-ways-3-d-printing-could-revolutionize-health-care/

http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140324/INFO/303249992

 

Think back to the last time you had a doctors appointment. How did it affect your day? You most likely had to free up a substantial amount of time in order to drive through lunchtime traffic, wait half an hour in the waiting room, wait another 20 minutes in the examination room, see the doctor, and drive back to work all to be told, “you have a cold.” Like you, I find this process very frustrating not to mention inefficient. Fortunately, healthcare companies have acknowledged this inconvenience leading to a revolutionary new way to visit your physician. With the introduction of e-visits and video visits, you no longer have to sacrifice your time to check on your health.

Recently, I am sure many of you have seen the Novant Health commercial advertising e-visits and video visits as a new way to see your doctor from anywhere. While this technology is new to the healthcare sector, it has led me to question why they are so behind the general technology advancement curve. Face-to-face video communications have been popular since 2003 when Skype first surfaced and businesses across the globe have utilized relatively low cost, high capacity video conferencing since the late 90’s. Why the push to innovate now?

With the increasing competition between healthcare companies, it is no wonder why many are turning to telehealth as a way to differentiate themselves from others. Telehealth not only makes doctors visits more practical for those who are too busy to see the doctor, but it allows companies such as Novant Health to reach the rural patient who may not have a means of getting to a doctor within a reasonable distance. With the use of e-visits and video visits, all it takes is an internet connection and you are instantly in the same room as your doctor.

Although this innovation is convenient and practical, do you think it will eventually replace the more personal face-to-face visits that we are accustomed to? Could you see yourself using this technology?

Sources:

• ·      http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/consumer-health/in-depth/telehealth/art-20044878
• ·      http://www.novanthealth.org/home/patients--visitors/mychart/e-visits-and-video-visits.aspx
• ·      https://www.healthpartners.com/public/coverage-criteria/telehealth

Mobile Technology in Healthcare

The launch of the iPad in 2010 also launched the healthcare industry into a mobile revolution. According to Manhattan research, tablet use among U.S. physicians "doubled in one year with 62% of doctors reporting that they regularly use a tablet for professional purposes. Half of them use iPads in point of care situations involving patients.” Since that report, mobile technology has advanced rapidly, and its use has grown faster than most expected, infiltrating just about every aspect of healthcare.

Some of the ways medical professionals utilize mobile technology are:

·      Accessing electronic medical records (EMR):  Doctors now can access patient records with the swipe of a finger on their tablet. This saves them from printing out and carrying around paper copies of medical history. This also allows them to update the records more quickly and efficiently, aiding in collaboration with others on the medical team.  

·      Research and Referencing: Mobile devices allow medical professionals to quickly and easily access resources like Medscape Mobile, an app by WebMD with thousands of free drug, disease, and procedure references. The days of thumbing through huge volumes of medical references are over with searchable online databases at one’s fingertips.

·      Diagnostic and Treatment Aids: Hospital systems are becoming equipped with the technology to instantly upload test results, X-Ray images, and more to a doctor’s mobile device. This allows them to get real-time updates on patients remotely and make critical decisions more quickly. There are also mobile apps that calculate drug dosages

·      Communication: Tablets can be an excellent tool for communicating with patients. Applications such as Skeletal System Pro III provide interactive charts and images that doctors and patients can view together while discussing diagnosis and treatment.

Besides the benefits of improved care and communication explained above, patients also enjoy additional benefits from mobile technology. Among these are:

·      More accessible information: Healthcare systems involve so much more than just the actual medical information, and they can be hard to navigate for the uninitiated. One hospital in Singapore has installed iPads in kiosks around the hospital where visitors and patients can look up hospital information and find their way around the building. The app VueMe gives individuals the ability to view their medical images. It is not intended for self-diagnosis, but allows for easy access to images for doctor visits.

·      Empowerment: Some mobile apps allow individuals to take steps in their own healthcare, alleviating some dependence on professionals and the cost of doctor visits. The mobile app BiliCam allows parents to screen their newborn baby for jaundice at home. The app has been found to be more accurate than some hospital equipment and can alert the parent if a hospital visit is necessary. Apps like these are making it more and more feasible for individuals to take charge of their own health and take preventative action.

There are some limitations to mobile technology, but advances are constantly being made to remedy these. For instance, the lack of a keyboard is a major hindrance in taking notes and updating records for many doctors. However, one company is working on a voice recognition software that will allow for speech-to-text technology that will eliminate the need for typing. Another major concern for hospitals is the security risk presented by mobile devices, not only for the actual devices which are small and easy to steal, but also because of the sensitive data on them.  The Medopad application being developed in the UK can be set up so that when a device leaves the hospital network, patient information would no longer be available on it.

While some are concerned that pervasive use of technology could get in the way of doctor-patient relationships, making healthcare automated and less human, it could be argued that the many benefits of mobile technology far surpass the costs. In fact, in the hands of a caring and conscientious doctor, they should only improve the quality of care.  

How has mobile technology changed your healthcare experience?

IBM and Innovative Health Care systems

Clinics from all around the world are now implementing various Information Systems to process and organize patient data.  With the increasing amount of logs and documents it is now essential to have an Information System capable of structuring all the data and developing hypothesis based on analyzed data.  Industries also understand the rising demand for efficient and effective Healthcare Information Systems.  IBM has developed a world class technology capable of processing information just as a human would.

 “Watson is a cognitive technology that processes information more like a human than a computer—by understanding natural language, generating hypotheses based on evidence, and learning as it goes”  But how does Watson improve Healthcare information systems?  Here’s an example.  A physician can describe symptoms of a patient which would be information put into the system.  The next step involves mining through previous data of the patient and finding relevant information such as family history, medications, and similar conditions.  By accessing this data Watson can then form a hypothesis on how to treat the patient.  This task used to be the sole responsibility of physicians.  Just try to imagine the amount of research physicians had to do on their patients before developing a correct method of treatment!

This innovative technology may provide benefits for healthcare systems but can also come with a few problems.  1) Integrating a new system can be very complicated and time consuming 2) There are multiple security concerns and constant risk due to hackers, identity theft, unauthorized access to data, etc. 3) The govt. tries to mandate Health Information Technology which in turn actually hinders the success of Health Information Technology.  Hire-ups like government officials may devise a plan which is not in the interest of physicians who are the ones implementing it.

Innovation of healthcare information systems has drastically improved the way physicians interact with patients and derive solutions for treatment.  From a patient perspective, do you recognize any innovative health technologies that help improve your visits to the doctor?  Let us know!

The Uses and Importance of Emerging Healthcare Information Systems

Healthcare Information Technology was put front and center when the Affordable Care Act was put into effect, and thousands of Americans flooded to the new health care exchanges. The information system (IS) was not able to handle the traffic and many lost confidence in the government to administrate the new health care system. This is just one illustration of how important information systems and their supporting technologies are to an organization, and especially in large scale industries such as healthcare. A person might put up with an ineffective or outdated IS when they go to buy a pair of shoes, but when it comes to their health they want to know that they will be taken care of in the best possible way. A good IS not only gives the perception of competence, but empowers health care providers to treat their patience with timely, relevant information. Science is advancing at such a rapid rate – organs are being made with 3D printers to match a patient’s DNA! – and health care providers need to keep up their information systems not only to meet government regulation, but also provide the best care available to their customers. With healthcare being such a vital established industry, it is also one of the largest growing industries. Healthcare is experiencing growth in a vast number of areas, for example, facilities, machines, personnel, medicines, and the varieties of patient needs. With all of this growth there is only one thing that can keep all of this new data up to date and functional; and that is a reliable information system. Just think, do you enjoy filling out the same forms every time you go to the doctor or would you prefer for your information to be updated monthly? Would you trust a doctor to care for you who still uses typewriters and paper filing systems? The simple solutions for these questions all revolve around information systems. So what do you think?