The Use of Health Information Technology in Professional settings

requires you to research the use of health information technology in professional settings.  According to your research, what are some of the EHR concerns with information technology?  Discuss the perspectives of health professionals, and share reflections and recommendations for improving both documentation, documentation technology, and/or informatics skills.  Your assignment would benefit from an interview with a health professional using the health information technology system you identified in Supportive Submission #1 in their patient care.  (3-4 pages)

Book to review is Mastrian, K. G., & McGonigle, D.  (2017).  Informatics for Health Professionals.Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

ISBN-13: 978-1284102635, ISBN-10: 1284102635

Also, the subject would be telehealth has to consider with the attached essay.

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Healthcare Information Technology: Telehealth
Healthcare Information Technology: Telehealth
Introduction
Healthcare information technology (HIT) uses computer software and hardware to
process data and make decisions in healthcare. HIT stores transmit, retrieves, and applies healthrelated data, information, and expertise—the uses of health information technology span from
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simple charting to complicated decision assistance and medical device integration (Piscotty,
Kalisch & Gracey, 2015). Health information technology can improve healthcare in many ways,
including increased clinical outcomes, increased practice efficiency, decreased human error, and
facilitated healthcare coordination. Due to advances in health IT, adverse drug reactions,
prescription errors, and noncompliance with practice guidelines have decreased, ultimately
benefiting patients. To that end, this paper analyzes Telehealth and reviews its potential
opportunities and limitations.
Summary
Telehealth provides and facilitates health services, such as healthcare data services,
medical treatment, patient plus provider education, and self-care, using digital communication
and telecommunications technology. Telehealth technologies include real-time video
conferencing, mobile health applications, and remote patient monitoring (RPM). However,
“telemedicine” and “telehealth” are commonly used interchangeably. However, “Telehealth”
refers to a more extensive range of online healthcare activities and services (Piscotty, Kalisch &
Gracey, 2015). Telehealth allows physicians and patients to connect by video or phone; hence, it
is advantageous for both health and convenience. More physicians now offer to “see” patients via
mobile device or computer. Technological advancements have made telemedicine more
accessible to individuals who may not consider themselves computer literate (Mastrian &
McGonigle, 2017). Patients may seek a virtual consultation with a practitioner, physician, or
therapist via Telehealth.
Background, history, and founding organization of Telehealth
The discovery of radio in the early nineteenth century profoundly impacted human
communication. Numerous imaginative people were moved by radio’s surprising increase in
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popularity in various disciplines (from the arts to the military). They imagined a day when
patients might get medical treatment through the radio. In a 1924 edition of Radio News
Magazine, the picture of a doctor treating a patient through video call is accompanied by the
headline “The Radio Doctor-Maybe!” At the time, it was only the wild speculation of one editor,
but 90 years later, it all came true (Mort, May & Williams, 2003).
In the 1940s, radiography images were sent 24 miles over a telephone line in
Pennsylvania, marking the first secure electronic communication of medical data. In the 1950s, a
Canadian physician employed this approach to construct a teleradiology system deployed in and
around Montreal. As these preferences grew in popularity, motion pictures were produced, and
as cutting-edge film technology advanced, considerable attention was given to video medicine.
University of Nebraska clinics were the first to use video conferencing for therapeutic purposes.
In 1959, the institution created a two-way television system to facilitate campus-wide
communication for medical students. By 1964, they had established a video consultation
connection with a state hospital.
Telehealth swiftly gained popularity in rural areas where inhabitants previously had
limited access to healthcare to connect them with experts from beyond their immediate region. In
the 1960s and 1970s, the Department of Defense, NASA, the Public Health Service, and the
United States financed telemedicine research (Mort, May & Williams, 2003). Agency for Health
and Human Services
Even while modern telehealth technology is inspired by its ancestors in telemedicine, it is
more compact and feature-rich. Fitness bracelets and heart rate monitors were among the first
mobile health devices to monitor patients’ vital signs. Wearable computer technology, such as
eyeglasses and smartwatches, is already popular with physicians and will soon relieve them of
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administrative duties. Ian Shakil and Pelu Tran, medical students at Stanford University, founded
Augmedix using Google Glass. Although physicians may find it hard to accept at the moment,
telemedicine will become as commonplace as it was in 1924, when it was initially suggested.
Fortunately, there is still a much-undiscovered territory in the telehealth industry. Researchers in
public and private sectors are spending heavily on Telehealth, accelerating technology
advancement to the point that physicians can no longer keep up.
Current interaction of Telehealth with the U.S. health care system
Currently, in the US, Telehealth ensures patients get the essential therapy at the correct
time and place by expanding access to physicians and specialists. Now, 76% of hospitals in the
United States use video and other technology to engage remotely with patients and consulting
practitioners. Private payers now cover numerous telehealth services. The majority of state
Medicaid programs provide coverage for telehealth services. Medicare in the United States has
recently expanded its range to include telemedicine services for stroke patients and substance
misuse treatment in response to legislative changes. Additionally, Medicare has boosted the
rewards for online check-ins. Telehealth helps patients with cost-effective, high-quality care
during the current pandemic while maintaining physical separation for the safety of both patients
and clinicians.
Potential opportunities and limitations of Telehealth
Telehealth has the potential to transform the treatment of pediatric patients by expanding
access to pediatric care across geographic borders, boosting the workforce for care delivery, and
decreasing access disparities. Telehealth will need substantial efforts to bridge the digital divide
to prevent unintentionally aggravating care inequities (Chi & Demiris, 2017). In addition,
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Telehealth can enhance social support, educational opportunities, health outcomes, treatment
quality, and cost-effectiveness.
Telehealth has numerous potential benefits but also some limitations. Telehealth visits do
not replace face-to-face consultations and are unsuitable for many patients or clinical settings.
For instance, technology is not always reliable, and technological issues may make therapy more
difficult. The inability to do an in-person physical examination is a significant barrier. Failure to
weigh patients may result in inappropriate medicine delivery depending on patient weight (e.g.,
pediatric medication and chemotherapy treatments). In the workplace, digital technology may
restrict the use of touch, physical presence, and emotional connection. Some patients may feel
uneasy with video meetings and prefer in-person consultations. Similar preferences for face-toface interactions have been seen in specialized care settings.
Conclusion
Telehealth provides and facilitates healthcare services, such as medical treatment,
healthcare data services, and self-care, using digital communication and telecommunications
technology. Telehealth allows physicians and patients to connect by video or phone; hence, it is
advantageous for both health and convenience. Telehealth has the potential to transform the
treatment of pediatric patients by expanding access to pediatric care across geographic borders,
boosting the workforce for care delivery, and decreasing access disparities.
References
Piscotty Jr, R. J., Kalisch, B., & Gracey‐Thomas, A. (2015). Impact of healthcare information
technology on nursing practice. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 47(4), 287-293.
Mastrian, K., & McGonigle, D. (2017). Informatics for health professionals. Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
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Mort, M., May, C. R., & Williams, T. (2003). Remote doctors and absent patients: acting at a
distance in telemedicine?. Science, Technology, & Human Values, 28(2), 274-295.
Chi, N. C., & Demiris, G. (2017). The roles of telehealth tools in supporting family caregivers:
current evidence, opportunities, and limitations. Journal of gerontological nursing, 43(2),
3-5.