Overview of healthcare information Technologies
Lack of relevant system-wide healthcare Information technology causes significant expenses that come in the form of the increased number of the workforce and wasted time. Research suggests that lack of appropriate IT platforms to deliver healthcare service contributes to over 10% increase in healthcare costs.
Therefore, IT systems are inextricably connected to healthcare costs for healthcare institutions, which trickle down to the population. Increased healthcare costs have prompted healthcare institutions to adopt cost-saving IT systems to optimize their returns while ensuring the delivery of quality service (Rodrigues, 2009).
There are many IT applications from which healthcare institutions can choose to improve the quality of service and reduce costs of delivering healthcare services. However, every institution must be able to select an IT base that is relevant and appropriate to its condition.
Improving the Quality of Medication
Information technology has the potential to improve the quality of healthcare services. Studies show that most healthcare providers believe that adopting clinical IT systems improve the extent to which they can deliver quality patient care. IT systems can solve some of the problems posed by fragmented IT systems. Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) has become of the key clinical IT systems that have gained significant application in most clinical and medical institutions (Rodrigues, 2009).
Research shows that the application of CPOE reduces the frequency of repeat tests. The quality of healthcare service is connected with the number of repeat tests that a patient undergoes before a successful diagnosis is achieved. Surveys conducted on patients reveals that patients rated physicians based on the number of unsuccessful diagnosis or tests for their illness. The use of CPOE reduces turnaround times for laboratory, pharmacy and radiography request applications made.
Some medical studies have suggested that using CPOE reduces the error frequency during medical surgeries. According to a survey conducted by Bates et al. (1998), the application of CPOE systems had the ability to reduce medication errors by 55%. Out of 11 studies that aimed at estimating the accuracy of medication using CPOE, four studies showed that CPOE achieved to reduce errors, and improved the quality of medication and patient safety.
Studies show that the introduction of CPOE as an IT platform is a nonfinancial incentive for healthcare professionals. Surveys conducted in hospitals using CPOE shows that healthcare professionals are motivated to deliver quality service compared to hospitals that did not implement these technologies. It is significant to note that the professionals’ perception of quality service is inextricably linked to availability of alternative IT tools (Bates & Gawande, 2003).
Recent studies have surveyed the value of using CPOE in ambulatory procedures. These studies suggest that a worldwide application of CPOE can improve quality healthcare among patients while saving their money.
Reduction of drug events is a key focus by many physicians (Bates & Gawande, 2003). Given this need, many clinicians have indicated that CPOE helps to reduce adverse drug events and other related medication errors because it offers cost effective medications, drug prescriptions, and laboratory tests (Bates & Gawande, 2003).
Reducing the cost of healthcare
The use of Electronic Health Record (EHR) reduces the costs of handling medical records and increases the level of access. Studies show that the costs of collecting, storing, and retrieving medical records can have significant cost implication on institutional costs. One of the main problems facing healthcare professionals is the lack of access to centralized information sharing platforms.
Research has shown that the use of EHR has the potential of providing better documentation of patient histories (Bates & Gawande, 2003). The extent to which professionals can share medical information with ease enables physicians to use medical histories, which reduces the costs of beginning new diagnosis and medication (Scalet, 2003). Evidence suggests that reduced transcription and medical management expenses are linked with the physicians’ use of electronic health records.
According Bates & Gawande (2003), financial returns depend on the extent to which a medical organization adapts to effective use of EHR. The paths toward a cost-effective healthcare system stem from getting the critical mass of physicians choosing to use electronic health record systems.
Some studies suggest that the use of electronic health records can save up to $20,000 per healthcare professional. The adoption of electronic medical record (EMR) is a centerpiece in reducing the costs of providing healthcare services (Memorial Care, 2010). The use of traditional manila folders is believed to cost many hospitals millions of money due to loss or inaccessibility of critical patient and administrative records.
EMR transmits important medical records in real-time and helps medical practitioners to have access to information in a timely manner. This avoids waste of time, which reduces costs of searching and retrieving medical histories (Memorial Care, 2010). Lack of systemized record management increases clinicians’ time and workload, which exerts pressure and workload.
Studies content that it can cost a medical organization over $20,000 per clinician due to errors caused by increased workload and service time. Therefore, implementing electronic medical records has the potential of reducing workloads and extra working hours, which has a significant impact on the quality and cost of providing medical services to patients (Bates & Gawande, 2003).
References
Bates, D. W., & Gawande, A. A. (2003). Improving safety with information technology. New England Journal of Medicine 348(25), 2526-2534.
Memorial Care. (2010). How electronic medical records reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. Retrieved from https://www.memorialcare.org/about/pressroom/media/how-electronic-medical-records-reduce-costs-and-improve-patient-outcomes-2010
Rodrigues, J. (2009). Health Information Systems: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications. New York, NY: Idea Group Inc (IGI).
Scalet, S. 2003. Saving money, saving lives. CIO Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.cio.com/