Introduction: IM/IT Investment as a Tool for Value Determination
Healthcare and technology might not be exactly related to each other, but there seems to be a tangible effect on the latter once the latest technological advances are applied to healthcare practices. Like any other sphere, healthcare presupposes that a vast amount of information should be processed quickly and efficiently. As a result, the storage for the above-mentioned data, as well as the means to coordinate and distribute it appears, making healthcare an extremely complicated field. However, with the help of such an efficient IT strategy as IM/IT investment, the problem of information storage, distribution, and sharing can be solved.
Thesis statement: IM/IT investment opens new opportunities
Although the IM/IT Investment has not been time-tested yet, the recent results show that the given system helps not only provide proper care for the patients but also drop the rates of people getting ill considerably, which means that the IM/IT investment should be introduced into healthcare with the knowledge sharing principle as the foil for its development.
Process of Value Determination and the IM/IT Investment Tool
It is important to mention that IM/IT process
- Enables health care system sustainability;
- Contributes to the improvement of care;
- Offers an improved system of knowledge management;
- Makes knowledge sharing the key principle of patients’ information management;
- Bases the knowledge management system on the principle of non-disclosure to other patients (OECD, 2003).
With that said, one can claim with certainty that the new manner of information processing suggested by the developers of the IM/IT investment concept works rather well within the realm of healthcare. Allowing to access the patients’ information and their medical background, keeps doctors updated on their patients’ records. Hence, the process of value determination goes much faster. In addition, the IM/IT framework allows to:
- Develop a systematic approach towards value definition;
- Define the costs for the healthcare services;
- Measure the above-mentioned costs;
- Uses technology as an aid to the decision-making process (BC eHealth Strategy Council, 2009).
Therefore, it can be assumed that the use of the IM/IT framework is bound to improve the quality of medical services considerably and allow for a more efficient method of information processing.
Current Limitations of the IM/IT Investment Tool: Bumping into Obstacles
It must be mentioned, however, that the IM/IT investment method also has its limitations in terms of defining the quality and nature of the value determination. Among the most obvious obstacles, the costs for the equipment should be named (McDaniel, 2009).
Privacy Issue and Information Technologies: Avoiding the Pitfalls
Naturally, the use of online data storage and implementing the knowledge-sharing strategy will inevitably lead to questioning the reliability of online data storage. Therefore, software that provides efficient protection from malware and hacking is crucial (Ramsapoor, Ball & Beauleiu, 2001).
Looking into the Future: Chances for the IM/IT Investment Development
Though at present, the framework for the IM/IT investment has not been developed yet, there are reasons to believe that the future of healthcare depends on the successful integration of IM/IT as a tool for the value determination and improving organizational structure within the healthcare field (Bewley, 2010).
Conclusion: When the IM/IT Investment Becomes a Powerful Tool
Judging by the current state of affairs, one can conclude that the IM/IT investment needs considerable development as a tool for value determination. The implementation of the IM/IT investment, however, presupposes that the entire healthcare system is going to be transported to a new level. Thus, the IM/IT investment use is a pivoting point in the history of healthcare
Reference List
BC eHealth Strategy Council (2009). Health sector information management/information technology strategy. Web.
McDaniel, J. G. (2009). Advances in information technology and communication inhealth. Fairfax, VA: IOS Press.
Bewley, L. W. (2010). Evaluating the impact of investments in information technology on structural inertia in health organizations. U. S. Army Medical Impairment Journal, 6, 58–63.
OECD (2003). OECD e-government studies: The e-government imperative. Paris, France: OECD.
Ramsapoor, P., Ball, M. J. & Beauleiu, D. (2001). Advancing federal sector healthcare: A model for technology transfer. New York, NY: Springer.