Laurie Turner
IT 103 section 004
3 October 2011
The Emergence of Health Information Technology
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Information technology has revolutionized the world in countless ways. One particular area of our lives that has been transformed by information technology is the area of health care. The United States Department of Health and Human Services describes health information as the following: “Health information technology makes it possible for health care providers to better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information.”(healthhit.hhs.gov) The following discusses the complications, benefits, and evolving technologies in a field of study that is continually developing.
To give the reader a broad understanding of health information technology (HIT) and its roots let us begin with the first attempt at using a computer to document patient information. In 1966, at the University of Wisconsin, the first computer was used to record medical history. Unfortunately, the amount of machinery required and the limited capacity of software quickly ended the project. (Lehmann et al., 2006) Approximately at the same time Morris Collen was also leading a project to process patient records electronically for the medical group Kaiser Permanente. By 1971 he had some success and more than one million patient records were stored in the Kaiser Permanente database. (Lehmann et al., 2006) While many people may think of information technology as a relatively new addition to the field of medicine it is clear that implementation of IT has been developing for over forty years.
The use of HIT can be a controversial subject when it comes to dealing with the expense of implementing new technologies. “…the biggest impediment is financial, which results in the misalignment of cost and benefits.” (Hersh, 2273) While the hospital or physician who pays for the technology may see some benefit, Hersh says 11%, many other branches of the medical field benefit at no expense when electronic medical records (EMRs) are utilized. On the flip side the savings when implementing EMRs is significant and something to consider. According to a group of authors who have explored the savings and cost of health IT there is $12.5 billion in potential savings when only electronic-claims and online enrollment are evaluated. (Girosi, 80) An important dynamic of applying EMRs is to decide whether or not whoever pays for them should reap the financial benefit. Since the clinic, hospital, or institution that incurs the initial cost of attaining equipment, transferring records, and the expense of maintenance wants to benefit from their expenditures there is a discrepancy as to how they should be reimbursed. One way for physicians and hospitals to recover some of their expense would be to implement a “pay for performance” system. (Hersh, 2274) In fact, “policy makers in the U.S. have employed a variety of cost-control and supply-side mechanisms, including prospective payment systems, managed care…and pay-for-performance.” (Hofmann, 5) These methods could help alleviate some of the financial burden and also help divide the expense among insurance companies, laboratories, and patients. Another problem is how to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to apply the use of electronic medical records. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) was developed to promote HIT on a national level. Part of their mission is to make funds available on both a national and federal level in order to pursue that technology has a place to thrive in all communities. (healthit.hhs.gov)
Another significant issue involving health information technology is whether or not it improves patient care. One positive effect of HIT is that a physician is able communicate with a patient via computer. (Hersh) A patient, whether being discharged from the hospital or leaving a doctor’s office, can be overwhelmed with information. The use of electronic medical records as a reminder is just one way the medical field can use modern technology to ensure a patient is receiving quality care through something as simple as an email. Quality of health care can also mean a doctor having the capability of seeing your health record as a whole. “The primary means of coordination is often through discussion…about… other services…” (Chapter 7) If a doctor grasps the full picture of a patient’s health then they can give a better diagnosis or prescribe a more fitting drug that ensures a higher quality of care. The more the practitioner knows about a patient the more likely the patient is receiving more accurate care.
Cutting edge technology is constantly being developed in many fields of study and altering the way we live our lives. One particular new technology that has the possibility of changing health IT is the use of RFID (radio frequency identification). This wireless technology can track and locate objects using an electronic product code network. (Hoffman, 285) While the use of RFIDs is not new to the world it is an emerging technology in medical care of humans. RFID has the ability to inspect and detect counterfeit drugs. Also, this technology is capable of keeping completely automated records that would save not only save time, but be able to track and identify supplies, patients, and health care staff. With the rising cost of health care at the forefront of medical related problems the development of new technologies could be a factor in resolving many problems. However, as with many things, there are negatives and a few kinks that would need to be worked out before approving RFID technology for use. Many people know that you cannot use cellular phones in hospitals. The reasoning behind the prohibited use is due to the elector-magnetic interference in life saving equipment. The same issues could occur with the use of RFID technologies. However, tests have shown that newer medical equipment would be slightly affected, but in some cases older equipment could have higher levels of interference. (Hoffman, 287) Another way RFID technology could be used would be to actually implant a RFID device into a patient. This technology has already been approved by the FDA and would allow the name of a patient and their EMR to be displayed over a secure website. (Bria, 36) This emerging technology seems to be on pace to dramatically impact the way we deal with health care.
Security is a significant issue when dealing with technology and peoples personal information. In one book the author tries to relate to the reader that e-mail is not a secure way to communicate with a doctor’s office. For example, many people find e-mail to be a simpler way to communicate about important information, such as lab results. The problem with that is that unless you are using encryption technology your personal information could be read by others. (Dennis, 54) Using internet for basic information you would not mind others knowing should not be a problem. When dealing with the possibility of sensitive information internet users need to understand the level of security they are communicating through. In The Journal of the American Medical Association privacy is noted as an “issue [that] exists whether the medical record is paper or electronic.” (Hersh) The ability for personal information to be shared does not start with electronic medical records, but happens instead when personal information is shared. Hersh, in the same article, discusses the importance of instilling a demand for privacy in our culture. The world will never be perfect, but working to give confidence to users is an important step toward the advancement of information technology in health.
While many road blocks still exist for the advancement of HIT to be fully appreciated the use of technology in the modern world is not only inevitable, but also vital. Many studies have shown that without implementing and developing new technologies our health care system will continue to struggle. The hope is that by realizing the potential benefits of this new science, health care will be of higher quality, more affordable, and more easily available for people to access around the world.
Reference Page
Dennis, J. C. (2000). Privacy and Confidentiality of Health Information. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
This resource was valuable to IT because it was focused on security and privacy issues involving the HIT field.
Finn, N. B., & Bria, W. F. (2009). Digital Communication in Medical Practice. Health Informatics Series. London: Springer London.
I found this book to be helpful in finding out what kind of technology is being talked about and planned for the future. I found this work to be especially helpful in the use of RFID technology.
Girosi, F., Meili, R., & Scoville, R. (2005). Extrapolating Evidence of Health Information Technology Saving and Costs. Arlington, VA: Rand.
This particular book was created to discuss the topic of expenses in implementing modern technology in the health information field of study. I think this book is important because the cost of new technology is often a drawback to companies when considering whether or not to make an investment.
Hersh, W., (2004). Health Care Information Technology Progress and Barriers. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 292. Retrieved from http://jama.ama-assn.org.mutex.gmu.edu/content/292/18/2273.full.pdf+html?sid=550e4985-d27b-4668-adff-9c7718a5ab84. Date Retrieved: 2 October 2011
Using this journal was particularly interesting because the article was written by a doctor. Having an article written by someone who deals with HIT in their career is important to ensure a broad understanding of the subject.
Hoffman, B. R. (Ed.). (2009). Health Care Costs: causes, effects, & control. Health Care Issues, Costs and Access Series. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
This was another book that gave me useful information about the expense in IT technology and whether the technology is beneficial or not. The book also contained a lot of information on emerging technologies in the HIT field of study.
Lehmann, H.P., Abbot, P.A., Roderer, N. K., Rothschild, A., Mandell, S., Ferrer, J. A., Miller, R. E., et al. (Eds.). (2006). Aspects of Electronic Health Record Systems. Health Informatics Series (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Science.
Using this book was critical in understand the use of electronic medical records. This book had both the positive and negative side to implementing EMRs in clinics and hospitals.
United States: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Retrieved from http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/community/healthit_hhs_gov__home/1204
Date Retrieved: 2 October 2011.
I personally thought this website was eye opening. I did not even realize the HIT was such an important topic that the U.S. government had an entire office dedicated to helping people understand HIT and develop its use.
United States: Report to the Congress: New Approaches in Medicare. (Chapter 7) Retrieved from http://www.medpac.gov/publications%5Ccongressional_reports%5CJune04_ch7.pdf
Date Retrieved: 2 October 2011
An important document that focuses on HIT issues that have recently been discussed in congress. As an individual who comes into contact with health care regularly this document reminds the reader that our government is discussing HIT and trying to improve a system that is in desperate need of help.
