Health information technology has greatly impacted in healthcare in that it has been associated with efficient, safer and higher quality care. For instance, an electronic health record is one way in which technology is used to gather patients and health care information (Jha, 2009). This is a computerized system in which physician’s notes and nurses assessments are keyed in and stored. The data therein provides a specific report on how the patient is doing and enables the physician, clinicians, and nurses to come up with a plan on how to treat the patient.
Admission, discharge and transfer system helps nurses in delivering high-quality services to their patients by decreasing their work load (Monitzer, 2005). This system involves receiving a patient’s identification information, a database that links the patient’s identifier and a clear medication process for the patient. Its aim is reducing patients waiting time by providing faster services and reducing labor cost. It also provides a patient with an online database that they can use to access drug prescribed to them by a physician.
Technology allows for a database creation that links a patient’s identifier with a scheduled appointment where they are able to access health services promptly. The database created shows the eligibility of patients by verifying whether a patient has a healthcare plan and determines when a patient is supposed to come in for a scheduled appointment (Monitzer, 2005). This reduces the wait time and congestion of patients in the waiting room.
Systems are also developed in healthcare facilities where patients are able to complete a check-in and check-out process by themselves with the guidance of a friendly system (Monitzer, 2005). The patient can access their medical information, initiate, monitor, expedite and manage their admission process using such systems. This ensures that the entire healthcare process is easy and transparent to the patient and lessens the work load for the healthcare workers.
References
Jha, A. K., DesRoches, C. M., Campbell, E. G., Donelan, K., Rao, S. R., Ferris, T. G. & Blumenthal, D. (2009). Use of electronic health records in US hospitals. New England Journal of Medicine, 360(16), 1628-1638.
Monitzer, A., Heer, F., & Welch, D. (2005). U.S. Patent Application No. 10/796,865.
