Posted: September 30th, 2024

Health Information Technology, Research & Reflections

Health Information Technology, Research & Reflections.

Back in 2009, the U.S. federal government made a significant investment in health IT (aka health information technology) as part of the so-called Stimulus Act. This investment aimed to modernize the healthcare infrastructure across the nation. The government designated up to as much as $30 billion in incentive payments to healthcare providers to adopt as well as “meaningfully use” innovative electronic health record systems (aka EHR systems) (Kaushal & Blumenthal, 2014, p.319). These incentives were designed to encourage rapid adoption and integration of technology. When the EHR Incentive Program was included in that legislation, also known as ARRA or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new era of health information technology began. This marked a pivotal shift towards digital healthcare solutions. Not only did health information technology funding stimulate the economic activities, but it also modernized the healthcare system, provided the foundation for new healthcare payment and delivery models, and fostered a learning environment in healthcare. This transformation has had lasting impacts on healthcare delivery and efficiency. Today, health information technology is one of the crucial specializations in nursing. It plays a vital role in patient care and management.

This paper reflects on what has been learned in this Health Informatics Technology class both from class discussions and research. The insights gained have been instrumental in shaping the author’s understanding of the field. It identifies three ideas that the author has found the most meaningful when doing research and provides an in-depth explanation of these ideas. These concepts have been pivotal in the author’s academic journey. It also reflects on how the knowledge of change implementation principles may guide the author in adopting these principles in the career in healthcare. This knowledge is essential for future professional growth.

To begin with, this class has helped the author build up in-depth knowledge of health information technology essentials, policy foundations, specifics of implementation and use, advantages, and possible challenges. This comprehensive understanding is crucial for effective practice. It has helped the author grow as an agent of change within healthcare and as a passionate advocate for the use of information technology at different levels of the healthcare provision process. This advocacy is important for driving innovation. For instance, participation in class discussions has helped the author of this paper see the value of health information technology as an enabler of change in healthcare. These discussions have been enlightening and transformative. The author has clearly seen the nature of the progress and the emergence of the new model of healthcare delivery. This new model emphasizes efficiency and patient-centered care.

When the implementation of electronic medical records started, most organizations were really behind in their progress. This lag posed significant challenges to timely adoption. They were faced with a great deal of work to be completed within a very short period. This urgency required strategic planning and execution. When they moved past the implementation stage, they had to sustain their health information technology-based performance for a year. Sustaining performance was critical for long-term success. That became a challenge for many organizations. Overcoming these challenges required resilience and adaptability. Yet, now, when healthcare organizations have implemented these stages, they start to see the benefits of using health information technology on a large scale. These benefits include improved patient outcomes and operational efficiency. Essentially, the end game is to come to the point when healthcare providers significantly improve care and considerably reduce cost. This dual goal is central to healthcare reform. Interestingly, the consumers have been largely positive about new changes and effective implementation of health information technology into healthcare practices. Consumer support is vital for successful implementation. They, for example, have actively supported the introduction of mobile solutions. Mobile technology has enhanced accessibility and convenience.

Now, the course has equipped the author with the knowledge of important ideas related to the use and implementation of health information technology. This knowledge is foundational for future endeavors. When doing research, the concept of Electronic Health Records stood out as one of the key ideas of IT technology. EHR systems are integral to modern healthcare. EHR (sometimes called electronic health records or electronic medical records), in particular, refers to electronic systems storing the personal data of patients. These systems ensure data is easily accessible and secure. The concept of EHR is related to doctors keeping track of patient health information in an easy and accessible way and enabling healthcare providers to access patient information when a person has a problem and their offices are closed (HealthIT.gov, 2017). This accessibility is crucial for timely care. By using EHR, the author learned, physicians can share patient information with their colleagues so that everyone in need of the patient’s personal information is able to get it. This sharing enhances collaborative care. Moreover, EHR in some certified EHR systems also allow people to log in to special web portals to have a look at their own health records, results of laboratory tests, plans of treatment, and even send an e-mail to their doctor. This feature empowers patients to take charge of their health. The course has taught me that EHR is not the only concept making up what is known as Health Information Technology, with two others being PHRs (aka personal health records), which allow the customers control what sort of data goes, have the functions of EHR, and also reflect the customer’s health priorities, and e-prescribing, which allows doctors to communicate with pharmacies in a direct manner (HealthIT.gov, 2017). These technologies collectively enhance healthcare delivery. In this way, the three concepts that have impacted the author’s knowledge development at this course have been EHRs, PHRs, and e-prescribing. These concepts are central to the future of healthcare.

The most surprising thing that has come out of the research for the author was that security and privacy of EHR implementation remain the pressing issue even though the advancement in EHR systems development has been great. This issue requires ongoing attention and innovation. Having analyzed scholarly sources on the issue, the author came to the conclusion that security is not inherent in EHR and PHR systems but needs to rely on a combination of technical features such as “mandated access control policies and consent mechanisms” (Rezaeibagha et al., 2015, p.23). These features are essential for protecting patient data. More specifically, the essential features are accuracy and quality features, secure integration and sharing tools, adequate cryptography techniques, the use of business continuity techniques, provision of adequate operations security, the use of the features of applicability and scalability, flexibility, consent and choice mechanisms, using adequate policies and regulations, secure communication, interoperability, system and application access control (Rezaeibagha et al., 2015). These elements collectively ensure robust security.

Awareness of change implementation principles may help the author move forward in the career in several ways. This awareness is crucial for effective leadership. Knowledge of correction principle will ensure that the author follows the HIPAA privacy rule and provides patients with adequate timely tools to dispute the integrity or accuracy of their health data (HHS.gov, 2017). This compliance is essential for maintaining trust. Knowledge of the openness and transparency principle will help the author be transparent about all procedures and policies that relate to patient EHR. Transparency fosters trust and accountability. Knowledge of individual choice principles will help the author respect the patients’ right to make informed consent regarding the use of their health data. Respecting patient autonomy is a core ethical obligation. Knowledge of the collection, use, and disclosure limitation principle will help the author be careful to disclose patient data to a certain, justifiable extent. This careful handling of data is crucial for privacy protection. Knowledge of safeguards and accountability principles will foster the data protection initiatives and will ensure the process is adequately monitored (HHS.gov, 2017). These principles are vital for ensuring data integrity. In this way, the course has prepared the author to be the agent of change with regard to the implementation of health IT in healthcare. This preparation is key to driving future innovations.

References
Okolo, C. A., Ijeh, S., Arowoogun, J. O., Adeniyi, A. O., & Omotayo, O. (2024). Reviewing the impact of health information technology on healthcare management efficiency. International Medical Science Research Journal, 4(4), 420-440.

Woolley, K. E., Bright, D., Ayres, T., Morgan, F., Little, K., & Davies, A. R. (2023). Mapping inequities in digital health technology within the World Health Organization’s European Region using PROGRESS PLUS: scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e44181.

Calleja, N., AbdAllah, A., Abad, N., Ahmed, N., Albarracin, D., Altieri, E., … & Purnat, T. D. (2021). A public health research agenda for managing infodemics: methods and results of the first WHO infodemiology conference. JMIR infodemiology, 1(1), e30979.

Trocin, C., Mikalef, P., Papamitsiou, Z., & Conboy, K. (2023). Responsible AI for digital health: a synthesis and a research agenda. Information Systems Frontiers, 25(6), 2139-2157.

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Tags: Change Implementation, Data Security and Privacy, Electronic Health Records (EHR), Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Innovation