Healthcare Information Technology Trends NURS 6051
Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends NURS 6051
Advancement in technology has simplified the way we do things; it saves time, increases production, and simplifies communication in our lives. As society’s demands and lifestyle change, the need for advancing technology we use is high. Almost everything we use has been innovated to better standards. Health care has harnessed this opportunity to improve the quality of care with the use of medical technological tools. Current trends are enabling self-patients of health conditions with the use of wearable fitness tracking devices, telemedicine to connect patients and health care providers from a long distance, cloud storage for ease of access on mobile devices, and smart equipment within the hospital.
Here at the facility where I am employed, the most advanced technology we offer our patients would have to be telehealth. Telehealth is defined as “the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration.” by The Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) (HealthIT.gov, 2017). Telehealth uses information and communication technologies to enables the diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient’s health care while the patient is at the originating site and the health care provider is at a distant location. The technology simplifies patient self-management and caregiver support through the use of a laptop or smartphone app, rising the productivity of patient care. In my facility, we use the Epic system for charting and communication, and a feature we bargain is the use of a health portal called ‘MyChart’ where labs, medications, personalized care plan, educational information, and interact with
Discussion Healthcare Information Technology Trends NURS 6051
Discussion Healthcare Information Technology Trends NURS 6051
their physicians can be reviewed. Another feature that serves 24/7 access line where nurses have the ability to distantly watch cardiac monitors while the patient at home and alert the patient and physicians advice on certain things such as medication, abnormal lab callbacks, or when to seek treatment, and connect them with an on-call physician over the phone or app. Nurses and healthcare workers are up to date on these up-to-date technologies use at their facility to reply any questions and clarify to their patients.
Telehealth’s influence on nursing focuses on patients’ care either long-term wellness care , self-management, and on their current health condition. Nurses have the capacity to deliver necessary information to patients during a time of need, especially in rural areas. I believe that the impact on nursing practice is positive through assessment, planning, interventions, and evaluations of the outcomes in patient care on a level outside of the hospital. Telehealth aids to incorporate better access to healthcare, cost reduction, and preventing unnecessary visits to urgent care or to the ER. A possible risk connected with telehealth is about having possibility of violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) in data safety and legislation. Health information is not always secure when stored on patients’ mobile devices, iPad or even on their laptop and the patient’s health record or login information could be hacked or stolen. Therefore, HIPAA training for nurses precisely towards telehealth practices is essential to keep patient’s health information safe and secure. Acceptable security and privacy protections for underlying telehealth data and systems must be provided for providers and patients to provide confidence in the use of telehealth solutions (Hall & McGraw, 2014).
In my opinion, The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) trend that includes ECG monitors, mobile apps, fitness
trackers, and smart sensors can measure biological metric data; such as blood pressure, pulse, heart rate, glucose
level, and more and set reminders for patients is the most promising in healthcare’s future (Iqbail, 2019). With the
use of affordable health monitoring devices, patients can achieve their health better . IoMT can precisely capture and
manage data in real-time and use that data analytically to identify these trends. It develops patient results by
improving the patient’s knowledge of their own health information and can be studied by health professionals. IoMT
can help physicians manage patient’s data quickly by identifying more-accurate diagnosis increasing a more-
efficient delivery of care that is cost effective.
References
HealthIT.gov. (2017, September 22 ). What is telehealth? How is telehealth different from telemedicine?. Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-telehealth-how-telehealth-different-telemedicine
Hall, J., & McGraw, D. (2014). For telehealth to succeed, privacy and security risks must be identified and addressed. Health Affairs, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0997
Iqbail, S. (2019, February 13). IoMT and big data: How the internet of medical things impacts clinical trials. Clinical Trials Innovation. Retrieved from https://knect365.com/clinical-trials-innovation/article/5024ec64-030e-4ba6-bc2b-c701a28b2b95/big-data-and-iomt-the-impact-of-the-internet-of-medical-things-on-clinical-trials
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Discussion: Healthcare Information Technology Trends NURS 6051
Throughout history, technological advancements have appeared for one purpose before finding applications elsewhere that lead to spikes in its usage and development. The internet, for example, was originally developed to share research before becoming a staple of work and entertainment. But technology—new and repurposed—will undoubtedly continue to be a driver of healthcare information. Informaticists often stay tuned to trends to monitor what the next new technology will be or how the next new idea for applying existing technology can benefit outcomes.
In this Discussion, you will reflect on your healthcare organization’s use of technology and offer a technology trend you observe in your environment.
To Prepare:
Reflect on the Resources related to digital information tools and technologies.
Consider your healthcare organization’s use of healthcare technologies to manage and distribute information.
Reflect on current and potential future trends, such as use of social media and mobile applications/telehealth, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled asset tracking, or expert systems/artificial intelligence, and how they may impact nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
By Day 3 of Week 6
Post a brief description of general healthcare technology trends, particularly related to data/information you have observed in use in your healthcare organization or nursing practice. Describe any potential challenges or risks that may be inherent in the technologies associated with these trends you described. Then, describe at least one potential benefit and one potential risk associated with data safety, legislation, and patient care for the technologies you described. Next, explain which healthcare technology trends you believe are most promising for impacting healthcare technology in nursing practice and explain why. Describe whether this promise will contribute to improvements in patient care outcomes, efficiencies, or data management. Be specific and provide examples.
By Day 6 of Week 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days, offering additional/alternative ideas regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations shared.
*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 6 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6 of Week 6
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 6 Discussion
RE: Discussion – Week 6
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Healthcare Trends
At my hospital in the operating room, we adopted using Situate Detection System by Medtronic after surgical procedures to identify retained objects in the body after closure, such as laps or raytec sponges. Safe surgical practice is held high in my organization, and this new technology seems to enhance the quality of care we strive to give our patients. As all OR nurses know, we must perform instrument and sponge counts before incision and at least three times before closure to prevent retained objects in the body. Once the surgeon starts closing the patient, the wand is dressed in a sterile fashion, and given to the scrub nurse, the wand connects the monitor, and the circulating nurse activates the scanner, and the scanning process begins. We also have a blue pad that lays under the patient that connects to the monitor, and once the surgeon starts closing and one count done, the circulating nurse activates the scanner, and the scanning process begins. After the scan is complete, it will alert the team if there is a retained object. From there, our IT department updated our charting to reflect the use of the detection system. In the electronic health record, under where we chart the surgical counts are all correct, we document that we used the detection system. We have to type in a specific number the monitor gives us after the patient is scanned.
Benefits
The use of the Situate Detection System will help avoid patient care delays, such as eliminating the potential need for an X-Ray, decreases risk for infection, shortens procedure time, and decreases extended anesthesia time. Performing the counting process before and before the closure of the operation, retained foreign bodies will be prevented, and optimal patient safety will be achieved (Holzmann et al., 2020).
Challenges/Risks
This new technology helps prevent retained objects, but nurses always need to remember new technology is not a substitution for safety vigilance by the healthcare team (McGonigle and Mastrian, 2018, pg. 303). This new system does not detect metal, such as sutures. A potential risk that can occur is retained sutures if the count is not done correctly, and nurses rely on the new detection system instead. With that said, 23 states have laws mandating that a circulating nurse is in the operating room when the patient is asleep. One of the many responsibilities of a circulating nurse is performing correct counts and documentation of surgical items before operation and closure to ensure no retained objects are left in the patient. Therefore, if the nurse does not respond to retained objects or misses a count due to relying on the scanner, a lawsuit can be pursued by the patient. Nursing staff must never rely on the detection system; at least three full counts by nursing staff is vital for patient safety. In a study conducted by Galvao et al. (2016), stated that surgical count processes stand out to the World Health Organization to ensure patient safety.
I believe this trend is promising for impacting technology in the operating room. We adopted the “No Surgical Item Left Behind” approach to help prevent retained items. This is one more step to ensure patient safety and the OR’s efficiency as a whole. The data we retrieve from this technology will help prevent retained items, especially in an emergency. If the surgical count is off, we can easily find the missing sponge by scanning the patient, or even the trash can if one sponge were to be thrown away accidentally. There are times when counts can not be done due to saving the life of the patient quickly. With this new technology, the patient can simply be scanned to ensure there are no retained sponges.
References
Galvao, C. M., Freitas, P. S., Silveira, R. C., & Clark, A. M. (2016, July). Surgical count process for prevention of retained surgical items: an integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25(13-14), 1835-1847.
Holtzman, J. S., Kertesz, L., Cordella, C. M., Nadera, N. M., Nelson, P. E., Kahil, M., & Shim, S. (2020, March). No surgical items left behind: A multidisciplinary approach to the surgical count process. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 39(1), 57-62.
McGonigle, D., & Mastrain, K. G. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC.
Great informational post, D…,
with lots of good discussion points! One article I enjoyed about technology additions was the Weckman and Janzen (2009) discussion of the implementation of their system for medication bar code administration. They note some of the difficulties, one of which was a less than honest vendor.
As they attempted to assure that the nurses would have a streamlined ability to give medications without delays, they asked for a system that could record vital signs in real time, so medications that were given only after vital sign assessment could be given by nurses as they accessed the vital signs taken slightly earlier by the nurses’ aides. Unfortunately, when they got to this point in the system build they found that the particular interface with their already purchased system did not exist. As they noted:
Hence, the device would not “talk” to our computerized patient record. It took several years and networking with an informatics nurse at another VA facility who had completed a time study demonstrating the effectiveness of a newer, interfaced software system produced by a different company, before we were able to adopt a solution that immediately downloaded “real-time vital signs.” Because we had already successfully developed our online patient assessment tool using the company that developed this newer software system, we could build on our already established relationships with this company, and the company’s information technology specialists and outside vendor programmers, to further integrate our system (Weckman & Janzen, 2009, para. #41).
But not to worry, they did learn something besides not always trusting vendors – they learned that “it was much more difficult and often more costly to retrofit older equipment than to buy new equipment. So they felt it was worth the lesson learned.
Yet, I am not sure how one would account for a less than honest vendor. What do you think?
Nice post!
Name: NURS_5051_Module04_Week06_Discussion_Rubric
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Excellent Good Fair Poor
Main Posting
45 (45%) – 50 (50%)
Answers all parts of the discussion question(s) expectations with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.
Supported by at least three current, credible sources.
Written clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.
40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
Responds to the discussion question(s) and is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.
At least 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth.
Supported by at least three credible sources.
Written clearly and concisely with one or no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.
35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
Responds to some of the discussion question(s).
One or two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed.
Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.
Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.
Post is cited with two credible sources.
Written somewhat concisely; may contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors.
Contains some APA formatting errors.
0 (0%) – 34 (34%)
Does not respond to the discussion question(s) adequately.
Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria.
Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.
Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.
Contains only one or no credible sources.
Not written clearly or concisely.
Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors.
Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style.
Main Post: Timeliness
10 (10%) – 10 (10%)
Posts main post by day 3.
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not post by day 3.
First Response
17 (17%) – 18 (18%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.
Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.
Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.
15 (15%) – 16 (16%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.
13 (13%) – 14 (14%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth.
Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed.
Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited.
0 (0%) – 12 (12%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are missing.
No credible sources are cited.
Second Response
16 (16%) – 17 (17%)
Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.
Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.
Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.
14 (14%) – 15 (15%)
Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.
Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.
Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed.
Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources.
Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.
12 (12%) – 13 (13%)
Response is on topic and may have some depth.
Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed.
Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited.
0 (0%) – 11 (11%)
Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.
Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.
Responses to faculty questions are missing.
No credible sources are cited.
Participation
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days.
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
0 (0%) – 0 (0%)
Does not meet requirements for participation by posting on 3 different days.
Total Points: 100