In today’s world, Technology plays an important role in every industry as well as in our personal lives. Out of all of the industries that technology plays a crucial role in, healthcare is definitely one of the most important. This merger is responsible for improving and saving countless lives all around the world. In the healthcare industry, the dependence on medical technology cannot be overstated, and as a result of the development of these brilliant innovations, healthcare practitioners can continue to find ways to improve their practice – from better diagnosis, surgical procedures, and improved patient car.
Ideas about health and behaviors are shaped by the Communication, Information, and Technology that people interact with every day. Health communication and health information technology (IT) are central to health care, public health, and the way our society views health. These processes make up the context and the ways professionals and the public search for, understand, and use health information, significantly impacting their health decisions and actions. Devices like smartphones and tablets are starting to replace conventional monitoring and recording systems, and people are now given the option of undergoing a full consultation in the privacy of their own homes. Technological advancements in healthcare have contributed to services being taken out of the confines of hospital walls and integrating them with user-friendly, accessible devices.
All people have some ability to manage their health and the health of those they care for. However, with the increasing complexity of health information and health care settings, most people need additional information, skills, and supportive relationships to meet their health needs. Disparities in access to health information, services, and technology can result in lower usage rates of preventive services, less knowledge of chronic disease management, higher rates of hospitalization, and poorer reported health status. Both public and private institutions are increasingly using the Internet and other technologies to streamline the delivery of health information and services.
An electronic medical record is a digital and portable version of the current paper file system that would be accessible to all doctors. That means that whenever you see a new physician, you could stop filling out endless paper forms, as your doctor could access everything about you on the computer. Imagine a world where everything important about a patient is known to the physician the first time that patient presents, says Andrew Rubin, vice president for NYU Medical Center Clinical Affairs and Affiliates in New York City. We know that the ability to make a diagnosis is based more on medical records and your history than blood work and an exam. Having your lifelong history right there will actually assure that the diagnosis is more accurate and fewer mistakes will get made. But an electronic medical record is only as good as its availability.
Communication may seem like an easy technology to develop for the healthcare industry, but it has been nothing but problematic for decades costing over $250 billion to process over 30 billion transactions annually. From referrals, progress updates, and insurance authorizations; these types of communications result in huge amounts of money and time being wasted and a liability to every healthcare provider. Patients are stuck in the middle as doctors still communicate with antiquated systems (ex. the fax machine) delaying critical care. As many as 70 percent of referrals are not received by the specialty care providers causing patients to miss treatment and healthcare providers to lose money.