Informatics in Healthcare
Introduction
Informatics is greatly changing the operation in the healthcare sector. The millennial generation has been dictated by robust innovation and technology advances, which has necessitated the integration of technology in the healthcare sector. Through informatics, healthcare providers and organizations have been enabled to collect, analyze data more effectively. Precisely, the impact of informatics has had a great impact on the practice of the nursing profession. Although the mission and vision of the profession have not changed, the operation currently being undertaken has taken a substantial difference from the earlier ways. For instance, the practice has improved tremendously, with great attention being improved operation accuracy and communication accuracy. Therefore, the whole nursing profession is changing to accommodate the advancement of technology and combat the new challenges that arise in the field. Some of the greatest challenges that the profession, according to Spyros Kitsiou, assistant professor of Biomedical and Health Informatics sciences, include increased prevalence of chronic diseases, shortages of healthcare professionals, and the aging population (HITC Staff). He asserts that most of these challenges can be sustainably be managed through the diversion of information and communication technologies.
Data Mining for Big Data and its importance in healthcare
Data mining involves the exploration and analysis of enormous data to find and predict patterns for big data. Among the aspects of big data are volume, variety, velocity, and variability (4Vs). Big data is essential in the health care sector. In health care informatics, big data can be used to predict epidemics, diseases and improve the quality of life and curb premature deaths and the development of new strains of infections. Moreover, with a large volume of data, information regarding diseases and warning signs for treatment are gathered (Rumbold, 201, 27). With this huge volume of data, the government will save the cost of medical treatment and avert co-morbidities and mortality rates. Moreover, with the increasing demand for more information by the patients on their health care choices and decision making, a large volume of data will help to meet the demand. With all information gathered in big data, healthcare officials can easily identify frauds in health care systems such as insurance claims. Counterfeit, inconsistency and fake claims can be flagged. The huge volume of data collected by pharmaceutical industries in patients and retailers could help pharmaceutical companies invent new potential and effective drugs.
Concept of continuity planning
Continuity planning in the healthcare industry is indispensable in protecting the patients and employees, limiting financial losses, delivering the best healthcare system, and preserving reputation. The continuity in planning reduces the economic impact to the health center amidst crisis and allows the firm to maintain its logistical and significant business functions. A concrete continuity plan helps the health centers quickly recover and get back to normality (Rumbold, 2017, 29). The significance of healthcare continuity planning cannot be unassuming. Every facility must have a comprehensive plan for disaster management and recovery. The development of a good plan involves the following steps. The healthcare should first identify the plan’s scope, key healthcare areas, and identify the critical function of the plan. The firm should also determine the acceptable time for each critical situation and realize all the dependencies in various areas. Lastly, the healthcare firm should test their plan to vividly know whether the plan will work. A controlled testing plan is indeed contenting and assures a chance to recognize any loop boles. The plan should be supported by the senior management and should not be delegated to the subordinates.
Recommended preparedness program
There is a strong connection between big data and business continuity planning. The plan focuses on the need to protect the data in case of an interruption in healthcare. However, with this correlation in the two, as a manager, I recommend using big data. Data can be independent since it can predict the best plans that are to be used (Merrimack College). Moreover, data can spot any vulnerable areas within healthcare during a disaster and develop the best ways to restore the system to normalcy. Another area of opportunity in using recovery with big data is that most professionals earn a master’s degree in data science and business analytics. Therefore, both concentrations are primarily linked with making businesses most competent and playing a role in restoring the firm if a tragedy strikes. Also, large data give healthcare officials a more robust picture of their entire operation.
The use of informatics in healthcare
Through the use of informatics, the healthcare sector has achieved dramatic savings. Earlier, the sector was not only known to be expensive but also declared wasteful. Statistically, it is estimated that more than half of the expenditure associated with healthcare are squandered on repeat procedures. For instance, there is great cost associated with traditional methods of sharing information, errors in the delivery of services, and delay in delivering the services. However, with the increased technology in the millennial generation, the health sector has substantially reduced such costs. For instance, the presence of electronics and interconnectedness in the place much of these waste has been curbed. Besides, informatics has enabled a great sharing of knowledge within the sector (Sewell, 2018, 34). Often, medicine is referred to as “practice” because healthcare providers are in a constant state of learning more and improving their skills. Therefore, the inception of informatics in the millennial generation has enabled a great way of sharing information between patients, diseases, medicines, and therapies. Through the sharing of knowledge between stakeholders in the healthcare, the profession seems to get better.
The healthcare sector was full of bureaucracy and delays, especially in patients’ ability to access their information. However, with the patients owning electronic gadgets, they can access their health history and recommendation from their doctors. Therefore, patients have been able to assume an active and serious role in their healthcare through increased participation. Patients’ ability to play an active role through accessing their care portals can better educate themselves effectively about prognoses and diagnosis. Besides, the patients can effectively interact with nurses and doctors easily and get feedback fast and conveniently. Informatics has enabled individuals to assume and valuable part in healthcare maintenance, especially in tracking medications and disease symptoms (HITC Staff). Increased coordination is coupled with increased participation. With the availability of information and technology through informatics, healthcare has been more specialized hence enabling many patients to receive care without delay. Currently, through informatics, patients can hold discussions about pharmaceutical concerns, nutrition, blood levels, and physical therapies with a team of healthcare experts. It is only through informatics that coordination of such conversation has been made possible hence enabling increased coordination between healthcare stakeholders. Finally, the outcomes of the healthcare have greatly improved. For instance, the use of electronic medical records is substantially resulting in higher quality care delivery. Healthcare providers enjoy autonomy in the management of teams that provide better diagnosis and reduced errors (HITC Staff). Therefore, healthcare teams have been more coordinated. The increased efficiency of teams in healthcare has enabled health professionals to have free time hence spending more time with patients.
Advantage and disadvantages of technology in healthcare
The technology exists to make human life better and easier. Therefore, technology should subsequently improve the nursing condition and operation for better outcomes. In summary, various explicit benefits have emanated due to the presence of technology. For instance, there is a better record-keeping in the sector. Through the availability of Electronic health records (HER), healthcare professionals can track patients’ records with great efficiency and convenience compared to the manual keeping of records. Due to improved communication devices and interconnectedness through the internet, improved communication leads to improved patient treatment. Convenient communication between patient and health professionals through either video chat help patients to communicate freely and with reduced movements. Associated with improved communication is better knowledge delivery to nurse professionals. One of the ways technology has improved the delivery of education to nursing professionals is the ability to handle research, resources, and communication easily.
Despite these advantages, technology has greatly been criticized is the lack of secrecy due to cybersecurity issues (HITC Staff). As the millennial generation gets inclined to digital support of information documentation, it is clear that the patient’s information is becoming lesser and less personal. Besides, the overdependence of technology can make health professionals less attentive to details. Since technology has no guarantee of not making mistakes, perhaps, it will not be immune to making mistakes. Therefore, human efficiency should still be important to health professionals. Concerning the great importance of technology, technology is viable in the current generation if it is leveraged with great competency and prudent. For instance, the great improvement the healthcare has achieved is solely due to the increasing technological innovations. Besides, the increased communication between educators and nursing students has enabled the efficient delivery of knowledge conveniently. Nursing professionals have also relied greatly on information technology to do their research and communicate with their respective mentors.
Conclusion
Technology has greatly transformed the healthcare sector. Although the adoption of technology in healthcare varies from country to country, the effect of technology is felt globally. Therefore, the aspects of modern technology have almost been felt in all aspects of our lives. The healthcare sector is one of the sectors that has experienced the greatest technological advancements. Through the various advantages such as interconnectedness, improved communication, and outcome, technology continues to make the experiences of healthcare professionals and patients better daily. Although there are a few disadvantages that come with technology, such as data hacking and cybersecurity issues, technology should be improved to protect patient information. Substantial digital documentation of patient information can help improve the confidence of individuals in the technology leveraged in the healthcare facilities. Even though there is an overreliance on technology, human intelligence should not be dismissed and integrated to improve health care outcomes.
References
HITC Staff. (2016 February 03). 6 Way Health Informatics is Transforming Health Care. Retrieved from https://hitconsultant.net/2016/03/02/health-informatics-transforming-health-care/#.XzjxiegzbIU
Sewell, J. (2018). Informatics and nursing. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Merrimack College (2018 September 23) Data is Playing a Bigger Role in Business Continuity Planning Retrieved from https://onlinedsa.merrimack.edu/business-continuity-planning/
Rumbold, J. M., & Pierscionek, B. K. (2017). A critique of the regulation of data science in healthcare research in the European Union. BMC medical ethics, 18(1), 27-30.