Module #1: Discussion Board
Please respond to the following prompts:
· How do you think health information technology has impacted the relationship between doctors and their patients?
· What do you think are the most significant barriers to adoption of health information technologies?
· Please post your initial response to the prompt above by 11:59pm ET on Wednesday, January 15th.
· You will also post a minimum of 2 response to other student’s response. Each response must be a
minimum of 200 words. Responses to your peers are due by Saturday, January 18th at 11:59 PM.
·
Please refer to the discussion board rubric for criteria on how your discussions will be evaluated.
Response one
HIT has changed the relationship between doctors and patients in many aspects. There is an improvement in communications. Doctors access patient information immediately through EHRs, enhancing the precision of diagnosis and treatment (Yeung et al., 2023). Patients also have secure portals to review test results, schedule appointments, and even message their doctor directly. On the other hand, HIT may bring along its issues as well. For instance, most clinic physicians are caught inputting patient data into electronic health records, thereby taking more “screen time” during consultations. This situation could alienate some patients who feel belittled by the presence of these computers (Junaid et al., 2022). For instance, such a balance between HIT’s efficient use and a doctor-patient relationship engagement remains strikingly challenging.
Regardless of the listed benefits, adopting HIT depends on several potential significant barriers. Another is cost, and there are significantly higher costs concerning financial investment related to HIT systems, including an electronic health record software program, a hardware interface, or an ongoing upkeep plan (Junaid et al., 2022). Financial difficulties within smaller or more rural health centers may restrain this ability due to HIT adoption rates, as small, rural medical practices often do not have that budget. Another barrier is that integration is highly complex (“The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology,” n.d). The HIT system has to integrate well into the existing workflow and software, which often takes a lot of customization and training for healthcare providers. Resistance to change from staff, who might find new systems challenging to learn, further complicates adoption, as per Yeung et al. (2023). There is also a lot of concern about data security and privacy. The patients and providers are worried about breaches that might compromise sensitive health information. These barriers must be addressed using financial incentives, simplifying the systems, and cybersecurity measures to implement HIT appropriately.
References
Junaid, S. B., Imam, A. A., Balogun, A. O., De Silva, L. C., Surakat, Y. A., Kumar, G., Abdulkarim, M., Shuaibu, A. N., Garba, A., Sahalu, Y., Mohammed, A., Mohammed, T. Y., Abdulkadir, B. A., Abba, A. A., Kakumi, N. A. I., & Mahamad, S. (2022). Recent advancements in emerging technologies for healthcare management systems: A s Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 10(10), 1940.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. (n.d.). Health IT: Advancing America’s health care. Gov. to an external site.
Yeung, A. W. K., Torkamani, A., Butte, A. J., Glicksberg, B. S., Schuller, B., Rodriguez, B., Ting, D. S. W., Bates, D., Schaden, E., Peng, H., Willschke, H., van der Laak, J., Car, J., Rahimi, K., Celi, L. A., Banach, M., Kletecka-Pulker, M., Kimberger, O., Eils, R., Islam, S. M. S., … Atanasov, A. G. (2023). The promise of digital healthcare technologies. Frontiers in public health, 11, 1196596.
Reponse two
Health information technology (IT) has transformed the relationship between doctors and patients by promoting transparency and engagement as well as fostering improved access and communication. Tools such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs) allow doctors to share comprehensive health data with patients, providing an easy access to their health information, test results and medical history online creating opportunities for more informed and collaborative decision-making.
Health IT also reduces inefficiencies by streamlining processes like e-prescribing, automated reminders, and electronic communication tools that make it easier for patients to stay involved and decrease doctors’ time documenting patients’ information into systems during appointments, which can make patients feel neglected or undervalued.
The adoption of Health IT faces several significant obstacles that prevent its widespread implementation; despite its clear benefits, multiple barriers, which include
· Cost: Digital tools can be expensive, including software, hardware, and maintenance.
· Privacy risks: Breaches of sensitive health information remain a challenge.
· Technological infrastructure: Inadequate devices or internet speed limits the adoption of digital health tools.
· Resistance to change: Many healthcare providers and staff are reluctant to adopt new technologies due to the complexity of the systems or fear.
By confronting these barriers and addressing these challenges, the healthcare industry can leverage Health IT to achieve its potential for transforming patient care and system efficiency.
References:
Junaid, S. B., Imam, A. A., Balogun, A. O., De Silva, L. C., Surakat, Y. A., Kumar, G., Abdulkarim, M., Shuaibu, A. N., Garba, A., Sahalu, Y., Mohammed, A., Mohammed, T. Y., Abdulkadir, B. A., Abba, A. A., Kakumi, N. A. I., & Mahamad, S. (2022). Recent advancements in emerging technologies for healthcare management systems: A systematic review.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 10(10), 1940.
Links to an external site.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. (n.d.). Health IT: Advancing America’s health care.
HealthIT.gov.
to an external site.
Yeung, A. W. K., Torkamani, A., Butte, A. J., Glicksberg, B. S., Schuller, B., Rodriguez, B., Ting, D. S. W., Bates, D., Schaden, E., Peng, H., Willschke, H., van der Laak, J., Car, J., Rahimi, K., Celi, L. A., Banach, M., Kletecka-Pulker, M., Kimberger, O., Eils, R., Islam, S. M. S., … Atanasov, A. G. (2023). The promise of digital healthcare technologies.
Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1196596.
Links to an external site.
