Introduction
The application of computers in healthcare is a well-documented issue. The areas of application include clinical care, research, administration, and as diagnostic aids. This is aimed at improving the quality of patient care (Johnson, 2003). With the expansion of technology, new and specialized healthcare disciplines crop up. The exponential growth of medical data, information, and knowledge in terms of abundance and their complexity caused the emergence of the Health Informatics discipline. Health Informatics’ goal is to process data, knowledge, and information across the many areas of healthcare (Chackalackal, 2001).
The origins of computing tools employed in healthcare emerged about three to four decades ago. Earliest forms of computing and information systems in healthcare came from views bordering the classification and codification of human behaviors. From 1960s the growth of Health Information Systems has been rapid now touching every aspect of healthcare. The past decades ushered continued evolvement of technology and computing systems resulting in abundant complex medical data and information hence new advancements in medical procedures and medical technology. It was the ballooning information demands on healthcare, which resulted in the birth and emergence of Health Informatics discipline (Johnson, 2003). This discipline deals with the collection of health related data, information and knowledge, storing and retrieving them when needed, communicating and using them optimally. It utilizes methods and technologies of information sciences to solve problems, make decisions, and assure highest quality health care in the basic and applied areas of health sciences.
Various trends have emerged in Health Information Systems. This is particularly geared towards optimizing use of information in health care (Mullner and Chung, 2006). The current trends include use of health plan tools to connect patients and health care providers, new information technology innovations that give healthcare practitioners key information at the point of care, and lastly health plans that offer patients customized online information and transparency of the cost and quality data.
The first trend is health plan information technology tools that help connect patients and health care providers. These tools offer consumers with the convenience of making direct communication with doctors and nurses about all non-urgent health issues via e-mail or instant messaging, arranging and cancelling appointments, and private viewing laboratory tests in an electronic manner (Mullner and Chung). Additionally, a large number of patients are currently receiving prescriptions of drugs through online pharmacies. The electronic prescription essentially helps to avoid long waits at pharmacy counters. This also saves lives by inhibiting errors caused by handwriting that is in-eligible and the frequent harsh drug interactions.
Moreover, patients and health care providers can participate in virtual house calls and discuss issues such as safe sex, contraceptives, healthy foods and diets. The health care providers give their advice via online using interviews that are structured. The virtual discussions carry an aura of authenticity because the doctors are provided with content that is medically reviewed, and based on specific guidelines. These can be incorporated into responses to messages sent by patients. Moreover, physicians can add attachments to the messages that may include prescriptions as well as other important information related to health conditions of the patient (Mullner and Chung, 2006).
The second trend entails the new information technology innovations that give health care providers important information at the points of care. The new technologies help doctors make an informed identification of gaps existing in evidence-based treatment and address them appropriately (Johnson, 2003). Essentially, the physician will get access to entire patient information they require so as to provide care that is effective. In many instances, this helps reduce errors and the crucial time spent on writing patient information on paper. Of note is that, the technologies analyze personal health records of patients in conjunction with clinical practice guidelines that are recognized nationally. The crosswalk of a patient’s treatment history and the nationally recommended standards of evidence based will enable the creation of a problem list and the corresponding list of existing gaps in preventive and chronic care (Mullner and Chung, 2006). The identified gaps will provide guidance to the doctor on which medical care to provide. Additionally, the technologies provide patients with an opportunity to refill new prescriptions, change primary care physicians online and obtain referrals.
The third current trend entails application of health plans that provide patients with customized online information and transparency of involved costs and quality of data. These occur in new and unique ways, in strict relation to the individual characteristics and needs of patients. Information about health care costs and quality is made available online rendering transparency in health care (Chackalackal, 2001).
Several issues present a barrier to Health Information Systems. First, is the issue of misuse and overuse of these systems. This results from limited integration in the design of systems for health information technology and technologies like imaging systems (Mullsner and Chung, 2006). This ultimately impedes the ability of health information systems to improve the health care quality.
The second issue is the proliferation of the healthcare industry with numerous fake physicians and circulation of false medical information. The emergence of new information technologies that physicians can leverage on to provide medical care presents grounds for quack doctors to hijack. These technologies expose unsuspecting patients to false information and medical knowledge that may result in fatal accidents (Chackalackal, 2001). It is hard to make a comprehensive verification of the authenticity of online data or the virtual doctors attending to your medical needs.
Thirdly, is the slow uptake of information technology among poor societies? The incorporation of information technology in healthcare leads to extra expenses in the provision of healthcare (Johnson, 2003). This is expensive to poor households who can’t manage to foot bills of other essentials. The extra expenses cause the evolution of health information systems slow and non-profitable.
References
Johnson, R. (2003). Health Care Technology: A History of Clinical Care Innovation. Retrieved November 24, 2004, from http://www.hctproject.com/documents.asp?grID=321&d_ID=1687
Chakalackal, J. P. (2001). Health informatics. Retrieved on May 15, 2010, from http://www.ihsnet.org.in/HealthInformatics/HealthInformatics.htm
Mullner, R. M. & Chung, K (2006). Current Issues in Health Care Informatics. Journal of Medical Systems, 30(1), 1-2
