Introduction
Healthcare information management technology provides the basic framework for management of health information across computerized systems. It is a tool, which is under much consideration recently, as it is viewed to improve the overall quality, efficiency and safety of healthcare information.
Electronic Health Record (EHR)
This technology was previously known as Electronic Medical Record (EMR). This system helps in reducing errors related to drug prescription, procedures and tests. It provides recurring alerts to the physicians reminding them of the preventive care and enables the physicians to track tests results and referrals. Electronic health records have been of great benefit in the process of treating a patient by providing clinical guidelines used in disease management.
Computerized Provider (Physician) Order Entry (CPOE)
This program was developed in order to reduce errors related to drug prescription, which are actually one of the errors in hospitals, which are preventable. It was established after a report from an institute of medicine indicated that a hospitalized patient is exposed to the risk of medication error in his/her days of stay in hospital. Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) can reduce medicine prescription errors by 80% and other adverse errors by about 55%.
Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS)
This is a system, which was developed with the purpose of assisting physicians and other professionals in healthcare provider sector in making decisions like determining patient data diagnosis. It is an interactive system, which is used by clinicians in assisting them in decision making at a point of care. The clinician’s work is to input the information to the program in the computer and wait for the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) give him/her feedback, which he/she can use to deliver clinical advice to the patient care. The CDSS gives out a lot of suggestive information, the clinician will use his/her knowledge and officially pick relevant information and leave unnecessary information identified by the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS).
Electronic Medication Administration Records (EMAR)
This technology enlists bar coding in submitting and filling of prescription by the use of hand held scanners to a workstation or by use of Bluetooth wireless technology. Electronic Medication Administration Records (EMAR) transmits data from a workstation to the pharmacy. The technology is very efficient as it simplifies prescription process for patients and physician.
SMRTNet
OpCenter technology: decision-support product to health care executives
This technology was developed by MEDHOST, a provider of Emergency Department Information System (EDIS) and healthcare throughput solution. OpCenter technology assists executives by providing real-time information on inpatient flow and bed management, so that they can make wise decisions on how to improve the quality of hospital’s operations and increase patient satisfaction.
Conclusion
Health information technology has brought a significant change in health facilities and to healthcare service providers. It has facilitated better information sharing between the healthcare providers and the patients, thus leading to improvement in diagnosis, self-care promotion as assisting individuals get more information about their health.
