Abstract
The Affordable Health Care Act has been a misrepresented misinterpreted issue in American politics from since its first introduction as one of President Obama’s strategies of improving health care in America. It has met immense criticisms to the extent of factions in the society referring to it as ‘Obamascare.’ The following pages of the paper will advance some evidence based perspectives regarding its role in reducing paperwork and administrative costs through the adaption of clinical information systems technology
Introduction
Overview of reducing paper work and administrative costs (Affordable Health Care Act)
The Affordable Care Act is a law which seeks to implement health care adjustments ensuring that every citizen has access to quality health care. It was legislated by President Barak Obama on March 23 2010. In regulating health care investment in a society where costs are the highest among developed nations it will open access to increased quality care for American citizens . Providers will also be beneficiaries in this process. A major component of this reform involves reducing Paperwork and Administrative Costs.
When reviewing the national strategy background to affordable health care act in relation to reducing paperwork and administrative costs it projects overall improved interventions by making health care more patient-centered and adaptable to modern information technology systems. This would allow health care providers access to more reliable storage of information and safety from exposure to third party sources.
Consequently, with less paperwork skills would be allocated towards actual care rather than tending to patients’ files. With regards to the healthy people healthy communities strategy reducing paperwork and administrative costs will enable more funds and time for improving US population health in addressing the social determinants across cultures in various communities. The third strategy is directly related to reducing paper work and administrative costs by considering accessibility to health care through cost reduction in services. This is achieved by promoting effective communication and coordination of care through efficient clinical information technology systems (National Strategy, 2011).
Background information
This legislation was designed after deliberations showing whereby utilizing electronic methods for storage and exchange of data does not only save time, but drastically reduce administrative costs. It was discovered that electronic storage of patients’ records eliminates the amount of paper being used. Operating heads are also cut in half because less labor is required to coordinate records as opposed to manually assembling paper (Sarah Barr, 2012)
In shifting from manually paper data storing mechanisms to more advanced electronic system, the hospital administration is in a position to collect and store more accurate information regarding patient’s health status. This also aids hospital staff to effectively utilize their overtime shifts well. Studies show where it has reduced medical errors evolving from misdiagnosis through fatigue. Subsequent, studies have proven that disjointed provision of service lowers the quality of healthcare. By incorporating electronic devices replacing paperwork, health care function is expected to improve drastically (Huhn, 2011)
Parties with vested interests
In the efforts to improve medical care by reducing paper and administrative costs the Act provides room for a number of parties with vested interests. These parties include hospital administration; doctors, nurses; pharmaceutical companies, health care providers; insurance companies; information technology experts, and patients/clients. This networking system provides immense co-ordination among hospital administration providers outside the direct environment, to effect improved client /patient information dissemination through easy record .
For example, pharmaceutical companies will also benefit from the integration of an electronic system. Technology significantly reduces the lengthy process of rumbling with paper to find doctors’ orders for a particular patient. With clinical electronic system one stakeholder coordinates with another, the intervention becomes accurate and efficient through electronic prescribing.
Patients/ clients can be considered parties with vested interests as well because they are the ones who will eventually benefit from implementation of clinical information technology. While they do not have to make contact with the system directly as doctors, technicians or pharmacists adjusting to the change of not receiving documented information must be undertaken through education.
Synthesis of evidenced- based research of all sides
A case study conducted by Michael Dowding (2012) reported in the caption ‘Integrating Capital and Asset Management across a Health System’ identified a series of financial assets management deficiencies at the Sisters of Mercy Health System. Dowding (2012) posited that traditional Health system leaders lacked knowledge due to poor information dissemination related to current ‘dynamic financial issues, controlling of daily capital spending, or managing capital investments’ (Dowding, 2012). The ‘paper-intensive capital processes’ was highlighted as a waste of time; adapting inefficient strategies through ‘in-box shuttle’ design of spread sheets and memos (Dowding, 2012).
Dowding (2012) further argued that this was responsible for the financial decline experienced by Sisters of Mercy Health System. Recommendations were that more relevant centralized approaches such as designing and implementing clinical information systems would be beneficial. Reconstruction methods were implemented and marked improvement in quality of care as well as financial surpluses was experienced (Dowding, 2012).
Further evidence based studies have supported remarkable development in services with the implementation of clinical information systems. During 2009, government provided over 19 billion dollars to cater for the adoption of the electronic health system under a program known as HIT- Health Information Technology. Another 2 billion dollars was dispensed for grants later in 2010(Reducing Costs, Protecting Consumers: The Affordable Care Act on the One Year Anniversary of the Patient’s Bill of Rights, 2011).
Patricia Brennan (2008) argues that while the implementation of clinical information systems may be the answer to more efficient management of health care services and procedures a theory based approach must be adapted because it can just be as costly as paper work administration if the right system is not applied for the particular organization. She advances that theory helps in creating appropriate structure and identifying key elements or players in a given situation. They also help in specifying ‘key elements of a critical situation, such as a clinical practice environment, which highlights where attention should be paid. explicate the relationship between predictors and outcomes’ (Brennan, 2008).
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Conclusion
While implementing clinical information systems to reduce paper work and cut administrative costs was mandatory for federal health care programs, private health care providers, however, took the lead in applying HIT immediately. The Institute of Medicine has been very influential and supportive in training and education towards implementation of the technology. In the end, patients are able to get proper health care as well as receive insurance coverage (Reducing Costs, Protecting Consumers: The Affordable Care Act on the One Year Anniversary of the Patient’s Bill of Rights, 2011).
Summary of implementation – nationally and in communities
The implementation of this Act has been sequenced in what is known as a timeline. Reforms that have been enacted as far as reducing paperwork and administrative costs include standardization of billing systems. As far as the insurance sector is concerned, health professionals are saved the hassle of dealing with insurance incompetence and bureaucratic procedures. Consequently, health professionals are able to attend to their patients efficiently.
Pharmacies experience less paper work, hospital is able to cut on administrative costs and at the same time ensuring that patients receive excellent services. Future plans for the insurance sector reduction in paper workload include the opening of Affordable Insurance Exchanges. An exchange refers to any innovative marketplace where small enterprises and persons are allowed to purchase affordable and approved health plans from insurance companies .
Overall administrative costs have been greatly reduced due to the reduction in labor intensive skills applications. Government has also released grants to facilitate the integration of t clinical electronic systems within the health systems. Consequently, implementation of this Act improved access to quality health care by facilitating the dispensation process .
Consensus statement and justification from literature review
In my opinion as a health care worker reducing paper work and administrative cost due to specifications outlined in this aspect of the affordable health care act is remarked and a magnificent step towards making health care affordable in America. The consensus drawn from statements made by Dowding (2012) regarding the sisters of Mercy hospital and Brenann (2008) theory based implementation approach towards instituting clinical information systems are relevant towards this perspective.
References
Anthony Shih, J.A (2012). Preventive Health Services Under the Affordable Care Act: Role of
Delivery System Reform. Medscape , 1.
Brenann, P (2008). Standing in the shadows of theory. J Am Med Inform Assoc.15(2); 263-264
Dowding, M. (2009). Integrating Capital and Asset Management across a Health System.
Retrieved on 11th December, 2012 from
http://www.hfma.org/Templates/Print.aspx?id=1107
Healthcare Reform: A Guide to the Affordable Care Act. (2011). Medscape , 1.
Huhn, W. (2011). ObamaCare (The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act).
North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press .
National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care (2011). Report from congress.
Reducing Costs, Protecting Consumers: The Affordable Care Act on the One Year Anniversary
of the Patient’s Bill of Rights. (2011, september 23). Retrieved november 12, 2012,
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Sarah Barr, M. F. (2012). Obama's Healthcare Policy Record. Kaiser Health News , 1. Timeline:
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