Information Technology in Healthcare

(Impacts ,Applications, and Challenges)

Presented by:Presented by:

Didi MuhammadDidi Muhammad

Information technology (IT) has the Information technology (IT) has the potential to improve the potential to improve the qualityquality, , safetysafety, , and and efficiencyefficiency of healthcare . of healthcare .

IT allows health care providers to IT allows health care providers to collectcollect, , storestore, , retrieveretrieve, and , and transfertransfer information electronically.information electronically.

Common Technologies and Terms

Electronic health record (EHR)Electronic health record (EHR)

Computerized provider order entry (CPOE)Computerized provider order entry (CPOE)

Clinical decision support system (CDSS)Clinical decision support system (CDSS)

Picture archiving and communications Picture archiving and communications system (PACS)system (PACS)

Bar codingBar coding

Radio frequency identification (RFID)Radio frequency identification (RFID)

Automated dispensing machines (ADMs)Automated dispensing machines (ADMs)

Electronic materials management (EMM)Electronic materials management (EMM)

InteroperabilityInteroperability

Quality and health information technology

One of the primary motivators for One of the primary motivators for adopting many clinical health IT adopting many clinical health IT applications is the belief that they applications is the belief that they improve the quality of patient care.improve the quality of patient care.

In In 20002000, the , the Institute of Medicine Institute of Medicine (IOM) (IOM) released a report focusing on patient safety released a report focusing on patient safety estimating that 44,000 to 98,000 people die in estimating that 44,000 to 98,000 people die in U.S. hospitals annually as a result of medical U.S. hospitals annually as a result of medical errors. errors.

Many of these errors involve medications.Many of these errors involve medications.

In a subsequent report, the In a subsequent report, the IOMIOM identified identified ITIT as as one of the one of the four critical forces four critical forces that could that could significantly significantly improveimprove health care health care qualityquality and and safetysafety (IOM 2001). (IOM 2001).

Most Common Applications

HMISHMIS

Mobile Applications Mobile Applications

Current status of health information technology

The degree of IT use varies by health The degree of IT use varies by health care setting:care setting:

Pharmacies Pharmacies are generally are generally advanced advanced usersusers, while other settings such as , while other settings such as physician offices or nursing homes are physician offices or nursing homes are further behind.further behind.

Barriers to Adoption

Investment in IT is costlyInvestment in IT is costly The costs of implementation and The costs of implementation and

ongoing maintenanceongoing maintenance Implementation issues such as work Implementation issues such as work

flowflow

disruption, physician involvement, and disruption, physician involvement, and ease of use have tremendous impact on ease of use have tremendous impact on whether health IT is effective or not.whether health IT is effective or not.

Solutions Development of improved products could reduce Development of improved products could reduce

the hesitation to invest.the hesitation to invest. Physician acceptance may accelerate with more Physician acceptance may accelerate with more

user-friendly versions and experience.user-friendly versions and experience. In the long term, adoption of uniform standards In the long term, adoption of uniform standards

also should help providers share information across also should help providers share information across settings of care and make investment decisions settings of care and make investment decisions less risky.less risky.

Public and private efforts to encourage adoption

Developing or adopting standards.Developing or adopting standards. Providing incentives for providers to Providing incentives for providers to

use health IT.use health IT. Giving grants for research and Giving grants for research and

implementation.implementation.

Thank You