NURBN1005 Introduction To Research And Evidence

Answer

Introduction

In the existing period,hospitals usea digital health record technique and record the confidential information of patients as it would beeffective making the easierwhole process ofHospitals. Further, this essay critically evaluates the importance of digital health recordtechnique (DHR) in the hospitals. As well as, it discusses challenges that may be confronted by hospitals or doctors at the time of using the digital health record. In my opinion, sometimes, the digital health record could negatively impact on the performance of the hospitals by observing incorrect data. I observed that incorrect data recording couldmake a negative image of the healthcare organization among consumer’s mind.

Overview of Digital health record be implemented for all patients

In the current era, a large number of doctor and hospitals use digital health records for removing their paperwork from the operation. It could support to make a reliable decision with respect to the digital health record technique implementation. It is stated that some hospitalsunable to use digital health record technique for all patientsdue to the higher cost and time as would negatively impact on their financial performance (Wachter, 2015). Hence, it is mandatory for the health care organization to improve their knowledge with respect to the application of the digital health records technique for all patients’ records as it would be imperative for sustaining their position in the market.

But at the same time, it is also addressed thatsometimes organization is failed to secure the confidential information of their patient as it would lead to making negative image among the patient’s mind (Li, Yu, Zheng, Ren, and Lou, 2013). Moreover, it is addressed that the digital health records could lead to less manual work in their hospitals. At the same time, it is also evaluated that some hospitals use both online as well as the manual process to record the data of their patients.

Benefits and barriers of digital health record

According to Fernández-Alemán, Señor, Lozoya, and Toval (2013), digital health record could lead hospitals to record all the confidential information in softcopy rather than hardcopy. Further, a healthcare organization could obtain many benefits from the application of digital health records. Further, these advantages could be effective for many individuals like healthcare managers, patients, and clinicians. It is also stated that each medical worker may be liable for maintaining a record of patients. From the application of digital health record, hospitals would beable to obtain higher benefits in the least time and cost.

Kellermann and Jones, (2013) argued that digitalhealth record aid health organization to collect the reliable information with respect to patient data like allergies found, drugs administered, certain drugs, and efficiency of initial treatments. Consequently, healthcare organization would be capable to makea reliable decision in the context of DHR.

Further, if an organization delivers the same services to their patients from long time and the patient is unable to get quality services then they may complaints to supervisor towards the services. Herein, the organization could imply the DHR for simply locating health record of patients as compared to the physical data like files and enhance their satisfaction level. In addition, it enables the organization to save a huge amount of data at the same place.   

In support of this, DesRoches, et al. (2013) examined that digital health record enables to collect technical information with respect to the health issues. Further, it is stated that the digital health record facilitates health organization to understand the current health issues and other development as it wouldbe easily accessed by considering this technique.A specialist and clinician would be capable to search documents of those consumers who are admitted in the hospitals, without leaving their place and addressed the file cabinets, statistical manuals, and journals by considering DHR.

In the favored of Moller et al. (2017)addressed that digital healthcare record system could assist the healthcare organization to manage the information of patients and use in the upcoming period. From the application of the digital health record, clinicians could address and follow up on the issues of patients like progressive lab reports, medical history, and bookings. In addition, it permits clinicians to share their accessible data to their patients about the facilities as it could be effective for obtaining a reliable outcome.          

In opposition to this, Coorevits, et al. (2013) explained that healthcare executives are professionals that are accountable for the leadership,manage a team of hospitals, and healthcare networks. Further, it is found that healthcare executives supervise each department of hospitals like laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy amid others.Hence, a healthcare organization should imply the DHR technique for managing their each department work and get positive responses.

In support to this, Rodrigues, De La Torre, Fernández, and López-Coronado, (2013) examined that digital health record could support the organization to make the easy process of the workflow and obtain a reliable outcome. It could lead the employees to recordthe different experience of the patientsuch as bookings, laboratory reports, referrals records, and billing report.

Levy, Janke, and Langa, (2015), argued that digital health record facilitates the organization to simply secure the information of patients in the hospitals. The healthcare organization may face a problem at the time of differentiating the information of the patients and pooled itto offers appropriate facility to their patients. But at the same time, it is also evaluated that digital health record could enable the organization to secure the confidential data of patients along with differentiating the gathered information in the least time as per the requirement. The digital health record also facilitates the organization to delivers many services to their patients as it would be associated with updates patient records, referrals information, and pharmacy transcriptions. Consequently, patients will be capable to have the health facility in another hospital on the bias of their connivance. 

In support of this, Labrique, Vasudevan, Kochi, Fabricant, and Mehl, (2013) examined that digital health record is beneficial for reducing costs of hospitals by completing their data record activity in the least time. Although, the initial cost of equipment installment can be higher but, day to day expenses of health care unit could be reduced by applying the feasible DHR system. Digital health record may eliminate the other activities cost such as files, cabinet and free up space that could be utilized for other purposes. It also declines the number of human resources and saves time due to an automated process that could enhance the productivity of hospitals.

In contrast to this, Shickel, Tighe, Bihorac, andRashidi, (2017) illustrated that digital health record could be advantageous for patients asit facilitates them to check their personal health records such as medical traits, past diagnostics, and administration of the drug. The patient can be competent to organize their health booking as well as a consultancy by using the digital health record. It is fact that digital health record could be used for centrally managed and stored. It is stated that the case of losses in personal data due to misplacement and negligence can be declined. It indicates that there is no need to fill fresh form each time when patient visit in a healthcare facility. Moreover, a digital health record takes less time for patients due to eliminating physical record. With the digital record, the clinicians have centrally maintained all the files as it could be easily accessed.

Barriers and Risks Associated with digital Health Records Application

According to Levy, Janke, and Langa, (2015), there are certain barriers, which may hinder the optimization of digital health records in hospitals. It could be resolved by using effective strategies. The data incorporated in digital health record can be accessible by different departments in a healthcare unit. It is an effective aspect, which needs a very secure process of maintenance. Along with this, a high standard of security can be translated into the high cost of maintenance that cannot be afforded by the majority of care providers.    

In opposed to this, Topol, Steinhubl, and Torkamani, (2015) evaluated that clinicians may have different competencies in the usage of the digital health record. It could be hazardous when essential data is either misplaced or accidentally changed. In spite of security issues at the workplace, it is considered that such health record could be prone to unofficial access and impairment by external parties like viruses, web hackers, along with internet-based threats of security. 

As per the view ofShickel, Tighe, Bihorac, and Rashidi, (2017)a digital health record can be centrally organized hence distinct personnel may have the right to access them. For example, the medical record of the patient could be accessed without difficulty by a different department within a facility and externally by another unit of healthcare. It indicates unethical usage of patient’s record. It may lead to wrong medication and diagnosis. There is fact that digital health record is a comparatively current development in practices of medical hence there is no adequate regulation concerning disclosure and use of personal data. It is a key challenge in the practices of the digital health record.

Sheikh, Jha, Cresswell, Greaves, and Bates, (2014) argued that for succeeding the digital health record, there is need of integrity with accountability in order to determine distinct roles in practices of medicine. It will involve accountability on the part of the clinician, patients, insurance corporations, health management, and other hospital staff. When healthcare key players and government makes effort to execute such measures, then there could be issues that the number of personnel can access the digital health record. Along with this, the base of the patient is huge so that there could be chances of mass breach of privacy and confidentiality about information of the patient.

In support of this, Fernández-Luque and Bau, (2015) stated that there is no clear rule with regulation to govern the retention, creation, and sharing of the information of the patient. Initially, Healthcare organization should usea harmonized way to generate the file of the patient. There is also need to include an identifier of the patient, which should be mandatory to apply across all healthcare providers. Moreover, Healthcare organization should also make a standard layout for the collection of patient data across the profession of healthcare. Lastly, Organization should be aware of the standard way ofdata sharing amongst various hospitals of healthcare units. These requirements involve the alteration in preference by patients, referrals, and even cases in which some healthcare units close down and data of patient needs to be kept.

In contrast to this, Sheikh, Jha, Cresswell, Greaves, and Bates, (2014) evaluated that thereare two approaches that could be used by the hospital in order to improve the sharing of information amongst hospitals. These approaches are centralized information server model and peer to peer model. These approaches will facilitate the organization to appropriately share data and geta reliable outcome.

Conclusion

As per the above discussion, it can be observed that digital health record enables the healthcare organization to record all information of patients at one place in the least time and cost.According to my perspective, healthcare organization could take many benefits by usage of the digital health record technique. It considers easily access data, timely offer reliable services, prompt service, secure many patients records, deal with the diverse situation, cost-effective, and make a reliable decision.Due to the lack of understanding of digital health record system implementation,hospitals may confront from many problems like possibilities of wrong diagnosis and medication, disclose the confidentiality of patient’s, and unethical code of conduct.

Recommendation

It can be recommended that organization should use the audit system in specified time to understand the actual situation of the digital health record and make the correction as per the situation it could be effective for making consistency in the whole process. It could also be effective for securing the confidentiality of the patients.

References

Coorevits, P., Sundgren, M., Klein, G. O., Bahr, A., Claerhout, B., Daniel, C., ...& De Moor, G. (2013). Electronic health records: new opportunities for clinical research. Journal of internal medicine, 274(6), 547-560.

DesRoches, C. M., Charles, D., Furukawa, M. F., Joshi, M. S., Kralovec, P., Mostashari, F., ...&Jha, A. K. (2013). Adoption of electronic health records grows rapidly, but fewer than half of US hospitals had at least a basic system in 2012. Health Affairs, 32(8), 1478-1485.

Fernández-Alemán, J. L., Señor, I. C., Lozoya, P. Á. O., &Toval, A. (2013). Security and privacy in electronic health records: A systematic literature review. Journal of biomedical informatics, 46(3), 541-562.

Fernández-Luque, L., &Bau, T. (2015). Health and social media: a perfect storm of information. Healthcare informatics research, 21(2), 67-73.

Kellermann, A. L., & Jones, S. S. (2013). What it will take to achieve the as-yet-unfulfilled promises of health information technology. Health affairs, 32(1), 63-68.

Labrique, A. B., Vasudevan, L., Kochi, E., Fabricant, R., &Mehl, G. (2013).mHealth innovations as health system strengthening tools: 12 common applications and a visual framework. Global health: science and practice, 1(2), 160-171.

Levy, H., Janke, A. T., &Langa, K. M. (2015). Health literacy and the digital divide among older Americans. Journal of general internal medicine, 30(3), 284-289.

Li, M., Yu, S., Zheng, Y., Ren, K., & Lou, W. (2013). Scalable and secure sharing of personal health records in cloud computing using attribute-based encryption. IEEE transactions on parallel and distributed systems, 24(1), 131-143.

Moller, A. C., Merchant, G., Conroy, D. E., West, R., Hekler, E., Kugler, K. C., &Michie, S. (2017). Applying and advancing behavior change theories and techniques in the context of a digital health revolution: proposals for more effectively realizing untapped potential. Journal of behavioral medicine, 40(1), 85-98.

Rodrigues, J. J., De La Torre, I., Fernández, G., &López-Coronado, M. (2013). Analysis of the security and privacy requirements of cloud-based electronic health records systems. Journal of medical Internet research, 15(8).

Sheikh, A., Jha, A., Cresswell, K., Greaves, F., & Bates, D. W. (2014). Adoption of electronic health records in UK hospitals: lessons from the USA. The Lancet, 384(9937), 8-9.

Shickel, B., Tighe, P., Bihorac, A., &Rashidi, P. (2017). Deep EHR: a survey of recent advances in deep learning techniques for electronic health record (EHR) analysis. arXiv preprint arXiv:1706.03446.

Topol, E. J., Steinhubl, S. R., &Torkamani, A. (2015).Digital medical tools and sensors. Jama, 313(4), 353-354.

Wachter, R. (2015). The digital doctor. Hope, Hype and at the Dawn of Medicines Computer Age, 2015.