Health information technology is the framework
that acts as an umbrella to describe the comprehensive management of a variety
of electronic methods that are used to manage information about people's health
and health care, for both individual patients and groups of patients.
Health IT professionals
play a significant role in improving the quality and safety of health by preventing medical
errors, reducing health care costs, increasing administrative efficiencies,
decreasing paperwork, and expanding access to affordable health care.
Health information technology provides the means
to a safe, quality, and efficiency care today, into tomorrow, and in the future
since the integration of technology is expanding in healthcare setting.
Informatics in nursing
is the integration of computer science, information management into nursing practice.
The emerging use of technology and informatics into the daily practice has revolutionizing the manner
in which health care is delivered.
In five weeks journey, I have gained
deep understanding about the integration of the Electronic Health Records and
have realized its importance in improving the quality and safety of care and
its relation to meaningful use (MU), interoperability, and HITECH.
With
the emerging technology, all healthcare organizations have moved to the use of
the Electronic Health Records instead of the paper. There has been a great
improvement in the quality and safety of care after utilizing the EHR’s and
increased collaboration among healthcare providers which lead to the concept of
meaningful use- exchange of electronic health information for care delivery and
quality reporting purposes. To effectively implement meaningful use within the
practice, it is required to consider an important component which is
interoperability- sharing data without losing context or meaning. If all of the
above were achieved, the organization will receive its incentive and here where
HITECH takes place.
Nurse Leaders/Administrators are key factors to
the successful implementation of new technologies and achievement of quality
care and improved outcomes. Nurse leaders/administrators should established a
shared vision for technology innovation and application in the work setting and
share it with the staff in addition their responsibility of involving
caregivers in technology design, selection, and evaluation. Nurse leaders must
embrace, adopt, and implement technology while addressing leadership challenges of how to respond to and accelerate
adoption of technologies to support practice. In healthcare settings, we need transformational
leaders who support innovation in practice, create an environment where improvement
is encouraged, adopted, and sustained.
Nursing
Leadership plays a crucial role in leveraging technology in healthcare setting
in addition to their important role of incorporating and successfully utilizing
the new technology. Nurse leaders should develop new forms of knowledge and
opportunities to the staff in order to increase their buy-in to the emerging technology.
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality (AHRQ). (n.d.). Health Information Technology Integration. Retrieved on
August 11, 2015 from http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/prevention-chronic-care/improve/health-it/index.html
Cipriano, P. F. & Hamer, S.
(2013). Enabling the Ordinary: More time to care. American Nurse Today. 8(11).
SR2-SR4.
Healthcare Information and
Management Systems Society (HIMSS). (2015). What is Nursing Informatics?
Retrieved on August 11, 2015 from http://www.himss.org/resourcelibrary/TopicList.aspx?MetaDataID=767
Thede, L. (2012).
Informatics: Where Is It? OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues inNursing. 17(1).
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