Revolutionizing Health Care: The Power of IT Applications

Information technology (IT) has the potential to improve the quality , safety, and efficiency of efficiency of health care.Private and public sectors have engaged in numerous efforts to promote its use within and across health care settings.By providing new ways for providers and their patients to readily access and use health information, information technology has the potential to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of health care.IT application fall into three categories:

1. Administrative and Financial systems that facilitate billing , accounting, and other administrative tasks
2. Clinical systems that facilitate or provide input into care process
3. Infrastructure that supports both the administrative and clinical applications

The following technologies and terms are often in health care:- 

1) Electronic Health Record (EHR) 

EHRs were originally as an electronic file cabinet for patient data from various sources, ultimately integrating text, voice, images, handwritten notes etc. Now they are generally viewed as part of an automated order-entry and patient –tracking system providing real-time access to patient data. 

2) Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) 

CPOE in its basic form is typically a medication ordering and fulfillment system. CPOE also include lab orders, radiology studies, procudures, discharges, transfers and referrals. 

3) Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) 

The term covers a variety of technologies ranging from simple alerts and prescription drug interaction warning to full clinical pathways and protocols. CDSS may be used as part of CPOE and HER 

4) Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) 

This technology captures and integrates diagnostic and radiological images from various devices (x-ray, MRI, computed tomography scan), stores them, and disseminates them to a medical record, a clinical data repository or other points of care. 

5) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) 

It tracks patiets throughout the hospital and links lab and medication tracking through a wireless communication system. It is neither mature nor widely available , but may be an alternative to bar coding 

6) Automated Dispensing Machine (ADMs) 

This technology distributes medication doses. 

7) Electronic Materials Management (EMM) 

Health care organizations use EMM to track and manage inventory of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals and other materials. It is similar to enterprise resource planning systems used outside of health care.