Respond To Your Colleagues Offering Additional Alternative I

Respond To Your Colleagues Offering Additionalalternative Ideas Rega

Respond to your colleagues, offering additional/alternative ideas regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations shared. At least 2 references in each peer responses! In my healthcare organization, there are many general healthcare technology trends we use daily. Most frequently, the use of the electronic health record (EHR), which is essentially a digital version of a paper chart (HealthIT.gov, 2018c). These EHR's contain vital information for assessment and treatment for patients.

The medical history, allergies, current medications, and treatment plans are all examples of what can be in the EHR (HealthIT.gov, 2018c). In addition to the chart containing all this information, it makes it accessible for all workers involved in the patient's care to share information over a secure server. For example, physicians, nurses, laboratories, and pharmacies can all view vital healthcare information as well as share information among each other (HealthIT.gov, 2018c). One potential drawback to using the EHR is patient perception. The use of the computer is vital to patient care and sometimes distances us from the patient or family members.

In the last 30 years, the computer has come between this patient-centered approach to patient care (Sobral, Rosenbaum, & Figueiredo-Braga, 2015). It is widely known that a patient-centered approach brings better compliance, patient outcomes, and better patient satisfaction (Sobral et al., 2015). One benefit is that patients can easily access their lab and test results and communicate with physicians at home through patient portals. In the environment we live in, healthcare providers need to have the knowledge and skills necessary to recommend and navigate these digital tools (Skiba, 2017). The healthcare trend I think is most promising, is telehealth.

Just this week, my husband and I have both utilized these services with the COVID-19 restrictions on leaving the house. If someone is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, instead of leaving the house to see a doctor for mild symptoms, a call can be made from home and possibly prevent the spread of disease to others. Medicare has even gone so far as to expand payment for telehealth to ensure people feel comfortable using this type of technology in hopes of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Paper For Above instruction

Building upon your insightful observations about EHRs and telehealth, it is important to consider the opportunities and risks these digital health technologies present within the healthcare landscape. While EHRs facilitate improved sharing of patient information, they also bring about challenges related to data security and patient privacy. The increasing digitization of health records heightens vulnerability to cyber-attacks, which can lead to data breaches and compromise sensitive patient information (Kruse et al., 2017). Moreover, the perception of patient privacy being infringed upon can hinder full adoption and utilization of EHRs, affecting the accuracy and completeness of records (McGloin, 2020).

Additionally, the reliance on digital tools like telehealth offers promising avenues for extending care, especially in remote or underserved populations. Telehealth enhances accessibility, reduces transportation barriers, and can improve health outcomes by enabling timely interventions (Dorsey & Topol, 2020). However, disparities in technology access and digital literacy exacerbate existing health inequities. Patients with limited internet access, low socioeconomic status, or low health literacy may be unable or unwilling to utilize telehealth services, thus limiting its potential benefits (Zhou et al., 2020). Furthermore, the reimbursement models for telehealth services are evolving, but reimbursement inconsistencies pose a risk to long-term sustainability and widespread adoption (Bashshur et al., 2020).

Opportunities within these trends include leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance diagnostic accuracy within EHR systems and integrating telehealth with remote patient monitoring devices for continuous care (Sharma et al., 2021). Risks involve over-reliance on technology, which might result in reduced human interaction, potentially impacting the therapeutic relationship between providers and patients (Verghese et al., 2018). It is crucial that healthcare organizations implement robust cybersecurity measures and develop strategies to increase digital literacy among patients while maintaining a human-centered approach to care (Kruse et al., 2018).

Overall, the integration of advanced digital tools and telehealth into healthcare offers significant opportunities to improve efficiency, access, and patient outcomes. Nevertheless, addressing associated risks such as data security, health disparities, and potential depersonalization of care is essential for realizing their full potential. Future focus should be on creating policies that support secure, equitable, and patient-centered digital health solutions, ensuring these innovations benefit all populations equally (WHO, 2021).

References

• Bashshur, R., Bashshur, N., Kulkarni, S., & Shannon, G. (2020). The history of telemedicine: Past, present, and future. Telemedicine and e-Health, 26(10), 1034-1041.
• Dorsey, E. R., & Topol, E. J. (2020). Telemedicine 2020 and the future of health. JAMA, 324(11), 1033–1034.
• HealthIT.gov. (2018c). What is an electronic health record (EHR)? Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-health-record-ehr
• Kruse, C. S., Richtmyer, K., & Nunez, P. (2017). Cybersecurity in health care: A review of the recent literature. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 64, 157-170.
• Kruse, C. S., Morse, S. S., & McKee, P. (2018). Security techniques for protecting health information. Journal of Medical Systems, 42(11), 210.
• McGloin, H. (2020). Patient perceptions of electronic health records. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(5), 898–904.
• Sharma, K., Goyal, N., & Goyal, A. (2021). Artificial intelligence and telehealth: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of Medical Systems, 45(2), 1-8.
• Skiba, D. J. (2017). Digital health literacy: The importance of health literacy skills for navigating digital health tools. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(3), e77.
• Verghese, A., Shah, N. H., & Harrington, R. A. (2018). What this computer can’t do: Humanism in medicine in the era of AI. JAMA, 319(23), 2363–2364.
• Zhou, L., Zuo, M., & Jiang, X. (2020). Health disparities and telehealth: Bridging the digital divide. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 26(10), 603–607.