HLT 362 Discuss ways your organization uses technology to gather patient and health care information, and how this information and data are used to direct patient care and outcomes Re: Topic 5 DQ 2

Studying outcomes in large, diverse patient populations over time is vital to improving health care. My organization uses real-world data and evidence (RWD/E) collected from electronic health records, supply chain systems and patient-reported outcomes to study the safety and effectiveness of medical devices and treatments. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) typically consist of individual patients’ medical histories, including lab reports, blood work, medical diagnoses, surgeries, and prescription medication history (Concorde, 2020). It allows healthcare professionals to document care provided to patients and retrieve information that can help prioritize care. Research suggests that EHRs can enhance patient quality, increase time productivity, improve compliance with guidelines, decrease medication errors and adverse drug events (Mills, 2022). For example, if a patient is not conscious and medical decisions have to be made without further information, these records can reveal patient allergies and current medications that may cause interactions with treatment options. In this sense, EHRs can help reduce medical malpractice by greatly reducing the possibility for mistakes by making patient health information instantly accessible to providers and patients by supporting automated workflows between people and technologies (Concorde, 2020).

Other advantages of technology in healthcare are the facilitation of communication between clinicians, improving medication safety, reducing potential medical errors, increasing access to medical information, and encouraging patient-centered care (Mills, 2022).  One of the biggest healthcare advancements in technology is the ability to store and transmit health care records easily and efficiently compared to bulky paper files that must be faxed to other medical providers. This shift to digital records not only streamlines the documentation process itself, but reduces costs and improves patient-doctor relationships, as patients get easy access to their health records via an online interface (Mills, 2022).

References

Concorde. (2020). How Technology Has Advanced Health Care. Retrieved from https://www.concorde.edu/blog/how-technology-has-advanced-health

Mills. (2022). 5 Ways Technology Has Changed Healthcare. Retrieved from https://techvera.com/5-ways-technology-has-changed-healthcare