PLEASE UNPLOAD EACH DISCUSSION SEPARATELY

According to Deloitte (2019) “Digital technologies are supporting health systems’ efforts to transition to new models of patient-centered care and helping them develop “smart health” approaches to increase access and affordability, improve quality, and lower costs. New technologies are helping with diagnosis and treatment; helping with speed, quality, and accuracy; and improving the patient experience.” (the U.S. and Global Health Care Industry Outlook)

While we can likely agree with the statement above, we also know this transformation inevitably comes with many challenges for both healthcare providers and consumers. Resistance to change is one of the biggest challenges. With emerging technologies, customer experience and exposure to information technology are increasing.  The explosion of patient portals, portable technology, self-monitoring wearable devices, etc.… has created a more aware, assertive, and educated patient. How you feel about these changes will greatly impact the success you have with it. Challenges are many, and reflection upon your feelings is vital.

Assess the challenges of technological advances in Healthcare.

Include the following aspects in the discussion:

1) Using your text and other course resources investigate ways to make the digital transformation process as smooth as possible

2) Provide an approach from a patient education perspective

3) Discuss your personal point of view regarding the health care technology revolution

REPLY TO 2 OF MY CLASSMATES DISCUSSION TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU AGREE. MINIMUM OF 150 WORDS EACH

                                              CLASSMATE POST 1

Any change in process is difficult, especially when dealing with a large team or a complex system such as healthcare. When transition into a more advanced digital technology it becomes even more difficult when dealing with the variety of backgrounds and ages the team ranges. Sullivan places it in 5 easier steps to help the transition into a more digital area easier. Those steps include starting with a baseline, conducting a needs assessment, building out the technology and process roadmap, executing and delivering, and ensuring ongoing holistic services and support (Sullivan, 2019). Starting with a baseline is assessing the current system in place and conducting a needs assessment is identifying areas of improvement. Building out the technology and process roadmap is correctly identifying to proper system that best resolves those needs and creating a plan. Executing and delivering is executing the plan that was set with a full team exciting and engaged in the process change. Lastly, ensuring ongoing holistic services and support is continuing to support the staff even after the process and plan is completed to allow for proper support for new team members or other problems that may arise. 

The best approach I find for patient education perspective is information communication model. This model holds importance on proper communication of information from the sender to the receiver (Hebda, 2018). When involved in digitized era a lot of the older population have a hard time with transition. The best way to involve and help patient’s adapt to change is proper communication and continual support from the staff. 

I do see the advancement in healthcare technology as new inventions and ideas are coming to light, and diseases and problems are being eradicated. With the growing of technology it is also making health care more affordable and accessible. For example, a digital consult with a pharmacist being more accessible the “googling” your question and finding an inconsistent or false answer. “As a pharmacist, I know people would rather go to Dr. Google than talk directly with their knowledgeable pharmacist. A pharmacist can indeed answer quick questions about medications, but most patients don’t know that,” Phuong Le, RPh (Newswire, 2022). It is imperative with the constant evolution of the information technology, we as advanced practice nurses are also evolving in order to efficiently support or patients and staff. 

References 

Hebda, T. L., Czar, P., & Hunter, K. (2018). Handbook of Informatics for Nurses & Healthcare Professionals (6th ed.). Pearson Education (US). https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/books/9780134748436

• PR      Newswire. (2022, April 29). Advancements TV Series to Explore how      Technology is Removing Barriers to Healthcare. PR Newswire US.

       Sullivan, T. (2019, May 6). 5 steps to digital transformation for healthcare.      Healthcare IT News. Retrieved September 14, 2022, from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/5-steps-digital-transformation-healthcare

According to Deloitte (2019) “Digital technologies are supporting health systems’ efforts to transition to new models of patient-centered care and helping them develop “smart health” approaches to increase access and affordability, improve quality, and lower costs. New technologies are helping with diagnosis and treatment; helping with speed, quality, and accuracy; and improving the patient experience.” (the U.S. and Global Health Care Industry Outlook)

While we can likely agree with the statement above, we also know this transformation inevitably comes with many challenges for both healthcare providers and consumers. Resistance to change is one of the biggest challenges. With emerging technologies, customer experience and exposure to information technology are increasing.  The explosion of patient portals, portable technology, self-monitoring wearable devices, etc.… has created a more aware, assertive, and educated patient. How you feel about these changes will greatly impact the success you have with it. Challenges are many, and reflection upon your feelings is vital.

Assess the challenges of technological advances in Healthcare.

Include the following aspects in the discussion:

1) Using your text and other course resources investigate ways to make the digital transformation process as smooth as possible

2) Provide an approach from a patient education perspective

3) Discuss your personal point of view regarding the health care technology revolution

REPLY TO 2 OF MY CLASSMATES DISCUSSION TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS AND EXPLAIN WHY YOU AGREE. MINIMUM OF 150 WORDS EACH

                                               CLASSMATE POST 2

Health information technology (HIT) helps to align processes, improve patient care, lower mortality rates, improve care costs and allow for data collection and analytics (T. Heba, 2018). The challenges of technological advances in healthcare include computer literacy, policy, funding, and legal frameworks, ensuring ethics (including autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice), preparing employees for implementation, compliance with HIT infrastructure requirements and ensuring that that patient safety remains the priority (T. Heba, 2018).

Strategies

Strategies to ensure a smooth digital transition include establishing a baseline and assessing needs from department, staff, and patients (diagnose), create a planning roadmap (plan), communicate during the implementation phase, and ensure ongoing support and evaluation (Sullivan, 2019). These strategies are very similar to our nursing process steps, assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation (Toney-Butler & Thayer, 2022).

Patient Education Perspective

Health technology assessments (HTA) can be used to evaluate the benefits and costs from a patient perspective. A cornerstone of patient centered care is obtaining the input from the consumers using the health information technology. A goal attainment scale (GAS) survey can be used to assess outcomes that the patient deems important (T. Concannon, 2022). In public health this is often done on a population scale and it utilizes social media as a means of crowd sourcing.  

My View Point

As a public health nurse, I am concerned about the lack for computer and health literacy. I worry that health equity will never be achieved. We need to remember that many people in our population do not have internet access or ability to use computers.

As a registered nurse that made the switch from paper charting to electronic medical charting on a very busy labor and delivery floor, it was difficult. Our older nurses that did not have any computer knowledge struggled. As a younger nurse, I adapted quickly and became comfortable with the changes. I liked having the safety net of medication administration scanning technology. Our hospital utilized “Super Users” which were very helpful during the first few weeks of the implementation phase.

As a mother of a chronically ill child, I use healthcare portals to make all his appointments, email providers questions and refill prescriptions. When my son is hospitalized, I have access to lab and test results in real time. As a medically educated mother this system is very helpful for planning purposes.

References

Sullivan, T. (2019, May 6). 5 steps to digital transformation for healthcare. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from Healthcare IT News: https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/5-steps-digital-transformation-healthcare

T. Concannon, Z. P. (2022, June 29). Scaling The Patient Perspective In Health Technology Assessments. Health Affairs Forefront. doi:10.1377/forefront.20220726.603473

T. Heba, K. H. (2018). Handbook of Informatics for Nurses & Healthcare Professionals . Pearson Education .

Toney-Butler, T., & Thayer, J. (2022, April 24). Nursing Process. StatPearls. Retrieved September 15, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499937/