The integration of technology into healthcare has been one of the largest improvements in recent years in the continuously changing medical profession. The diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients have all changed as a result of the use of healthcare IT. We will take a closer look at how healthcare IT is revolutionizing the healthcare sector and transforming how medicine is practiced in this blog.
Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
The development of electronic health records (EHRs) is one of the biggest developments in healthcare IT. An EHR is a digital copy of a patient’s medical record that licensed healthcare practitioners can access. This enables quicker and easier access to a patient’s medical history, prescriptions, test results, and other information by medical practitioners, improving care coordination.
Patients can now have more control over their healthcare due to EHRs. Patients can now more readily contact their healthcare providers and access their medical records online. Additionally, they can access their test results, keep track of their meds, and observe their development over time.
Telemedicine
Healthcare IT has also made tremendous progress in the realm of telemedicine. Without having to physically visit a hospital, telemedicine enables patients to obtain medical care remotely. Patients who reside in rural locations or have mobility problems may find this to be of special benefit.
In order to communicate with their healthcare providers, people can schedule follow-up appointments via telemedicine without having to leave their homes. For patients who have demanding schedules or have trouble traveling, this can be a huge comfort.
Mobile Health (mHealth)
Healthcare IT is also making great strides in the field of mobile health (mHealth). The term “mHealth” refers to the monitoring and management of health using portable electronic devices like smartphones and tablets. This can include anything from exercise apps to solutions for managing chronic diseases.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Another area in which healthcare IT is significantly advancing is artificial intelligence (AI). AI can be used to analyze a lot of medical data, which will assist doctors and other healthcare professionals find trends and make better judgments. Based on a patient’s particular medical history, AI can also be utilized to create individualized treatment programs.
Is Healthcare IT a Crucial Element of the Medicine World?
Through the secure use and exchange of health information, healthcare information technology (HIT) enables professionals to better manage patient care. By 2030, Extrapolate predicts that the global market for healthcare IT will be worth US$ 822.5 billion. By providing secure and private electronic health records, healthcare information technology has the potential to improve the quality of care while simultaneously reducing costs. With electronic access to health information, patients and healthcare providers can retrieve and share important medical data whenever and wherever it is needed, improving efficiency and enhancing the overall healthcare experience.
Regulations and Oversight: What Keeps Healthcare in Check?
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, passed in 2009, which contained meaningful-use objectives and EHR incentive programs, has greatly increased the adoption of EHR systems in recent years. The meaningful use criteria, which qualified doctors and hospitals to receive incentive payments totaling tens of billions of dollars across the U.S. healthcare industry, were jointly developed and monitored by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and the Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
The value-based compensation system currently in effect will be replaced for meaningful usage by the Medicare Access and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Programme) Reauthorization Act, a law passed by Congress in 2015. In the interim, the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 allocated $6 billion to the most recent medical research in terms of science and technology.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also established and enforces the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which is applicable to healthcare organizations and their business partners that deal with protected health information (PHI), such as third-party billing companies. In order to preserve the privacy of their data, the legislation requires that patients have full access to their PHI and restricts access for third parties. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has the power to sanction healthcare providers who violate PHI privacy laws.
A Glimpse into the Future of Healthcare IT
The diagnosis, management, and treatment of patients are being transformed by healthcare IT. The healthcare business is adopting technology like never before, from electronic health records to telemedicine, mobile health, and artificial intelligence. In the upcoming years, we can anticipate even greater advancements in healthcare IT. These developments will increase patient outcomes while also making healthcare more easy and available to patients worldwide.