1HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 Information booklet on use and benefits of information and communication (ICT) in health and social care Overview about ICT software in health care: ICTs are crucial tool to provide support to health care staffs regarding gaining access to technological solution for communication within health and social care environment. ICTs are range of electronic tools that promotes communication and information sharing process in health care. The main purpose of information processing and exchange of information is to promote health, manage illness and treat disease (Wildevuur and Simonse 2015). In the health care sector, the main ICTs can provide support in the following areas of communication: Collecting and monitoring patient’s information Text messaging and updating client Diagnosing health and social care issues Providing treatment from distant areas Retrieving electronic health record Figure 1:An ICT tool used in health care
2HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 The mainadvantageof usingICTsin healthand socialcareisthatithasreduced communication gap in health care by providing innovative ways to access, share and store information.Ithasreducedthebarriertocommunicationprocessbetweenhealthcare professionals and service users. Another reason for wide application of ICTs is the potential to promote patient-centered health care and at minimum cost too. It mitigates any issues faced by remote services users in accessing the service and reduces travel time related in utilizing health and social care service (Rouleau, Gagnon and Côté 2015). Figure 2:Different types of benefit of ICT tool Some examples of ICT tools in health and social care include the following:
3HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 Spreadsheets:As the job a health and social worker is to communicate with client,use of ICT tools help them to track their information on time. Use of ICTs like simple spreadsheets helps in maintaining a collection of different client information. EMR:Electronic Medical Records are tools to manage client care and collaborate on documents. Database:Many online databases and web-based source alsohelps in exchange of information between services user. Benefits of ICT to users Users of ICT get the following benefits from ICT tools: Maintaining independence: One of the most vital advantages of ICT tool in health care is that it helps a nurses to remain independent and not depend on others to implement nursing action. By going through patient details and other updates on ICT tool, engaging in quick decision making process for the safety of patient has become easier for nurses. Research evidence byHaluza and Jungwirth (2015)argues that ICT facilitated users to become autonomous and take better control of their lives. Research participants experienced benefits from e-health support and the research proved the fact that ICT has a positive impact on independence, autonomy and self-development of users. Communication: ICT has played a role in improving communication process too. Communication between patient and health care professionals increases efficiency in the care process and reduce administrative cost. An ICT tools that give updates on patient health status and facilitates
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4HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 communication between patient and others are vital for safety at hospital and primary care interface. By easier access to patient data and faster communication process through the use of ICT, lot of time is saved in various types of clinical care activities. Health care industry has gained both financial and non-financial gain from ICTs (Andreassen, Kjekshus and Tjora 2015). Accuracy of records: In the past, maintaining patient’s records and other health information was a burdensome task leading to many errors during the documentation. However, with the advent of electronic health records, ICT users are able to maintain accurate records of patient. This type of tools has saved valuable time of nurses and improves the accuracy of patient’s record. Many ICT technologies enable nurse to directly review patient’s information on mobile phones. Valuable time of nurses is saved due to the presence of ICT in health care setting (Achampong 2012). Accuracyofthecompletehealthrecordinturnhelpstomaintainintegrityofpatient’s information. It promotes clinical administration through the optimization of clinical pathways. Maintaining integrity and completeness of patient data is critical to enhance the quality of care (Vimalachandran et al. 2016). Meeting client needs: ICT tools also gives nurse the opportunity to meet client needs by all means. For example, many reminder systems like automated alarms and SMS function provides weekly or day to day reminder to nurses regarding patient updates or upcoming care needs. This allows the nurse to avoid delay in care and meet specific care needs of patient. In this way, it can be said that ICT is successful in improving patient’s outcome and increasing patient’s satisfaction with care.
5HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 Figure 3:Use of ICT to improve patient’s satisfaction with care Efficiency of the process: The quality of care in health care setting is dependent on patient safety, effectiveness and efficiency dimension. The advantage of ICT for service user is that with the use of ICT tools like CDS (Computer Decision Support) and EHRs (Electronic Health Records), it has been possible to deliver high quality and effective care. This can be said because CDS tools increases access to all patient’s information in a timely manner. It also increases adherence to clinical practice guidelines. Adhering to the guidelines improve the likelihood of positive patient outcome and makes the care more effective (Menachemi and Collum 2011).
6HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 Figure 4:Use of electronic health record in health care Benefits of ICT to organization: By the implementation of various advanced ICT tools, health care organizations are reaping several benefits now. It has supported health care organizations to support service improvement in the following ways: Promoting accountability in care: Implementation of advanced ICT tool has played a role in promoting accountability in care. Implementation of e-governance in different public health services has empowered citizens and promoted transparency in care. Meeting requirements of other agencies: DevelopmentofupdatedICTtoolsasperpatient’sneedhashelpedhealthcare organization to meet the requirement of other agencies and clients. Collaboration and partnership
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7HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 with other associated agencies has helped to maintain health care resource and effectively manage economic and financial dimensions in health care setting (Miah et al., 2017). Figure 5:Role of the governing bodies in accountability Efficiency and quality of service: Another advantage of ICT for health care organization is that it is affected the way health care service is delivered to clients. ICT has driven down health care cost and promoted effectiveness of health care services through excellent support in disease management. It has improved patient safety and decision support for health care practitioners too (Ammenwerth and Rigby 2016). Benefit of ICT to care workers: Meet all kinds of demands in health care service:
8HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 The implementation of ICT tools like e-health and mobile applications has supported health care workers to meet quality, security and efficiency related demands. Retrieving patient’s information and keeping in contact with patient has become easier with ICT tool. Regular contact with patients also helps to track progress and promote positive outcome for patient (Fagerström et al. 2017). Reduction of workload and burden: ICT tools like electronic health record and computer decision support tools have the potential to reduce work burden. However, to obtain full benefits from ICT technology, proper training regarding effective use of different tools among health care workers is necessary. As different staff experience different reduction in burden, there is a need to focus on developing skills related to disease management and ordering/reviewing task (Howard et al. 2013). Legal considerations in using ICT Data protection and confidentiality: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1988, protecting personal information stored on computer is necessary. Hence, to consider introduction and use of ICT in health care setting, it is essential to maintain privacy and confidentiality requirement of clients. All care staffs must be made aware regarding the obligation to protect patient’s information while managing patient’s information in electronic health device or other tools (Carey 2009). Health and safety: Another legal consideration regarding the use of ICT is to promote health and safety of patient and take all necessary precaution to avoid harm to patient. To avoid harm to patient, it is
9HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 essential that ICT tool is relevant to the service needs and contextual demands of particular health care setting.
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10HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 Reference: Achampong, E.K., 2012. The state of information and communication technology and health informatics in Ghana.Online journal of public health informatics,4(2). Ammenwerth, E. and Rigby, M. eds., 2016.Evidence-based health informatics: Promoting safety and efficiency through scientific methods and ethical policy(Vol. 222). IOS Press. Andreassen, H.K., Kjekshus, L.E. and Tjora, A., 2015. Survival of the project: a case study of ICT innovation in health care.Social Science & Medicine,132, pp.62-69. Carey, P., 2009.Data protection: a practical guide to UK and EU law. Oxford University Press, Inc.. Fagerström, C., Tuvesson, H., Axelsson, L. and Nilsson, L., 2017. The role of ICT in nursing practice: an integrative literature review of the Swedish context.Scandinavian journal of caring sciences,31(3), pp.434-448. Haluza, D. and Jungwirth, D., 2015. ICT and the future of health care: aspects of health promotion.International journal of medical informatics,84(1), pp.48-57. Howard, J., Clark, E.C., Friedman, A., Crosson, J.C., Pellerano, M., Crabtree, B.F., Karsh, B.T., Jaen, C.R., Bell, D.S. and Cohen, D.J., 2013. Electronic health record impact on work burden in small,unaffiliated,community-basedprimarycarepractices.Journalofgeneralinternal medicine,28(1), pp.107-113. Menachemi, N. and Collum, T.H., 2011. Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems.Risk management and healthcare policy,4, p.47.
11HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1 Miah, S.J., Hasan, J. and Gammack, J.G., 2017. On-Cloud Healthcare Clinic: An e-health consultancyapproachforremotecommunitiesinadevelopingcountry.Telematicsand Informatics,34(1), pp.311-322. Rouleau, G., Gagnon, M.P. and Côté, J., 2015. Impacts of information and communication technologiesonnursingcare:anoverviewofsystematicreviews(protocol).Systematic reviews,4(1), p.75. Vimalachandran, P., Wang, H., Zhang, Y., Heyward, B. and Whittaker, F., 2016, December. Ensuring data integrity in electronic health records: A quality health care implication. InOrange Technologies (ICOT), 2016 International Conference on(pp. 20-27). IEEE. Wildevuur, S.E. and Simonse, L.W., 2015. Information and communication technology–enabled person-centered care for the “big five” chronic conditions: scoping review.Journal of medical Internet research,17(3).