Medical Informatics in the United States Health System

Running head: QUALITY STRATEGIC PLANNING AND EXECUTION IN HEALTHCARE
Medical Informatics in the United States Health System
Name
Institution

QUALITY STRATEGIC PLANNING AND EXECUTION IN HEALTHCARE
Introduction
Health informatics uses information technology to analyze and organize medical records
to better healthcare results. Today, Information Technology is not only being used in supporting
back office but also in the clinical sections. Sweeney (2017) notes that nursing and healthcare
informatics are significantly developing areas within the field of medicine and are further
establishing new and arising technology. According to Sweeny (2017), the ‘Technology Boom’
at the beginning of the century has significantly assisted information and informatics systems
evolve further. Some of the aspects that have evolved from this development include advanced
patient education, improved health outcomes, and delivery of care.
Evolution of Health Care Informatics
The area of informatics in healthcare informatics began between 1965 and 1970. The
most remarkable effort was undertaken under the authority of American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM). According to HIMSS (2013), ASTM introduced standards for “laboratory
message exchange, properties for electronic health record systems, data content, and health
information system security.” Soon after, the first electronic medical record was developed and
new system of names and terms for particular services and regimen came to be. In 1970s, the
bioinformatics subspecialty was introduced as a study of organic data, such as DNA.
Consequently, government entities and professional associations came together with an aim to
come up with a format for registration of patients, transaction of financial messages, insurance
claims, orders, discharge, and observation. Correspondingly, requests for systematized
information exchange frameworks for pharmacy and radiology disciplines continued to improve.
The global standards were eventually incorporated shaping the health informatics field into the
complex system that it is currently.

QUALITY STRATEGIC PLANNING AND EXECUTION IN HEALTHCARE
Today, human interface, machine learning, and the increment of computing speed have
significantly improved application capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to a crucial stage.
Moreover, AI based applications have been able to advance quality of life and health for millions
of people in the recent years. In the recent past, scientists have developed more sophisticated
medical devices and the use of robotics in medicine has begun. Also, unification of information
systems and medical devices has developed, and the frameworks are now more prevalent in the
clinical setting. Even though computer science applications in real-world labs and clinics is slow,
there are promising signs that the innovation pace is improving.
Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
An EMR is a computer application that incorporates: clinical documentation, entry of
physician order, controlled medical lexicon, clinical decision support, and repository of clinical
data. The EMR is used by all practitioners to manage, monitor, document delivery of healthcare
services. The adoption of EMR by a hospital is measured using Electronic Medical Record
Analytical Model (EMRAM). This framework was developed to track the progress of healthcare
providers towards achieving an environment of paperless patient record (Noraziani, Nurul’Ain,
Azhim... & Siti Nurul, 2013). Notably, the healthcare providers are scored from Stage 0 through
Stage 7 based on their level of EMR adoption. The numerous EMRAM stages examine the
extent of health IT optimization and adoption. The EMRAM provides a roadmap for changing
healthcare through IT ranging from limited ancillary department system automation to a
paperless, integrated and automated EMR environment. The aim of this is to ensure that the
clinical data is being used to improve the patient’s safety as well as the quality of the services
provided.