Value of Health Information Technology Systems

Running head: VALUE OF HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
VALUE OF HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
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1VALUE OF HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
Introduction
Numerous infectious and non-communicable diseases currently contribute to some of the
key health issues in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of
Economy and Planning, 2014). For management of such health issues, the usage of health
information technology is of immense value, as will be discussed in the following sections.
Discussion
In accordance to the Ministry of Economy and Planning’s report some of the major health
issues in Saudi Arabia, include, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, cancer,
neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and allergies and asthma. Additionally, high
prevalence rates of communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, food-borne illnesses
and hepatitis have also been reported to comprise of an alarmingly high disease burden in Saudi
Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Economy and Planning, 2014).
According to Benner et al., (2015), health information technology implies the usage of
information technologies such as computerized systems and software for the management of
patient and public healthcare. Health information technologies have been researched to be
beneficial in the management and prevention of non-communicable as well as communicable
diseases. The high prevalence of disease burden can be attributed to patient adherence to
detrimental lifestyle coupled with lack of awareness concerning disease pathologies and
management. As researched by Kruse et al., (2015), one of the key ways in which health
information technology can be valuable for the health management of the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, is the availability of Patient Portals. Patient portals are collective online platforms posing