Health and Social Care Unit 1: ICT Benefits and Applications Report

This report provides an overview of the use and benefits of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in health and social care settings. It highlights the crucial role of ICTs in enhancing communication, information sharing, and support for healthcare professionals. The report discusses various ICT tools, including spreadsheets, Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), and databases, and their advantages for users, organizations, and care workers. Key benefits include improved communication, accuracy of records, efficiency of processes, and meeting client needs. The report also examines the positive impact of ICT on patient independence, autonomy, and satisfaction. Furthermore, it addresses the benefits of ICT for healthcare organizations, such as promoting accountability, meeting agency requirements, and improving the efficiency and quality of service. The report also acknowledges the importance of legal considerations, including data protection, confidentiality, and health and safety, when implementing ICT in healthcare. References are provided to support the information presented.

Running head: HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE UNIT 1
Health and Social care Unit 1
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

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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

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The main advantage of using ICTs in health and social care is that it has reduced
communication gap in health care by providing innovative ways to access, share and store
information. It has reduced the barrier to communication process between health care
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:

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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 also helps 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 by Haluza 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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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).
Accuracy of the complete health record in turn helps to maintain integrity of patient’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.

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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).

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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:
Development of updated ICT tools as per patient’s need has helped health care
organization to meet the requirement of other agencies and clients. Collaboration and partnership

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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:

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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

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essential that ICT tool is relevant to the service needs and contextual demands of particular
health care setting.

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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,
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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.
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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-based primary care practices. Journal of general internal
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.

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Miah, S.J., Hasan, J. and Gammack, J.G., 2017. On-Cloud Healthcare Clinic: An e-health
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