Comprehensive Analysis of ICT in Health and Social Care

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in health and social care. It explores various applications such as barcode scanners, electronic health records (EHRs), and telemedicine, highlighting their benefits for users, care workers, and healthcare organizations. The report discusses the positive impacts of ICT on patient care, including improved access to healthcare, self-monitoring tools, and streamlined workflows. It also addresses the legal considerations surrounding ICT implementation, such as data privacy, confidentiality, and potential liabilities related to online consultations and telemedicine. The report emphasizes the importance of transparency, adherence to protocols, and efficient resource utilization through the use of ICT. Overall, the report underscores the transformative potential of ICT in healthcare while acknowledging the ethical and legal challenges that need to be addressed.

Running head: ICT IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
ICT in health and Social Care
Name of the Student
Name of the university
Author’s note

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ICT IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
ICT in health and Social Care

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Access and use of standard ICT software packages to support work in health and social care
Barcode scanner
Medical tablets featuring the barcode scanners help to improve the process of the hospital
admissions by keeping the errors at the bay. It captures the data from the barcode and transmits into
the computer system (Shah et al. 2012).
Link :https://www.honeywellaidc.com/products/barcode-scanners/healthcare
Barcode scanning
Electronic health records
The electronic health records are the digital version of the paper chart of a patient. EHR is real time
and can be available to the patient almost instantly and securely to the authorized users.

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Radio imaging services
The X- ray based medical imaging includes the conventional X-ray, mammography, computed
tomography. The molecular imaging is normally utilized in the nuclear medicines and uses a variety
of methods for visualizing the biological processes in the cells (Zhao et al. 2013).

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Benefits of using ICT in health and Social care
From the User’s perspective
1. The health care consumers take the help of the online video conferencing to communicate
with the physician instead of visiting the clinic physically (Shortliffe and Cimino, 2013).
Hence the health care consultations become easily accessible to the clients staying in
remote locations, which is both time and cost effective.
2. ICT also helps in the self-monitoring of the health records. Text messages can be helpful
in sending messages to the patient with advice for self care. Health buddy is a system that
links the patients in their homes to the care givers (Lindberg et al. 2013).

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Care worker
1. The electronic health records (EHR) have the potential to transform the health care system
from a paper based industry to the one that uses the clinical and the other pieces of the
information to the health care professionals in providing a high quality of care. They make
the information instantly available to the users who are authorized (Menachemi and Collum,
2011). Although it does not contain the treatment histories of the client, but it is developed
to make the information easily available and go beyond the standard medical data collected
in the provider’s office. It can be used to record the medical history of the patient, diagnosis,
medications, immunizations, treatment plans, radiology images laboratory and the test
results. It helps in the automation and the streamlining of the workflow of the provider
(Haluza and Jungwirth, 2015).
EHR Barcode scanner
2. ICT can contribute to the reduction of the medical errors and patient mis-identification. One
of the potential way of reducing these kinds of errors are the use of wristband bar-code
medication scanning technology in order to verify the identity of the patient (Khammarnia et
al. 2015). This technology is effective in terms of, pharmacy dispensary, physician ordering
and administration of medication by nurses.

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Organization’s perspective
1. Use of the ICT in health care organization ensures transparency of the medical records and
billing. It helps the health care professionals to adhere to the protocol based care.
Billing Electronic messaging system
2. Electronic messaging system and maintenance of the electronic health reports reduces the
use of papers and also saves time by compiling all the information of the patient in a single
file. It helps in the reduced utilization of the health care resources (Lindberg et al. 2015). The
fast electronic delivery system of the discharge reports of the hospital or the Computerized
Physician Order. Entry (CPOE) that provides decision support at the point of care can lessen
the uptake of the radiology or some laboratory test. This ultimately leads to the increased
capacity, more effective health care and satisfied customer.

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Legal considerations in the use of ICT and impact on health and social care
Use of ICT in health and social care can be one of the greatest successes in the field of science and
technology, yet there are several legal considerations that arise due to the use of the ICT.
1. Internet pharmacy is the latest trend in the field of health care services and the legal
litigation regarding this internet pharmacy is that whether the pharmacist or the health
care professionals that are providing online consultation have the license to practice
under their or their patient’s jurisdiction (Collste et al. 2006). Civil liability and
confidentiality can also be breached, incase privacy is not maintained at the time of the
online consultation. Breaching of the privacy act can bring the online institution directly
under the lawsuit (George et al. 2012).
2. Incorporation of the complex technological system in to the health care and in placing the
systems in hands of the clients might create tension. The systems might be aiming at
benefitting the patient, but on the other hand they place burden on the consumers in
terms of the technological understanding and management (Collste et al. 2006). From the
perception of the clinicians how can they ascertain informed content in case the
consumer doesn’t understand the working principle of the technology? Or will the
technology will have to be explained to the patients.
3. Another legal issue may arise regarding the liability of any malpractices for the transport
of wrong information or telemedicine (Menachemi and Collum 2011). How will the law
suit be addressed in case the malpractice occurs due to the improper knowledge of the
doctor regarding the use of the ICTs?

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4. An important use of technology in the world of Telemedicine is Email. The Doctor patient
confidentiality can be breached as emails can be intercepted at the time of the transmission and
can be read by others, who have the access to the mailbox of the doctor (Collste et al. 2006).
These kinds of privacy breaches are hard to be prosecuted due to the lack of evidences.
Conclusion
The continuous development in the field of information and communication technology including the
internet, intelligent computer systems have resulted in a widespread use of the devices. The use of the
ICT has not only curtailed the cost but has also made the assessment process of the patient fast and
reliable. This has again led to the development of the new legal and ethical concern. In this context
consumers should face the decision to trade their personal data for the gain.

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References
Collste, G., Duquenoy, P., George, C., Hedström, K., Kimppa, K. and Mordini, E., 2006,
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George, C., Whitehouse, D. and Duquenoy, P. eds., 2012. eHealth: legal, ethical and governance
challenges. Springer Science & Business Media.
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.
Khammarnia, M., Kassani, A., and Eslahi, M. 2015. The Efficacy of Patients’ Wristband Bar-code
on Prevention of Medical Errors: A Meta-analysis Study. Applied Clinical Informatics, 6(4), 716–
727.
Lindberg, B., Nilsson, C., Zotterman, D., Söderberg, S., and Skär, L. 2013. Using Information and
Communication Technology in Home Care for Communication between Patients, Family Members,
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Menachemi, N., and Collum, T. H. 2011. Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record
systems. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 4, 47–55.
Shah, K., Lo, C., Babich, M., Tsao, N. W., and Bansback, N. J. 2016. Bar Code Medication
Administration Technology: A Systematic Review of Impact on Patient Safety When Used with