Report: Impact of Information Technology on Healthcare Sector Analysis

This report examines the impact of Information Technology (IT) on the healthcare sector, focusing on its role in reducing drug errors, increasing the number of healthcare professionals, and addressing IT-related complexities within the National Health Service (NHS). The literature review explores methods to minimize drug errors through improved medication practices and labeling, while also highlighting the significance of IT in medical education and training. The research methodology outlines the use of a qualitative approach, descriptive research design, and a deductive approach for data collection, including the use of questionnaires to gather insights on IT awareness, its impact on the NHS, and the challenges faced. The findings reveal that IT is crucial for storing and securing patient data, improving healthcare services, and enhancing communication. The report concludes by emphasizing the positive impact of IT on healthcare performance, particularly in the context of the NHS, and suggests improvements in IT techniques and methods to further enhance patient care and operational efficiency.

Research Skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................1
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................3
Type of investigation...................................................................................................................3
Research design...........................................................................................................................3
Research Approach.....................................................................................................................4
Data collection............................................................................................................................4
DISCUSSION ON THE DATA......................................................................................................4
FINDING.........................................................................................................................................7
REFLECTION.................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Aims: The impact of Information technology (IT) on the healthcare sector.
Research objectives:
 To determine ways through which healthcare organisation can reduce drug errors by 5%
in 1 year.
 To identify significance of IT in increasing number of healthcare professionals by 10% in
1 year.
 To reduce complexities by 5% in 2 years related to Information Technology which NHS
is currently facing.
Research questions:
 What are different ways through which healthcare organisation can reduce drug errors by
5% in 1 year?
 What is significance of IT in increasing number of healthcare professionals by 10% in 1
year?
 How complexities can be reduced by 5% in 2 years related to Information Technology
which NHS is currently facing?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Different ways through which healthcare organisation can reduce drug errors by 5% in 1
year.
As per thoughts Maxik, (2017) Drug error is problem for hospitals and healthcare
providers around the world. They occur when wrong medication is provided to patients. Such
errors can happen at any point in the medication distribution process, from prescribing to
administering. For any medical institution it is essential to reduce drug errors. There are
following ways through which healthcare organisation can reduce drug errors:
 Nurses should ensure correct medication and correct dosage is provided to patients.
 While transferring patients from one institution to other, Nurses should check data of
patient from medication administration record(MAR) before giving them any medicine.
They should cross check medicine given to patients. When shift of nurse changes they
must verify dosage given to patients.
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 Name alert is used in institutions because sometimes patients have similar names and it
leads to medication mix up so it is advisable to post name alerts in front of MAR.
 It is advised to have proper medication labelling, legal documentation and proper
recording of administered medication. A lack of proper documentation for any
medication can result in an error.
 A Drug guide helps to give information about dosing, reactions and drug cautionaries like
take after meals, take before meals. In this way medicines will not be wasted when given
to right person.
Significance of IT in increasing healthcare professionals:
According to the thoughts of Aitsi-Selmi, (2015), Medical education is rapidly changing
and there have been a drastic change in medical environment. Person who pursues medical
education and research must have deep knowledge. Technology is used to provide infrastructure
and basis for addressing various future challenges of medical study. IT has helped students to
clear their doubts and queries. The various kind of IT inventions used by medical students are
podcasts, videos, applications in mobile devices. Old students who have studied the medical
courses upload their notes, question papers, researches, assignments, experiments on internet in
the from of pdf or word file. This help present students in studying using these notes. There are
some circumstances where students are not able to go to college it is helpful for such students to
download videos and pdf files of that particular topic and study. Different Games are also based
on medical problems. These are basically simulation based on medical problems. The main
objective of simulation is to imitate real patients or real tasks to solve health issues faced by
people. Such activity provides feedbacks and multiple learning strategies to healthcare
professionals. By implementing such IT innovations there will be 10% increase of healthcare
professionals in an year.
Complexities can be reduced by 5% in 2 years related to Information Technology which
NHS is currently facing?
As per the thoughts of Glaser, (2013) Hospitals uses various information technology
systems to function in their organisation. Healthcare IT uses hardware and software systems to
maintain patient care. These systems contains all data related to old patients and present patients.
It contains data of patients separated on the basis of department, age, name, doctor assigned. IT
has helped hospitals to take control over all the activities going in hospital premises. But IT
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systems have various issues faced by hospitals. Sometimes software system crashes. In other
words it can be said as system has some technical issue and not functioning smoothly. If there is
an emergency and patient's data is required and system crashes hospital management will be
helpless. In an integrated system of hospital various data of patients, staff and operations is saved
on a particular portal. If in any case this portal has technical problem and not works. Information
will not be obtained until technical problem in that system is cleared. These issues can be cleared
by applying latest technology to the system.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is the specific process and method which can be used for identify,
select and analyse data and information regarding particular topic. The research methodology
allow the reader to critically measure and evaluate a study whole reliability and validity. While
conducting research methodology, there are various sources through which investigator can
easily collect and gather appropriate data in better manner (Agha, 2014). In this, search engine is
used which includes google as this will assist in find out specific information about company's
products and services in proper way. The search terms is the exact word or set of words a
customer enter when searching on google.com. An investigator is used this term for identify
same word which is mainly search by researcher for completing the project.
Type of investigation
It is considered as essential section of research which main responsibility and role is to
analyse or examine investigation type of this specific project. There are two types of
investigation method which includes qualitative and quantitative. In this present report,
researcher is used qualitative method for collecting and gathering accurate data or information
for completing particular research project.
Research design
This is that section which is most important part of an investigation in order to work as a
blue print of the research where overall activities and functions can be implemented in
systematic manner. In this research, descriptive research design can be taken into proper action
which is effective in order to examine data and information of qualitative research method.
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Research Approach
This is the plan which consist with various stages with advanced prediction and
estimations which describe methods such as data collection, analysis and interpretation. Along
with this, there are two types of research method that are necessary for execution and it includes
inductive and deductive. In inductive approach, there are various new theories or models are
used and it is based on different types of models and estimations (Ahmadi, Nilashi and Ibrahim,
2015). On the other hand, deductive approach can be used for examining current numerical facts
which are determined. In this present report, deductive approach is used for collecting and
gathering accurate data and information while completing this project.
Data collection
In this section, there are two types of research method which includes primary and
secondary sources which can be used for collecting and gathering relevant data or information.
In primary method, it is effective for conducting examination and survey and on the other side,
secondary method is appropriate sources at the time of conducting this part of literature review
through collecting data with different sources such as books, magazines and online sites.
DISCUSSION ON THE DATA
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Contact No.:
Q1) Are you aware about the concept of information technology?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) What is the impact of Information technology on NHS?
a) Positive
b) Negative
Q3) What are the challenges faced by the NHS related to information technology?
a) Wireless networking
b) Patients Engagement
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Theme 1: Concept of information technology.
Q1) Are you aware about the concept of information technology? Frequency
a) Yes 9
b) No 6
Interpretation: As per above mentioned graph, it has been evaluated that information technology
is the set of computers that store as well as secure electronic data related with organization. In
this 9 out of 15 respondents are aware about the concept of information technology as they said
that information technology is helpful in managing as well as monitoring quality of health care
services. On the other side, 6 people are not aware about the concept of information technology.
Theme 2: Impact of Information technology on NHS.
Q2) What is the impact of Information technology on NHS? Frequency
a) Positive 11
b) Negative 4
5
9
6
a) Yes
b) No

Interpretation: From the above mentioned graph, it has been analysed that information
technology improve performance level of the organization but at the same time it also creates
issues. In this, 11 out of 15 respondents said that information technology positively impact on the
NHS through which health professional can easily provide quality services and also secure entire
data. On the other side, 4 people give their views that information technology negatively impact
on the overall performance of the NHS.
Theme 3: Wireless networking is major challenge faced by the NHS related to information
technology.
Q3) What are the challenges faced by the NHS related to
information technology?
Frequency
a) Wireless networking 13
b) Patients Engagement 2
6
11
4
a) Positive
b) Negative

Interpretation: As per above mentioned graph, it has been evaluated that 13 out of 15 respondents
said that Wireless networking is the challenge that faced by the NHS. On the other side, 2 people
are give their views that less patients engagement is issue that arisen due to information
technology within the organization.
FINDING
It can be analysed that information technology is used for storing, keeping and securing
the data which are related to customers. Along with this, it can be helpful in analysing and
examining relevant facts and figures in better manner. The present report is based on information
technology which assist business organisation in order to store, transmit and securing data and
information in proper manner. This will help them in gaining attention of large number of
customers who are getting health care services in proper manner. Information technology is use
for update and upgrade all the equipment and techniques which can be helpful in providing best
services or facilities to their patients in better way (Aitsi-Selmi and et.al., 2015). This will assist
in storing, networking and physical devices which create, develop and process all the electronic
data and information. For this research, it can be find out that health care sector is adopt latest
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13
2
a) Wireless networking
b) Patients Engagement

techniques and methods which can be helpful in treating all patients in good manner. They are
fulfil all needs and requirements of the patients which help them in recover soon. For this, they
are mainly supported by healthcare professionals who provide proper care to them.
With the help of information technology, it is positive impact on whole performance of
health care organisation and it is play an important role in managing and maintaining all issues
which are related to health. In the context of NHS, it can be find out information technology that
can assist in storage and keeping all personal details or records of patients in computers relates to
medical issues. On the other hand, information technology can help an organisation while they
required to communicate and interact with their employees and take corrective decisions
(Bidmon and Terlutter, 2015). This will assist in improving health issues and problems which
occurs due to lack of resources in the hospital. In addition to this, it can be analysed that health
sector need to make improvement in their techniques and methods by use of latest information
technology system. There are various ways through which healthcare organisation can reduces
drug errors such as collaboration, making effective policies and procedures and using appropriate
machines.
REFLECTION
The research so conducted is about the impact of Information Technology on healthcare
centre. This was a study conducted by me to analyse the use of various information technology. I
have used various methods to examine the information and data for NHS so gathered from
primary and secondary sources. This has helped me in gaining a better knowledge about the
structure and technologies it uses. I should considered it one of the tough, analytical and best
experiences. I got to know about the working of health care organization and how it utilizes IT
for getting accurate results since, it provides services to solve health issues including life
threatening diseases. The techniques that I used have to collect information and their evaluation
have somewhat made be satisfied in context of the result I got. However, I should have used
more precise and reliable approaches and techniques. In future, if I ever get chance to conduct an
investigation, I would do an in-depth research about the organization, its structure, the scale at
which it is operating together with keeping an expert with me, who will help me carrying out the
whole procedure with absolute reliable and close results. I learnt from this experience that
Information Technology is one of the most valuable asset for any organization that should be
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used in an optimum way to get real time information that can be relied upon. Further, the steps
and ways that should be followed to finish the work on time without any hurdle and inefficiency.
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