STAT6001 Public Health Informatics Assessment 1 Report

Desklib provides solved assignments and past papers to help students succeed.

STAT6001: Public Health Informatics
Assessment 1: Report – Summarizing Public Health
Informatics (including evaluation)
Student Name
Student ID:

Contents
PART 1: PUBLIC HEALTH CARE INFORMATICS...................................................................3
Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
Types of social media used in medical filed and uses of them....................................................3
Aim of the report.........................................................................................................................4
Findings from the various twitter accounts.................................................................................4
Twitter as an effective tool in public health delivery..................................................................6
Applications of Twitter in healthcare..........................................................................................7
Critique of using Twitter in public healthcare:............................................................................7
Challenges of using Twitter in public health...............................................................................8
Recommendations........................................................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................8
PART 2: Telemedicine in Australia................................................................................................9
Introduction..................................................................................................................................9
Barriers to uptake of Telemedicine in Australia..........................................................................9
Recommendation.......................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................12

PART 1: PUBLIC HEALTH CARE INFORMATICS
Introduction
Public health informatics is a system of computer science, information, and technology for the
improvement of the health of the general public. This can be understood as an integration of
computer science with medical science. It is a use of clinical guidelines, computers, information
and communication systems to optimize the storage, acquisition, use, and retrieval of
information in biomedicine and health. Its applied areas are dentistry, clinical care, nursing,
medical research, and public health. Organizations that deals with public health are tackled with
a challenge of analysis and collection of data that is related to the health of people and
management of this data to achieve maximum efficacy and efficiency.
Types of social media used in medical filed and uses of them
Social media is the most powerful and popular way to stay connected with people. These social
media sites help individuals and business to reach out to healthcare professionals, consumers.
Social media platforms help to engage consumers and patients. Organizations are adopting
effective communication and marketing tactics and use the internet to connect with users in the
healthcare field (Ventola, 2014). Social media platforms used by people to gather healthcare
information, research and share the personal experience with the related organizations and
healthcare providers. Health care providers can provide an update on new medical technologies,
give answers to various health-related problems, etc. (Smailhodzic, Hooijsma, Boonstra &
Langley, 2016).
Social media platforms can be used in various ways. It can be used in improving communication
as it the basic function of social media platforms. It also builds the satisfaction of the patient.
Social media helps to increase the community to new relationships. Social media platforms hold
the potential to improve patient education. Social media has the ability to share information with
a large number of people at once(Pershad, Hangge, Albadawi & Oklu, 2018). Social media
promotes a good patient engagement strategy by acting as a communication bridge between
health care providers and patients. To protect the information about the healthcare, HIPPA
(Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) sets rules and guidelines for
maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of the individual’s or patient’s health record.

There are a number of social media tools available for HCPs (health care professionals) that
includes blogs, social networking sites, microblogs, media-sharing sites, wikis and many more.
These tools help to enhance patient care, organizational promotion, professional education, and
networking. Social media tools used by healthcare professionals to create awareness, improve
quality and share information(Lu, Wu & Liu, 2019). Nowadays, customers can trust and rely on
online sites (internet) to collect information. Patients and users can use these social media sites
take decisions on their choice of hospitals and doctors on the basis of public review.
Most commonly used social media websites are LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, etc. From these
sites, YouTube is the most famous platform to share videos on various topics. Twitter is the most
popular social media site used in the field of healthcare with 328 million active users. It is a
microblogging site. This is actively used by doctors and physicians to learn and teach. Twitter
uses tweets as a form of message which is a 140-character post. One can also include pictures,
videos, and links in tweets. Handles and usernames are headed by a @ symbol. To identify terms
and organize information, hashtags # can be used. One has to register on Twitter to post tweets
whereas anyone can read those. One physician can follow others to share information or interact
with colleagues. This also brings the latest news from journals, pre-published articles, etc. It is
helpful for getting to know the perspective of the patient(Chontos, 2007).
Aim of the report
This report aims to understand the benefits and use of various social media platforms, especially
twitter in the field of public health. Also, it aims to understand about public healthcare
informatics. This help to examine the ICT application strategies in the health sector and health
management. This report explains the use of Twitter in various health-related sectors such as
disease outbreak, information sharing, health promotion, prevention and surveillance of disease.
The report also includes the factors which make Twitter a powerful and effective platform for
health care informatics and public health delivery by covering issues, limitations and challenges
via twitter.
Findings from the various twitter accounts
@croakeyblog
 It is a twitter account by Melissa Sweet

 She is an independent journalist
 Total number of tweets are 271K with 23.6K followers
 The main focus area is to share news on various topics such as indigenous health, public
health, climate, equity, and journalism.
@ehealthpaho
 This twitter account is of Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization
 The main focus of this account is to improvise the public health in America.
 It has 3,685 tweets with 9,417 followers.

@JMedInternetRes
 This twitter account owned by the Institute of Health Equity.
 The main focus of this is to reduce health inequities by undertaking social causes of
health.
 This twitter account has 1,725 tweets with 9,392 followers.
Twitter as an effective tool in public health delivery
Twitter is one of the most powerful social media platforms. It is a platform for short-text update
sharing. Unlike television or newspaper, Twitter can target a large number of audiences at once.
Also, it allows users to access information anywhere anytime(Pershad, Hangge, Albadawi &
Oklu, 2018). Unlike television which has a limited number of shows related to the medical field,

Twitter has thousands of accounts which spread information to the public about healthcare. A
good crafter tweet can help to provide information in layman language. Unlike television and
newspaper, it increases accessibility. Twitter act as a cost-effective medium which allows the
medical professionals to share the information and expertise with patients, other doctors, and
trainees. This improvises the quality of care(Sinnenberg, Buttenheim & Padrez, 2017). Twitter
creates a communicative and collaborative atmosphere for everyone by sharing of information.
Applications of Twitter in healthcare.
Twitter can be used by health professionals to spread informative messages and patient
education. Using microblogging facility, individuals can not only share personal experiences,
opinions, information, and news but also promote information and products. Thus, it is helpful in
raising awareness. Public healthcare professionals use this platform to tackle general health
myths of the public. The data of Twitter is useful for various applications of public health which
includes monitoring the disease, outbreak situations, public reactions, lifestyle, etc. This is a
great tool that facilitates professional development(Sanchez, 2017). Use of twitter helps to
quickly and efficiently communicate with the public. Twitter is used worldwide and this allows
communication through different languages and able to connect users from different
geographical locations. Twitter is used by public health organization as a form of journal club.
Also, research shows that public health organizations have accustomed to financial disaster by
disabling the problems and barriers through social media(SOFFAR, 2015). It enhances the
research and work conducted in the healthcare field. Using Twitter allows enrolling the patients
for a clinical trial which are difficult to achieve otherwise(Sinnenberg, Buttenheim & Padrez,
2017).
Critique of using Twitter in public healthcare:
Researchers and the expert state that although Twitter has a major influence in medical filed,
there are some cases where less experienced doctors share wrong information about disease or
share patient details. Health care professionals should take extreme caution and permission
before sharing the patient’s personal details publicly. Medical professionals who are trustworthy
and well knowledgeable have a greater number of followers(Jones, 2012). The credibility and
privacy of information is also a concern. There should be proper solutions and recommendations
to minimize problems and issues.

Challenges of using Twitter in public health
There is always a risk of inaccurate information through tweets. As there is no security system to
check the authenticity of the tweeted information. According to research, about 20% of tweets
contain inaccurate and misinformation that is related to public health. There are less-skilled
people who spread incorrect information for their commercial benefit and interest. This creates a
difficult situation for the patients to recognize authorized and unauthorized sources(SOFFAR,
2015). As there is a huge amount of information, it becomes difficult to filter out the actual
desired information. Also, researchers state that most of the tweets are published during working
hours of doctors this may create an impact on daily activities of patient care.
Recommendations
Medical Professionals should follow the guidelines from HIPPA. This includes guidelines on
spreading inaccurate information and violation of privacy. As social media is an important part
of the life and major medium of communication, medical professionals should possess the ability
to use social media in the right way(Pershad, Hangge, Albadawi & Oklu, 2018). The traditional
academic structure should include training for the medical professional about the use of social
media for healthcare informatics. Technologies such as artificial intelligence can be used to filter
out the
Conclusion
The first part of this report deals with the use of social media in the healthcare field for sharing
health-related information. As in today's world, social media is a major medium form
communicating with people. Twitter is the most popular social media platform used by medical
professionals. With its short tweets, it spread health news, technologies, tips and experiences in a
concise way. Although Twitter is a highly used the platform in this filed there are some
challenges with the use of it. There is a lot of inaccurate information is available that creates a
problem for the patient to identify a trusted source of information. To avoid this, professionals
should follow strict guidelines for sharing information.

PART 2: Telemedicine in Australia
Introduction
Telemedicine is a technology, which uses information and communication technology for the
improvement in patient care. This is achieved by maximizing access to medical information and
care. This is a science which incorporates the evolving and changing health needs and new
development in technology. The aim of telemedicine is to deliver clinical support and improve
health results. This is proposed to overcome the barrier of geographical location. Improved use
and accessibility of information and communication technology by the general public is the key
driver of telemedicine. It has become a part of the healthcare industry. Services of telemedicine
have been used in the US (United States). With the help of software and electronic devices, this
offers medical services to the patients without requiring a visit. It gives various benefits to the
patients as in-house treatment, no travel expender, less interference with the responsibilities and
privacy. It also offers benefits to healthcare providers such as better patient follow-through,
better efficiency, fewer miss appointments, etc. Traditional methods such as radio, telephone and
fax are replaced by the internet by the time. Now the communication can be done by video or
audio calls.
To deliver medical services, various hospitals are connected with remote clinics. The real-time
video conferencing enables interaction and diagnose from the remote location. Telemedicine also
uses smart devices to track the medical data of the patient. This uses internet platforms, phone
connection, etc. to monitor, store and share the patient data. Telemedicine services mainly deal
with clinical management and diagnosis. Telemedicine services link the specialists with
healthcare providers, tertiary care centers and referral hospitals
This section of the report aims to understand the overview of telemedicine. This also includes the
benefits and barriers of telemedicine along with the recommendations. Telemedicine has been
using in the US from a long but it is quite new for Australia. Telemedicine has become more
sophisticated with the advancement in internet technology. Telemedicine plays an import role in
providing healthcare solutions in remote and rural areas of Australia. TMA (telemedicine
Australia) offers aged and primary care in Australia.

Barriers to uptake of Telemedicine in Australia
Apart from the popularity and support provided to telemedicine, there are several barriers to
uptake of telemedicine in Australia. These barriers include equipment, funding, preference,
infrastructure, time and skills. Along with these, poor internet connectivity and additional
required time is also a challenge in rural areas. lack of technical expertise is also a challenge to
implement telemedicine solutions. In rural areas of Australia, computers are not easily
accessible. There are chances of inadequate diagnose because of lack of impersonal care. There
is a lack of interest in learning and adopting new skills, thus there is a preference for the
traditional approach in rural areas. Funding is one of the main barriers in Australia as the cost of
equipment (routers, cables, computers) are high. Thus, telemedicine is not baled to replace
traditional practice because the traditional approach is more convenient for patients in rural
areas. another challenge is complex of cultural factors and human. Also, the legal considerations
are the main barrier to telemedicine uptake. Also, the systems used in telemedicine are complex,
thus there can be a situation of hardware or software failure due to malfunction. With respect to
the use of information and communication technology in telemedicine service, maintaining
privacy and confidentiality of patient data is also a challenge.
Recommendation
As funding is the main concern for telemedicine in Australia, there is a requirement of enough
funding for the promotion of telemedicine services. In rural areas, there are less medical facilities
which cause poor health concerns. Technology advancement can help to tackle these situations.
Proper training should be provided to doctors who are working in rural areas to promote
telemedicine and build trust. Awareness programs should be organized to tell the importance and
benefits of telemedicine in rural areas. technological advent has the capability to offer healthcare
services in rural areas of Australia. A proper rise in training and awareness can develop interest
and improve access to equipment and other resources. To overcome the challenge proper
regulation is required by comprehensive guidelines. Local skills, resources, and knowledge can
also limit the uptake of telemedicine. Another encountered barrier is the sociocultural difference
that can limit the relevance of the telemedicine collaborations.

Conclusion
Telemedicine is a way to provide healthcare and medical services with the help of information
and telecommunication technology. There is a number of advantages of using telemedicine as it
offers in-place treatment and eliminates travel expenses. Telemedicine has a lot of potentials to
reduce diagnoses variability, improve the delivery of healthcare services and clinical
management. It also improves the revenue and efficiency of the health care providing
organizations. There are some barriers for telemedicine such as less funding, equipment, and
facilities such as the internet. Healthcare professionals in rural areas should be educated and
trained to offer health and medical care. But these barriers can be removed by improved
investment for telemedicine to improve health conditions in rural areas. Awareness programs can
help to promote the services of telemedicine and arrange to fund for the same.

References
Chontos, L. (2007). The top five social media tools for physicians. Retrieved from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317987.php
Jones, M. (2012). 4 Benefits & 4 Drawbacks to Social Media in Healthcare. Retrieved from
https://blogs.perficient.com/2011/03/08/4-benefits-4-drawbacks-to-social-media-in-healthcare/
Lu, Y., Wu, Y., & Liu, J. (2019). Understanding Health Care Social Media Use From Different
Stakeholder Perspectives: A Content Analysis of an Online Health Community. Journal Of
Medical Internet Research, 19(4). doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.2196%2Fjmir.7087
Pershad, Y., Hangge, P., Albadawi, H., & Oklu, R. (2018). Social Medicine: Twitter in
Healthcare. Journal Of Clinical Medicine, 7(6). doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fjcm7060121
Sanchez, T. (2017). Twitter and Public Health (Part 1): How Individual Public Health
Professionals Use Twitter for Professional Development. US National Library Of Medicine
National Institutes Of Health, 3(3). doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.2196%2Fpublichealth.6795
Sewalk, K., & Tuli, G. (2018). Using Twitter to Examine Web-Based Patient Experience
Sentiments in the United States: Longitudinal Study. Journal Of Medical Internet
Research, 20(10). doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.2196%2F10043
Sinnenberg, L., Buttenheim, A., & Padrez, K. (2017). Twitter as a Tool for Health Research: A
Systematic Review. US National Library Of Medicine National Institutes Of Health, 107(1). doi:
https://dx.doi.org/10.2105%2FAJPH.2016.303512
Smailhodzic, E., Hooijsma, W., Boonstra, A., & Langley, D. (2016). Social media use in
healthcare: A systematic review of effects on patients and on their relationship with healthcare
professionals. BMC Health Services Research. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1691-0
SOFFAR, H. (2015). The advantages and disadvantages of Twitter. Retrieved from
https://www.online-sciences.com/technology/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-twitter/
Ventola, C. (2014). Social Media and Health Care Professionals: Benefits, Risks, and Best
Practices. US National Library Of Medicine National Institutes Of Health Search, 39(7), 491-
499. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103576/