Module 01 Project – Topic Introduction
Healthcare Information Technology in Nursing Homes Administration
Marion Allen
Rasmussen College
Health Information System
Ann Brockman
August 14th,2022
Healthcare Information Technology in Nursing Homes Administration
I have selected NHA because nursing home administrations are increasingly taking advantage of healthcare information technology to improve patients’ and residents’ safety, quality of life, and staff productivity.
The influence of healthcare information technology on NHA can be elaborated with three concepts. Firstly, general systems such as physician entries and electronic health records are present. Secondly, minimum data sets like residents’ functional abilities status and health assessment details are included. Thirdly, other health information systems exist, i.e., patient billing, members’ payroll, and human resources. Two advanced approaches, i.e., point of care and electronic drug administration records, overlie these concepts (Ko et al., 2018).
By having the potential, HIT can improve the NHA in many ways. HIT integrates a nursing home’s radiology, pharmacy, and laboratory systems well. US hospitals prefer sending patients to skilled nursing homes to prevent readmissions and reduce health burdens. Implementing HIT in nursing homes favors partnering with hospitals. A safe patient transfer from hospital to nursing home requires immediate exchange of patient records, medicines and treatments details, and inter-professional communication among physicians, pharmacists, and nurses. Thus, incorporating HIT reduces the chances of medical errors and adverse events (Alexander et al., 2017).
Nursing homes are classified based on short and long-term stays of residents. Short-term residents get free after the medical treatment. Custodial care is provided to long-term residents. It does not include providing care and enhanced medical care. It facilitates daily activities such as bathing, clothing, and eating (Zhang et al., 2016). Provision of healthcare and custodial care is of particular concern because the patients suffer from multiple co-morbidities. Here HIT plays a role. Monitoring the appearance of new symptoms can be possible through computerized HITs. It will update the physicians to provide treatment (Powell et al., 2020). The policymakers should make strategies to enhance the use of HITs in all domains of Nursing homes.
References
Alexander, G. L., Madsen, R. W., Miller, E. L., Schaumberg, M. K., Holm, A. E., Alexander, R. L., Wise, K. K., Dougherty, M. L., & Gugerty, B. (2017). A national report of nursing home information technology: year 1 results. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association: JAMIA, 24(1), 67–73. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocw051
Ko, M., Wagner, L., & Spetz, J. (2018). Nursing Home Implementation of Health Information Technology: Review of the Literature Finds Inadequate Investment in Preparation, Infrastructure, and Training. Inquiry: a journal of medical care organization, provision, and financing, 55, 46958018778902. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958018778902
Powell, K. R., Deroche, C. B., Carnahan, E. J., & Alexander, G. L. (2020). Exploring Resident Care Information Technology Use and Nursing Home Quality. Journal of gerontological nursing, 46(4), 15–20. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20200303-02
Zhang, N., Lu, S. F., Xu, B., Wu, B., Rodriguez-Monguio, R., & Gurwitz, J. (2016). Health Information Technologies: Which Nursing Homes Adopted Them? Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 17(5), 441–447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2016.02.028
