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Newhealth care technologies and their impact on communication
Technologicalinnovation has affected all industries and aspects of human life. Inthe health care industry, technology is being applied in nearly alltypes of operations, including the registration of patients, thecollection of data, data processing, diagnosis, and prescriptionamong other services (Jayanthi 1). Most of the common benefits thatare attributed to technological innovation include the reduction inthe cost of delivery health care, an increase in efficiency, and thequality of care. In addition, technological innovation has aninfluence in the way health care providers communicate with theirclients and other providers. In this paper, different health caretechnologies and the way they have affected communication in thehealth care industry will be discussed.
Theelectronic health record (EHR) is among the leading technologies thathave been implemented by almost all health care facilities. It isestimated that only 16 % of the health care facilities in the U.S.used EHR in 2009, but this rate had increased to 80 % by 2013(Jayanthi 1). The EHR has allowed the health care facilities toreduce the use of hardcopies. This shift from hard copies hasincreased efficiency and centralization of patient’s information.The electronic data can also be linked to online platforms, whichallow the health care providers to share patient information withoutmoving physically from one office to another. This has easedcommunication in the health care sector, thus increasing efficiencyin the delivery of health care.
MHealthis an emerging technology that is continually making a significantimpact on the health care sector. MHealth involves the use of mobiledevices to create a platform on which patients and providers cancommunicate and interact without a physical meeting (Gwynn 36). Thistechnology is used to facilitate the process of monitoring theprogress of patients who are under treatment while at home. Patientsmay also consult about different health conditions using the mHealthplatforms. The penetration of the mHealth technology is expected togrow to a value of about $ 20.7 billion by the year 2019, followingthe increase in the number of people using advanced electronicdevices, such as smart phones. The mHealth technology has changedcommunication by allowing the health care providers to shareinformation, make the order, and carry out documentation of patientrecords wirelessly and without meeting with the other parties to thecommunication physically.
Telemedicineis a type of technology that is used in the heath care sector tofacilitate a remote communication between the health careprofessionals and their clients. Telemedicine allows the health careproviders to conduct diagnosis and prescribe medication usingtelecommunication technology (Matusitz 74). This technology is mainlyused in areas (such as the rural places) that have limitedaccessibility. Telemedicine is also being used to facilitatetreatment in emergency cases, where doctors can prescribe medicationto critically ill patients while at home and before they are taken tothe nearby health care facility. Telemedicine has changedcommunication in the health care sector by facilitating a remoteinteraction between providers and their clients. Therefore, healthcare can be administered to patients without a physical contact withthe health care providers.
Theportal technology has played a key role in increasing theparticipation of patients in the process of treatment. This isaccomplished through the development of a portal where allinformation about the progress of a given patient is stored (Jayanthi1). The health care providers and patients can access the healthrecords stored in the portal using their electronic devices. Althoughportal technology is considered by many as a tool for empoweringpatients, it has reduced the physical communication between clientsand the health care providers. Instead of consulting health careproviders about their progress, clients can simply retrieve the dataabout their health and the progress of their recovery from theportal.
Cloudcomputing is a modern technology that has allowed health carefacilities to communicate about their service options to millions ofpotential clients all over the world. Initially, health careproviders used to communicate their service options and marketthemselves through the mainstream media (such as TV) or hiringmarketing companies (Govette 1). However, the cloud computingtechnology has allowed them to create digital referral letters thatcan be accessed by millions of potential clients from a common cloud.For example, referral IMD is among the most widely used referralplatforms (Govette 1). This technology will continue changingcommunication by allowing the stakeholders in the health care sectorto share information with clients in any part of the world.
Theongoing technological innovation has changed communication in thehealth care sector by increasing effectiveness with which thestakeholders in the industry can communicate with each other. Thetechnology has also reduced the significance of face-to-facecommunication and physical meetings between the health care providersand their clients. The electronic health care records system hasfacilitated the sharing of information in digital form. Cloudcomputing has allowed the health care organizations to communicatewith millions of potential clients by informing about different typesof services that they offer. In essence, technology has allowed thestakeholders in the health care industry to communicate in thevirtual space, which is more efficient.
Workscited
Govette,J. Ten biggest innovations in health care technology in 2015.ReferralIMD.2016. Web. 24 May 2016.
Gwynn,L. “Establishing a successful specialty clinic in a mobile settingthrough telemedicine. MaryLiberty,21.5 (2015): 35-153.
Jayanthi,A. Ten biggest technological advances for healthcare in the lastdecade. Becker’sHealthcare.28 January 2014. Web. 24 May 2016.
Matusitz,J. “Telemedicine: Its effects on health communication”. HealthCommunication,21.1 (2007): 73-83.