UTHSC: informatics

[kputman]

I will be posting weekly for University of Tennessee nursing students. Different groups will be required to reply to a post and also reply to each other.

Any one interested (outside the nursing school) is also welcome to reply. My goal is to exchange ideas and cause purposeful thinking.

Here will be the query for the week beginning March 21-March 28.

How do you see the rapid development of communication devices changing society in general? How is it changing Healthcare?

[chogue18]

UTGH1-CH

In response to UTGH2-CS:

You brought up an excellent point by discussing the popularity of Apple products and the way that these products have effected us in our personal lives. Since immediate gratification and speedy communication have become the norm in America, these ideas also roll over into healthcare practices. It is now easier to access patient information and it has possibly even reduced the amount of errors that can be made with miscommunication.

[chogue18]

UTGH1-CH

In response to cwilban:

Face-to-face communication is very much a dying practice in our personal and professional lives, and in a healthcare setting, using a tablet, computer, or mobile device with patients greatly reduces the benefits of spending time with patients and gathering information using subjective observations. I could not agree more that technology in healthcare has many benefits, but also many downsides. Reducing face-to-face communication can be beneficial when it comes to sharing information by word-of-mouth, but it is important for us to incorporate technology into our daily lives without losing the personal aspect of what we do.

[mtucci1]

UTGH2-MT

Eighty-five percent of Americans are online; almost half of adults own a smartphone and seventeen percent of Americans use their phones to look up health or medical information (Weaver, et. al, 2012). More apparent than ever before, communicating electronically and on the go is how people connect and interact. Methods of communication have changed; "snail mail" has been replaced with email, taking its place as the main form of communication (Weaver, et. al, 2012). Between text messaging and social networking, a person's every decision can be documented for all to see. Conversations now are more likely to involve emojis and Internet lingo (lol, brb, yolo) than spoken words. This is not only true in everyday life, but also the healthcare world. My pharmacy sends me a text message when my prescription is ready and I can refill my prescription with a snap of a picture. My physician's office even uses an emailing system to confirm and send out reminders for appointments.

Electronic communication technology can be used to educate, remind, engage patients, monitor their behavior, and provide feedback (Weaver, et. al, 2012). The use of these electronic resources saves time, effort and money; therefore, improving outcomes and allowing patients to become more involved in their care. Nurses are the primary connectors between patients and their caregiver, putting them in the unique position to push patients to become better partners with their care providers and take control of their health management. By creating direct electronic communications with their patients, via social media, messaging, or email, the patient gets accurate, quality information from a reliable source, discarding the questionable resources. Communication technology has its place in the healthcare industry, providing a reliable and updated way to provide information and stay connected to the general public.

Weaver, B., Lindsay, B., & Gitelman, B. (2012). Communication technology and social media: opportunities and implications for healthcare systems. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17(3). Retrieved from Communication Technology and Social Media: Opportunities and Implications for Healthcare Systems

[mtucci1]

UTGH2-MT

In response to cwilban:

Cory makes an extremely valid point as he states, “advances and availability of such technology has led to more impersonal means of communication.” I agree with him that this is not always negative. With less time spent shifting through papers, charts, and dissecting hand written orders, the nurses, doctors can spend more time conversing with the patient at the bedside, instead of with different departments. They can pull up the appropriate chart and have all the needed information right there on the computer screen. This technology aids in preventing identification and diagnostic mistakes and allows different departments of the hospital to communicate with each specialty having an input on patient care.

[mtucci1]

UTGH2-MT

In response to chogue18:

Colleen makes a great point about digital charting. Since beginning our clinical work, I have looked for a paper chart a total of two times; most of my time is spent finding a free computer to retrieve information. With this new technology, gathering and keeping patient information orderly has been made much more possible. Fewer mistakes and more prompt interventions should result from this advancing technology. This allows the nurses to be more efficient and also benefits the patient's care. Computerized risk assessments and barcode medication administration are just a few of the advancements being made in hospital setting.

[cwilban]

In response to UTGH2-MT:

Maria, I completely agree with idea that these technological advances are great ways to keep in contact with patients. I also receive confirmations of appointments via other methods other than voice calls. Unfortunately, we can both see that the issue of data security will be an ongoing problem with these methods. With this direct communication via emails and text messages, comes the problem of the patient's technological skill set. While I personally treasure these forms of communication, I completely understand why some would want to hold on to conventional forms of communication.

UTGH1-CW

[cwilban]

In response to UTGH1-CH

Colleen, I have also noticed the increase in use of cell phones on the floor. While I believe it much more useful and effective than the conventional pagers and relayed messages, I think patients might view this as a breach in professionalism. I have heard a patient state "If he would get off of his phone, he could help me." This is a terrible thing to hear. However, it is all about making the patient aware of the extent of communication between healthcare members regarding their plan of care. These methods definitely have their place in the healthcare world, but how do we get the patients involved?

UTGH1-CW

[Jimble]

UTGH2-JW

The rapid adoption of smartphone and tablet technology over the last decade has changed many aspects of our lives including how we communicate as well as our sense of identity, community, and relationships (Boulos, Wheeler, Tavares, & Jones, 2011). The widespread adoption of this technology has encouraged us to constantly seek out new information and make connections, and made it much easier to keep in contact and share information with other people. This has made it easier for patients to seek out healthcare information and more actively participate in their care (Boulos et al., 2011). While this technology has increased access to information it can often make it difficult to sift through all of this to find appropriate, accurate, up to date information.

In the healthcare setting, this technology allows healthcare providers to get information on their patients in "real-time" and to update their plan of care quickly when needed. It also allows providers to provide input and expertise without respect to geographical boundaries so that a radiologist in Cincinnati can give a consult for a patient in Des Moines. This will allow previously underserved populations such as in rural areas or smaller hospitals to have more access to specialist care that is often only available in larger cities and hospitals.

Boulos, M., Wheeler, S., Tavares, C., & Jones, R. (2011). How smartphones are changing the face of mobile and participatory healthcare: an overview, with example from eCAALYX. BioMedical Engineering OnLine, 10(1), 24.

[UTGH2-CS]

UTGH1-CH, I agree that the use of mobile devices is imperative in the healthcare setting. In the past, fatal events often occurred due to the lack of information that was readily available. This inevitably would cause incorrect interventions or no interventions at all, leading to the death of many patients. Patricia Dykes provides an excellent method of educating clients and healthcare professionals. This is one example that can be implored in all healthcare facilities.

[UTGH2-CS]

UTGH1-CW, I agree that mobile devices have been an extra extension to the human body. Today it seems like people have heart attacks if their without a communication device for more than 24 hours. Time consumption of outdated technologies directly correlates with an increase in hospital costs. This fact should emphasize to healthcare personnel that more time spent face-to-face with the patient will decrease patient and hospital costs.

[UTGH1-BM]

I definitely agree that the ease of access of information could be harmful. If a patient believes what he/she reads in a blog and takes that word over that of a healthcare provider then treatment could be refused or the patient could simply "doctor shop" until they find someone who is willing to do what the website suggests, regardless of treatment efficacy. UTGH1-BM

[UTGH1-BM]

I agree that the advancement of technology has improved the ability of healthcare providers from different departments in a hospital to communicate new patient information. Previously, when a patient changed floors in a hospital, the only method of delivering information regarding care for that patient was either verbally or in a hand-written chart. Now, especially with the implementation of the barcode scanners in hospitals, providers can simply access the patients EMR and find out anything they could possibly need to know about how to care for the patient and what methods of care have worked in the past for the patient. UTGH1-BM