Essay Sample on Computerization in Healthcare: A Revolution Since the 1960s

Introduction

Computerization is the process of applying computers to do tasks that were previously done manually. It is a new concept that came up a few decades ago and has been adopted in many sectors of the economy, including the health sector. Since its conception, manual activities are continuously computerized as a means of enhancing convenience, effectiveness, and efficiency. Computerization has changed in the healthcare field tremendously since the 1960s.

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By the 1960s, healthcare providers and professionals relied on manual means of doing tasks (Ambinder 54). However, the experts began discussions about how computers could be incorporated into healthcare to enhance the practice of medicine. Computerization was perceived to hold a positive impact on clinical decision-making (Ambinder 54). Technology experts believed that computers could assist doctors and nurses acquire faster access to health procedures, records, and diagnoses than they were doing manually. However, the computers were not adopted by physicians during that time because they were expensive, unreliable, cumbersome, and slow (Sheridan 144). Medical administrators did not consider investing in computers due to insufficient financial benefit and unreliability in providing healthcare services by that time (Ambinder 54). Therefore, physicians, doctors, and nurses retained their autonomy and had little interest in adopting digital systems to aid them in making medical decisions.

In the 1980s, development in computer technology attracted the attention of the health sector (Ambinder 54). They began seeing the benefits of using computers to aid in conducting medical activities. Hospitals adopted networking technologies and graphic user interfaces to connect computers. The step-in computerization led to the establishment of Health Level 7 (HL7). HL7 describes the standards for the electronic exchange of medical, administrative, and financial information between computers in the healthcare systems (Kim 37). Medical information systems proved to be cost-effective and significantly beneficial for improving therapeutic outcomes.

By 1991, a book entitled Computer-Based Patient Record: An Essential Technology for Healthcare was published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (Ambinder 54). The book comprehensively described the expected possibilities in the use of electronic medical records (EMRs). The book also outlined 12 critical functions of EMR, focusing on the patient rather than the technology itself (Ambinder 54). According to the Institute of Medicine, the attributes of EMR included supporting a problem list, measuring health status and functioning levels, documenting clinical reasoning and rationale, and providing dynamic links to other patient records. EMR guaranteed audit trails, privacy, and confidentiality. It offered continuous access for authorized users of clinical information, supported simultaneous multiple user views, and timely access to both local and remote sources of information (Kim 38). EMR facilitated clinical problem solving and support direct data entry by users. EMR also enabled healthcare practitioners to measure costs and improve quality. Moreover, it also helped the current and evolving needs of clinical specialties.

In the 1990s, physicians remained reluctant to adopt EMRs due to the high costs involved (Ambinder 54). Patient confidentiality became essential in medical practice leading to the establishment of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (Ambinder 54). The law, in turn, led to the formation of a National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS). NCVHS was charged with the responsibility for advising the Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) concerning issues on patient information security, confidentiality, computer-based patient records standards, and patient and physician identifiers (Sheridan 147). These developments encouraged the use of EMRs in hospitals in the US, and later on, other countries like Australia and Canada also adopted the EMR as the hub for their healthcare systems.

In the same 1990s, the internet was widely adopted by doctors, physicians, and nurses in providing virtually universal access to medical information that is up-to-date (Ambinder 54). The internet improved the relationship between doctors, physicians, nurses, and patients. The continuous advancement of computer systems and technology led to the adoption of digital medical care, diagnosis procedures, and improved patient outcomes and relatively lower costs. All these computerized programs were analyzed by the hospital, ZIP code, or systems provider. Computers were also used to generate clinical records, store treatment history for patients, and retrieve patient data whenever required (Kim 35). Computers were also used to manage medical financial transactions.

By 2000s, computers were widely used by oncologists for testing and diagnosis of cancer and tumors (Ambinder 54). By 2005, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established standards for electronic medical prescriptions for use within the Medicare system (Ambinder 54). These developments brought significant contributions to the computerization of healthcare services. Despite these cutting-edge innovations, computers were majorly used for administrative functions.

Today, the computerization of healthcare services has been widely adopted to cover other functions of medical facilities. Computers are currently applied in every aspect of healthcare from medical carts, nurse stations, patient bedsides, operating rooms, and laboratories (Sheridan 143). One of the most beneficial applications of computers today is for managing medical and patient data. Doctors, physicians, and nurses use computers for taking notes and prescribing treatment for patients at the point of care. Apart from that, computers are also used for medical imaging. Medical computers are used to regulate devices performing blood tests, MRIs, ultrasounds, and CT Scans (Kim 36). Computers are used for patient monitoring in hospitals. Medical computers can control heart rate monitors, blood pressure monitors, and laboratory equipment (Sheridan 145). Moreover, computers are significantly applied in conducting medical research. Medical databases provide a wide range of information concerning the treatment plan of specific diseases (Kim 39). Computer simulations have increased chances of success in determining causes and cures of emergent diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Ebola, MERS, and the current deadly Coronavirus.

Conclusion

In conclusion, computerization has undergone tremendous changes in the healthcare field since 1960s. Significant steps have been noted in the gradual process of migrating from manual to digital patient care and treatments. Computers have been used for taking notes and prescription of medications. They have helped in enhancing effective communication and improving relationships among doctors, physicians, nurses, patients, and other medical professionals. Moreover, computers have also enhanced medical research leading to the development of new effective cures for emerging diseases.

Works Cited

Ambinder, Edward P. "A history of the shift toward full computerization of medicine." Journal of oncology practice 1.2 (2005): 54. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2793587/

Kim, Jung-ae, and Eui-Young Cho. "Computer use experience of nurses working in the hospital." International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting, and Communication 10.1 (2018): 31-39. http://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO201832073077234.page

Sheridan, Thomas B., and James M. Thompson. "People versus computers in medicine." Human error in medicine. CRC Press, 2018. 141-158. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780203751725/chapters/10.1201/9780203751725-8