Essay Sample on Definition of Public Health

Introduction

Public health is the science of safeguarding the safety and well-being of individuals through the prevention of disease and prolonging lives. It involves promoting health education to the public, empowering them to make informed choices to improve their health statuses (Tan, 2020). Public health involves a collaborative policy-making process that focuses on the specific needs of vulnerable groups. The essential public health services include evaluating and monitoring health issues that determine the health of the population and investigate and diagnose health problems. Other services include public health communication, strengthening community support, championing the implementation of laws and policies, impacting health, and use the available legal framework to promote public health (Tan, 2020). Additionally, public health services include developing an effective health system to ensure equitable access to healthcare services, build support from healthcare professionals, and improve innovation of public health functions, and maintaining strong organizational infrastructure.

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Distinct Roles of Public Health Informatics

The distinct role of public health informatics is to use appropriate information technology to collect, analyze, and disseminate health information, seeking to improve the health outcomes of the entire population (Tan, 2020). Conversely, global health informatics is the use of information technology to collect, analyzes, and share health information with global healthcare organizations to improve health outcomes in different countries. It involves the application of technological systems to improve healthcare systems internationally.

Differences

An electronic medical record is a digital composition of a patient’s one time medical and treatment history available in a clinician’s office. The clinicians can print the information or share it with other professionals online (Tan, 2020). On the contrary, an electronic health record is the use of information technology to collect and store all information beyond standard beyond clinical information gathered in a clinician’s office. It has a broader view of the patient’s care, including past information.

Global and Public Health

Global health is the science of assessing, developing, and implementing health policies, seeking to manage health issues facing vulnerable groups internationally. It focuses on the healthcare system from an international perspective, making it complex. On the contrary, public health is the science of improving health issues by making informed choices, focusing on health needs and issues within a national territory (Tan, 2020). Its national scope makes it less complex compared to global public health.

Critical Success Factors

The successful implementation of HMIS requires is skilled and experienced manpower to implement it. Before implementing the system in a hospital, healthcare managers must ensure the medical team understands how to use the system failure to which there will be many errors, affecting its success (Tan, 2020). The second factor is the availability of finances to meet initial installation and maintenance costs to ensure it meets the required standards. The third element is the availability of appropriate technology. For example, an institution must put in place computing technology to protect confidential data and information and ensure the compatibility of the technology (Tan, 2020). In this regard, system implementers must ensure they plan well and mobilize resources for effective implementation. They can use techniques, such as employee training to equip them with the necessary skills they would use to implement it.

Importance of Careful Planning

Careful planning is an essential component in the implementation of HMIS. First, it helps to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of implementing the system. The management must assess how well the facility is prepared to adopt the system (Tan, 2020). The information technology officer will then identify strategies to improve on the weaknesses. Secondly, careful planning helps to assess the necessary architecture required to implement the system successfully (Tan, 2020). Importantly, careful planning helps to mitigate potential risks involved, such as resistance to change and privacy issues.

Concerns

The first concern regarding staffing is that HMIS planners must assess the occupational competencies of the employees regarding the management information systems. When implementing any form of change, project managers must evaluate human resource needs and understand if they can use the system successfully. Based on the assessment, HMIS planners will propose appropriate training techniques to develop their knowledge about the system (Tan, 2020). The second concern is resistance to change. Some healthcare providers might resist the information system because they do not comprehend its values. However, engaging them in the planning process makes them understand the benefits of adopting the system. Ways of engaging them include delegating duties and responsibilities and holding meetings to discuss the necessity of adopting the technology.

Useful Tools

The first project management tool HMIS can use is the work breakdown structure. The tool helps to decompose activities hierarchically and ensure the team can manage them successfully. It helps to schedule various activities and their associated costs for careful planning (Tan, 2020). The second tool required to implement the project is a Gantt chart. It helps to show various project phases, tasks involved, and milestones. Consequently, management can approximate and allocate resources effectively.

HMIS Globalization Through E-Health

Telecare is the process of providing healthcare services remotely to patients through telecommunications, such as live videos and asynchronous means (Tan, 2020). Telemedicine is the use of modern technology to provide to take care of patients when service providers and users do not physically meet. For example, doctors can consult patients through video conferencing. Telehealth is the application of digital information technology to provide and access healthcare services remotely. Finally, e-health is the enhancement of public health services through the internet. Public health officials disseminate public information to the public through the internet, such as websites (Helia et al., 2018). Similarities of the above HMIS elements include the provision of healthcare services online and seek to improve the health statuses of patients. However, the difference is that public health officials use e-health while physicians use telemedicine.

Four Major Types of Telemedicine

The first one is remote patient monitoring and this enables healthcare providers to monitor the health of patients without meeting physically. The technology is applied to manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes and asthma (Tan, 2020). The second one is real-time telemedicine that connects patients and doctors anytime. An example is video conferencing that can help to do basic physical examinations. The technology is applied in minor consultations with healthcare providers to manage a simple health issue. The third one is store-and-forward telemedicine (Tan, 2020). The technology helps to capture and share patient information over a long distance. It does not require special attention when delivering. The technology is applicable when transferring a patient to another facility. The fourth one is stored interactive that allows patients to record their symptoms and share with their doctors. Stored interactive is applied in managing seasonal mental health disorders.

Adoption of E-Health

The first factor influencing the adoption of e-health is the quality of information technology in healthcare organizations. Some organizations have not adopted the technology because they lack the appropriate infrastructure to support its implementation (Tan, 2020). For example, some stick to file folders in all hospital operations and this makes it difficult to successfully implement e-health. The second factor is the lack of knowledge and skills among healthcare providers. Some healthcare professionals in developing economies require extensive training to understand how the technology works in health. Therefore, the slow changes hinder the adoption of e-health since it will not be effective (Handayani et al., 2018). The other hindrance is the privacy of patients. Some organizations do not have adequate computational measures to protect patient data. Therefore, they will not adopt the technology exposing patients’ data.

Conclusion

Telecare is relevant in this era of technology since helps to ensure universal accessibility of healthcare services to all people. It helps to save healthcare costs by reducing commuting expenses to book an appointment with doctors. Secondly, telemedicine improves the quality of healthcare by ensuring accessibility of services 24 hours a day (WHO, n.d). For example, patients and doctors can interact through video conferencing; thus improving the accessibility of services. Telehealth is relevant since it promotes a person-centered approach to healthcare since doctors and patients will communicate directly. Finally, e-health helps to prevent diseases through public education disseminated online (WHO, n.d). One of the objectives of the World Health Organization is to promote public health through online platforms to ensure equality since people even in remote areas will access the information as long as they access the internet.

References

Handayani, P., Hidayanto, A., & Budi, I. (2018). User acceptance factors of hospital information systems and related technologies: Systematic review. Informatics for Health and Social Care, 43(4), 401-426. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17538157.2017.1353999

Helia, V., Asri, V., Kusrini, E., & Miranda, S. (2018). Modified technology acceptance model for hospital information system evaluation – a case study. MATEC Web of Conferences 154, 1-5.
https://www.matec-conferences.org/articles/matecconf/abs/2018/13/matecconf_icet4sd2018_01101/matecconf_icet4sd2018_01101.html

Tan, J. (2020). Adaptive Health Management Information Systems: Concepts, Cases, and Practical Applications (4th Ed). Jones & Bartlett.

WHO. (n.d). Global strategy on digital health 2020–2025. WHO.