How Informatics Is Used in Healthcare Organizations and Clinical Practice Essay

Introduction

PACS is a medical imaging technology used in healthcare organizations to store and digitally transmit electronic images and clinical reports (Matney et al., 2011). Medical documentation and reports can be accessed in off-site servers using this system. PACS systems are used by radiologists, nuclear medicine imaging, pathology, cardiology, dermatology and oncology. The information provides anatomical and physiological abnormalities. The patient's medical images, clinical reports and history can be used to improve care and avoid prescription errors.

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Electronic Medical Reports (EMR)

Medical Reports (EMR) contains information about a patient's treatment and medical history collected by individual medical practice (Matney et al., 2011). Data can be tracked by multiple healthcare providers to provide efficient and precise care.

Computerized Physician/Provider Order Entry (CPOE)

This system provides electronic entry of the medical practitioner's instructions for the treatment of patients especially those hospitalized or in healthcare organizations under his or her care. The entered orders are delivered over a computer network.

Telehealth

Telehealth uses communication technologies such as computers and mobile phones to access health care services remotely. Telehealth provides access to medical specialists and support for self-management of health care. Telehealth provides services such as patient portal which is a secure means to communicate private health issues, virtual appointment, virtual consultation and personal health apps that store personal information (Matney et al., 2011).

Patient Portals

Patient portals are online applications that enhance the communication between patients and their healthcare providers such as physicians or hospitals. Information about mediacl details, appointments, prescriptions, and telemedicine prescribed by physicians.

Handheld Device

A handheld device such as mobile phones enhances the telehealth activities and patient portal apps can be stored in them. These handheld devices can be used as a source of information through Google search engines to identify the best healthcare providers and gather information on the prescriptions administered by physicians.

How Informatics is used in Healthcare Organizations and Clinical Practice

In today's dynamic health system, the use of informatics and technology plays an important role in healthcare organizations and clinical practice. Healthcare organizations such as long-term care, acute care, and community care all use the information acquired and transmitted by informatics to help provide quality care (Lorenzi & Riley, 2013). For instance, PACS medical images are used to analyze, diagnose and treat patients in a care plan to avoid prescription errors and improve quality care. Patient portals and CPOE helps nurses in following instructions when administering drugs to patients. EMR records are universal, and a patient can have one electronic chart that can be accessed from any healthcare, and this will help healthcare organizations access treatment and medical history of a patient. Nurses can use the information gathered from the informatics to help them in studying patterns and healthcare issues.

References

Lorenzi, N. M., & Riley, R. T. (2013). Organizational aspects of health informatics: managing technological change. Springer Science & Business Media.

Matney, S., Brewster, P. J., Sward, K. A., Cloyes, K. G., & Staggers, N. (2011). Philosophical approaches to the nursing informatics data-information-knowledge-wisdom framework. Advances in Nursing Science, 34(1), 6-18.