Technology has transformed almost every field of work and healthcare is no exception in this regard. Use of technology in healthcare has grown a lot in recent decades. At the one hand, there are robotic arms which can perform delicate surgeries and at the other, there are minor robots which can deliver the medicines into your blood. A most important development in the field of healthcare, however, is in the field of healthcare informatics.
In healthcare informatics, the focus is on combining healthcare with information technology so that patient care quality can become better through improved communication.
There are major changes that healthcare informatics has brought forward already.
Making healthcare efficient
Healthcare can prove to be very costly for many. It depends on what any patient is suffering from. However, in many cases, the lack of efficiency and lots of repeat procedure result in a waste of money. When healthcare information is shared through traditional methods, there can be a lot of delay in patient treatment and care. Also, when traditional methods are used, it is possible to have errors in data retrieval. When automated information flow systems are in place, all data can be at one place in an easily retrievable manner. Healthcare informatics not only helps patients by providing them their test results quickly but also it helps in controlling a lot of medicinal malpractices. Patient history can also be retrieved very quickly.
Sharing knowledge
Healthcare is a field which needs to evolve continuously. There is a lot of research going on in this field all the time. Healthcare informatics help the practitioners in staying up to date about various therapies and medicines being used in the world of healthcare to treat any healthcare issue. Healthcare informatics helps in sharing this information readily and easily. By sharing information with each other, not only the standard of practice improves but also, it means that the healthcare being offered to the patients grows better in general.
Patient involvement in the healthcare process
Healthcare informatics helps patients in having access to their own healthcare history. These systems help the patients in keeping an eye on the recommendations that are being given to them. With all this information, it is possible for the patients to educate themselves in a better way to understand their prognosis. They also learn to read the symptoms of their problems better.
Healthcare impersonalization
Some people criticize healthcare informatics considering the algorithms and data retrieved by the system as an impersonal way for the doctor to know the patient. Although the point is valid to some extent, by having the impersonal data available, it is possible to better understand whatever is wrong with the patient and how it can be treated. A doctor who has not treated a patient can have an impersonalized opinion about how this particular patient should be treated.
Better coordination in healthcare
Modern healthcare is more specialized today. Specialists treat patients for their healthcare problems. For specialists to treat a patient, they need healthcare information about the patient regarding any other healthcare issue the patient might be having other than their own area of specialization. Healthcare informatics helps in coordination and easy retrieval of data regarding any patient, making it easier for the whole team to treat the patient with utmost care.