Informatics and Telehealth
In the cotemporary medical world, informatics and technology play a significant role in the improvement of healthcare outcomes. Such is the case given the existence of multiple studies that affirm this observation. As such, understanding the application and effects of informatics in healthcare is vital in validating its importance.
In essence, this paper aims at establishing the practical details of the application of informatics and telehealthas well as their impact in healthcare. Central to the analysis is the determination of evidence linking informatics and technology to quality care, current use oftelehealth in community and public health nursing, cost-effectiveness of utilizing telehealth in obtaining desired health outcomes, and personal opinion of the significance of telehealth in nursing practice.
Evidence Linking Informatics and Technology to Quality Care
Primarily, evidence linking informatics and technology to provision of quality care in community and public health nursing abounds and is worth noting. For instance, according to Higgins, Crosson, Peikes, McNellis, Genevro, and Meyers, (2015), the use of current information management tools and technologies comes with the advantage of quality care. Such is the case given that these technologies improve timeliness of access to information and patient care, which are elements of quality care. Moreover, technologies such as electronic medical record (EMR) results in improved outcomes such patientsatisfaction and safety, which further suggest the quality of the care provided by institutions utilizing EMR (Higgins, et al., 2015). Going by these instances, it is beyond doubt that informatics and technology are crucial aspects for the provision of quality care.
Use of Telehealth in Community and Public Health Nursing
In community and public health nursing, teleheath has several uses that one cannot refute. A case in point in home-based care where the healthcare personnel provide services to persons in their home utilize telehealth technology for consultation services from specialists in distant areas for the improvement of the patient management. With such an arrangement, the specialists direct the primary care providers on what they should do in the management of a complicated condition without face-to-face interaction(Rutledge, Haney, Bordelon, Renaud, & Fowler, 2014). Consequently, the quality of healthcare improves given the optimization of healthcare outcomes with such an arrangement. With such an illustration, it is beyond question that telehealth is a valuable technological tool in community and public health nursing.
Cost-Effectiveness of Utilizing Telehealth
McLeanet al., (2013)are of the opinion that the current state of evidence about the cost-effectiveness of telehealth option is insufficient. Such is the case given the failure of most studies to highlight important economic evaluations, which entails financial effects on patients as well as health services. The few studies that addressed this issue, however, noted thattelehealth resulted in increased savings in healthcare institutions utilizing the technology.
Significance of Telehealth in Area of Nursing Practice
Based on the many success stories of telehealth, I am of the belief that it will come handy in the current area of nursing practice. That is for sure because the telehealth will optimize the healthcare outcomes of individuals receiving care in the homesetup since healthcare personnel contracted to provide these services can get expert opinion without the specialists’ physical presence. With such a possibility, it is indisputable that telehealth will be helpful in this area of nursing practice.
Conclusion
In closure, this paper aimed at establishing the practical details of the application of informatics and telehealth as well as their impactin healthcare. Concisely, the discussion has managed to address these issues and several implications are apparent. For instance, there is need for further studies targeting to determine the cost-effectiveness of telehealth given the paucity of evidence in this area. As such, going forward, a consideration of this kind is necessary if proponents of telehealth option are to justify fully its value in healthcare.
References
Higgins, T., Crosson, J., Peikes, D., McNellis, R., Genevro, J., & Meyers, D. (2015).Using Health Information Technology to Support Quality Improvement in Primary Care..Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
McLean, S., Sheikh, A., Cresswell, K., Nurmatov, U., Mukherjee, M., Hemmi, A., &Pagliari, C. (2013).The impact of telehealthcare on the quality and safety of care: a systematic overview. PLoS One, 8(8), e71238.
Rutledge, C. M., Haney, T., Bordelon, M., Renaud, M., & Fowler, C. (2014).Telehealth: preparing advanced practice nurses to address healthcare needs in rural and underserved populations. International journal of nursing education scholarship, 11(1), 1-9.
