Information Systems in Healthcare
In the contemporary medical world, it is beyond doubt that patient education is continually evolving to the better. That is the case given the continual incorporation of newer technologies, whose massive impact on the healthcare outcomes is desirable. A case in point of such patient education technology commonly used in the medical circle is the interactive technology. Through this model of patient education delivery, the medical facilities have benefited greatly. That is for sure given the improvement of health care outcomes such as reduced hospital readmissions and length of hospital stay. Notwithstanding, in nursing, this technology has revolutionized the nursing care completely. For instance, it has resulted in an increase of patient’s satisfaction levels by 42% (Cassano, 2017). In essence, this paper aims at analyzing the interactive technology to its practical details for the attainment of new understanding about this subject. Central to this analysis are themes such as the description of an example of this widely used patient education technology and individual experience of the application of this technology.
Description of an Example of Interactive Technology
Primarily, interactive technology is an emerging healthcare delivery model emphasizing the provision of educational and entertainment resources to a patient with the presumption that a more engaged patient will develop a positive experience. It entails the adoption of various methods that include but not limited to specialized installed software shown in a patient’s room on a monitor, patient portals, IPads, and tablets (Cassano, 2017).
Precisely, the commonly used tool and the focus of many studies, as well as this review, is the IPads. Characteristic to this device are various features that enable it to achieve its status as a patient education tool. One of such components is the installed images of different conditions that nurses may use to enhance a patient’s understanding of the illness effect on the body. Another feature is the health video clips illustrating the natural history of various diseases by showing examples of individuals with the same conditions. Moreover, the video feature aids in the improvement of conversations between patient and the healthcare professionals. Games are also present in the IPads, and they serve two primary functions, namely, entertainment and educational purposes (Patmon, Gee, Rylee, & Readdy, 2016). Based on these features, it is clear that the use of IPads as a patient education device is indispensable.
The IPads serve several functions that are worth highlighting. A case in point, through this application, the patient has access to enriching patient education information presented in a customized view. The information accessed is particularly uplifting since it improves the patient care and experience as he/she stays in the hospital setting. Besides, the IPads have another function of distracting the patient. Patmon et al., (2016) are of the opinion that other than for the education purposes, IPads are beneficial for diversion of the patient’s attention from his/her manifestations like pain to the videos displayed on these tools. Additionally, these devices are also critical in educating the clinicians. For example, Brockton hospital is relying on an app on this device to enlighten its staff on patient satisfaction for the improvement of their services. On the other hand, Cleveland Clinic uses the IPad powered by a ‘heritage app’ to guide individuals through the history of the clinic’s medical advancements (Cassano, 2017).
Personal Experience with the Use of Interactive Technology
Going by the personal practice experience, there is a lot to say that relates to the subject of interactive technology. That is the case given the experience resonating from the past use of this technology when offering nursing care. The experience revolves around a chronically ill patient that was suffering from congestive heart failure. Initially, in this hospital environment, the patient was dependent on the healthcare personnel attending to him to accomplish most of his tasks and had many questions about own condition despite undergoing multiple patient education sessions. However, his changed significantly and to the better with the introduction of an interactive technology model that targeted to improve the patient education practice in a similar manner as other areas where it has taken effect. Central to the interactive technology model adopted in this setting was the use of IPads, which despite being small devices, sparked a significant change in the patient behavior.
As explained by the patient, at the heart of the success of IPads exerting behavior change in him was the feature of video games. According to him, the video games are more engaging than the static traditional educational materials such as brochures. Besides, the tendency of the game to subject the patient to a series of health-related steps that guide a virtual friendly-looking character with a similar condition, CHF was also another reason for the increased patient engagement. Based on this experience, it is clear that the role played by interactive technology in improving patient education is irreplaceable.
Going back to this scenario, one positive aspect that stood out was the change in fortunes that the technology bore immediately after its institutionalization. That is for sure because the patient became more knowledgeable and more independent on his abilities. Improvement of this aspect at that time would entail providing more interactive technology tools, which would promote patient engagement, which subsequently would result in increased chances of behavior change.
Conclusion
Concisely, this paper aimed at analyzing interactive technology to its practical details by describing one of its widely utilized examples as well as highlighting an individual experience of the application of this information system. Indeed, the discussion has sufficiently addressed these areas. Worth noting from the review are the new insights gained about this subject. A befitting example of such ideas is that interactive technology yields better results such as improved patient’s experience as evidenced by high satisfaction levels in comparison to the traditional methodologies of giving patients’ handouts to read at home. The implication drawn from this newfound insight for the personal nursing practice is that there is a need for more reliance on the use of interactive technology tools such as IPads and patient portals. That is a fact given their efficacy in enhancing patient’s knowledge as compared to traditional methods of patient education. As such, going into the future, reinforcement of this healthcare delivery model is of the essence if indeed the quality of care is a priority for the health sector.
References
Cassano, C. (2017). Interactive Technology is Shaping Patient Education and Experience. Journal Of Nursing.
Patmon, F. L., Gee, P. M., Rylee, T. L., & Readdy, N. L. (2016). Using Interactive Patient Engagement Technology in Clinical Practice: A Qualitative Assessment of Nurses’ Perceptions. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 18(11).
