Meaningful Use In Healthcare

Health information technology (HIT) is revolutionizing the way we interact with health-related data. One example of this is the obvious rise in

In 2013, the HIMSS Board of Directors defined interoperability in health care as having the ability to have different information technology systems and software applications communicate, exchange date, and then use the information that has been exchanged (HIMSS, 2015). Data exchange permits data accessibility between organizational boundaries, while interoperability means health systems have the ability to work together in order to advance the health status of the individuals and communities the system serves. For two systems to be interoperable, they must be able to exchange data that can be understood by a user (HIMSS, 2015). This is extremely important to the goals of HITECH and meaningful use because it aligns with the government standard

It has only been within the last five years that health information management (HIM) has experienced exponential changes, due to the healthcare reform. The electronic health record (EHR) is connected to health information exchanges and other systems of interoperability. The timely completion of charts, coding and release of information (ROI) has become much more efficient with the electronic record. Traditional HIM functions will just be transformed and will always be an integral part of successful patient care. Professionals must be flexible and willing to adapt and even generate change. As Health Information Technology continues to evolve, so will the roles

Hoffman & Podgurski (2011) reported EHR systems will not be beneficial if clinicians do not utilize the system's full potential. Processes within the system need to be evaluated and assessed constantly for potential safety issues. HIT has the capability to do this through thorough testing and re-testing prior to implementation. HIT contributions to a culture of safety can help improve patient care through education, communication and appropriate use of guidelines that endorses approved

"Health information technology can be used to study or improve care coordination and its patient-centeredness. More pointedly, HIT provides an opportunity to organize disparate data sources into one cohesive, patient-centered record" (Steichen & Gregg, 2015, p. 34). With its ability to rapidly share health care information such as care plans and discharge summaries, clinical staff can make more timely decisions. Families will also be prompted to be more involved in the patient care due to the availability of current information and resources. There is no doubt that health care is evolving, and technology is creating new ways for us to stay connected, which is essential for successful care coordination.

Health Information Exchange (HIE) is an electronic way for health care providers, patients, and payers to access and securely share medical information. There are data breaches everyday so patient and providers are concerned about the privacy and security of the HIE. Patients fear that sensitive health information related to dire diseases will be disclosed and used against them in decisions related to health insurance coverage or employment according to Mertz (2009, p.1). Providers are concerned that they will be breaking some health privacy laws of different states if they use a HIE. However, in essence as long as the HIE is following the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Privacy and Security Rules then the provider and patients should be safe. This is because HIPPA regulates covered entities such as healthcare providers, health insurers, healthcare clearing houses. They all must follow HIPPA regulations when accessing, using and disclosing your medical information.

The ARRA includes the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which pursues to improve American Healthcare and patient care through an extraordinary investment in Healthcare IT (HIT). The requirements of the HITECH Act are precisely designed to work jointly to provide the necessary assistance and technical operation to providers, enable grammatical relation and organization within and among states, establish connectivity in case of emergencies, and see to it the workforce is properly trained and equipped to be meaningful users of certified Electronic Health Records (EHRs). These computer software products are designed collaboratively to intensify the footing for every American to profit from an electronic health record (EHR) as part of a modernized, interrelated, and vastly improved grouping of care delivery.

The current healthcare is quite complex as healthcare is provided to a number of patient in a number different facilities and providers who do not share the same EMR. So, in other words healthcare is fragmented, however HIE is perceived to solve this problem. As part of the affordable health care reform, HIE have been views as the medium to securely share electronic patient health information across different faculties or providers (Bhansal & Gupta, 2014). Analyzing the statistical use, “in U.S. more than 100 organizations facilitate HIEs among provider organizations, and 30% of hospitals and 10% ambulatory clinics participate” (Rudin, Motala, Goldzweig, & Shekelle, 2014). There are countless benefits of implementing HIEs such as provide coordinated care, which might eventually reduce medical errors and improve patient safety (Bhansal & Gupta, 2014). Additionally, it can also reduce medical costs by avoiding duplicated services. Furthermore, the availability of patient health information especially at the emergency department is perceived to have a positive effect on both patient safety and quality care. However, these HIEs face a number of challenges including “lack of funding, concerns about privacy and security, technical issues, organizational concerns” (Bhansal & Gupta, 2014).

Along with this is a variety of methods to store information. For these reasons, there needs to be multiple security policies and methods that needs to be implemented to ensure that compliance is being met now and for future use. With all of these variables, health care organizations need to make sure they are meeting criteria when it comes to moving this information through these HIE networks including: security management, interoperability, internal and external access control, going hand in hand with access control, patient information and transaction integrity, and central storage (SafeNet, 2015, pg.3).

Healthcare systems are highly complex, fragmented, and use multiple information technology systems and vendors who incorporate different standards resulting in inefficiency, waste, and medical errors (Healthinformatics, 2016). A patient 's medical information often gets trapped in silos, which prevents information from being shared with members of the healthcare community (Healthinformatics, 2016). With increasing healthcare costs, a system needed to be created that would lead to the development and nationwide implementation of an interoperable health information technology system to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare. Introducing the National Health Information Network (NHIN), this organization can be defined as a set of

Confidentially, Privacy and Security group to the American Health Information Community (AHIC), Services and Capabilities for the (NHIE) National Health Information Exchange

It is imperative to have quality and accurate data that must be validated in order for health care providers to provide quality care for their patients. Accurate data can be impeded or compromised by As a result, not excessive data, measurement instruments are erroneous, “imprecision in terminology, illegibility and inaccessibility of records, and other opportunities for misinterpretation of data.” “..Use of faulty data can have serious adverse effects on patient-care decisions” (Musen, Middleton, & Greenes, 2014). Physicians must have current knowledge otherwise they can inadvertently harm a patient. Systems must not have redundant data and it must also be consistent so that all physicians see the same data in EHRs and thus provide the appropriate care to patients.

Legislation such as the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, as part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, in company with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, have forged the framework and foundation for healthcare reform that is deeply rooted in the critical need for HIT infiltration (Buntin, Jain, & Blumenthal, 2010). Healthcare reform initiatives such as the enhancement of quality and efficiency; prevention and tracking of chronic diseases; improvement of public health; reduction of health care costs; interoperability; and, the continuity of care, rests solely upon the infrastructure capabilities of health management information systems (HMIS) that compile information, manage data, track quality reporting, and facilitate the exchange of pertinent patient information (Suter, Oelke, Adair, & Armitage, 2009).

While some HIT innovations have been successfully implemented they found that the incorporation of HIT in transitions of care was still significantly underdeveloped (Marcotte et al., 2015). This was greatly attributed to the sluggish adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) as well as a lack of EHR interoperability to allow for nationwide information exchange (Marcotte et. al., 2015). Despite these barriers, there have been some practical HIT developments such as electronic risk stratification tools and clinical decision support tools. These instruments identify patients at increased risk for post-acute complications by scoring clinical prognosis, functional status, social, and economic factors. Electronic tools such as these allow discharge planners, case managers, and other members of the care team to identify at risk patients earlier and

Health IT has brought with it lots of new technologies that have been invented to control and disseminate health-related information. The most common type of HIT is an electronic record system that collects, stores, and organizes patients’ data and information. This system, if properly utilized, can go a