The computerization of medical records will ensure improvement in healthcare quality and reduction of its cost. Medical test expenditure is lowered through the reduction of bureaucratic obstacles. Furthermore, computerization will reduce fatal medical mistakes in a health care system hence minimizing loss of lives. There are many ways of achieving improvement in this sector. The primary way being the application of Health Information Technology. The Health Information Technology video indicates the benefits application of technology promises to healthcare institutions and the contributions of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in advancing the healthcare systems.
Health Information Technology is aimed at providing many benefits to Americans. It mainly focuses on offering higher quality medical care and enhancement on the efficiency of healthcare systems. It incorporates various types of available advanced curative equipment and procedures to improve healthcare (Vest et al., 2019). The technology applied involves using computer hardware and software to store health records, perform remote monitoring of patients and facilitate information sharing in a medical institution.
Moreover, Health Information Technology advancement will ensure security and privacy in data transmission between healthcare providers and patients. It also provides essential systems for monitoring client’s care and facilitating patient information sharing between departments. The data generated from different medical devices are made available for sharing between authorized medical providers (Vest et al., 2019). The technology will ensure patients’ medical history is accessible, whether on-site or in a different institution. Furthermore, through the use of electronic health record storage, redundant tests and medical errors are minimized. The application of technology also allows a more efficient generation of medical reports and monitoring of quality.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an organization whose target is to support the industrial revolution and effectiveness by progressing science, technology, and measurement of standards. The institution uses information technology to pursue the necessary standards and depth research to continuously improve healthcare delivery. The health information technology department of NIST is the main contributor to achieving the organization’s goals. All NITS departments also provide support to ensure advancement in healthcare. The Information Technology lab shares information and interacts with other institutions to determine the required standards. The institutions collaborating with NIST include private industries, federal agencies, and professional societies. They offer backing to NIST because of the agency’s qualities. These potentials include the incorporation of proficiency, excellent leadership, and experience (Vest et al., 2019). NIST also collaborates with many institutions because it is a neutral broker.
NIST has been playing a significant part in advancing health information technology through its programs. The institution is exceptionally positioned through research and development to utilize scientific capabilities to apply health information technology (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2012). The achievement of this advancement is dependent on several issues. These factors include improvement in the healthcare information infrastructure to achieve the goal of electronic health records. NIST is researching the required infrastructural standards for new health information technology networks. It determines whether the network is viable, safe for use and if testing of its functionality is possible. The network is supposed to have reduced complexities and must be complete.
In conclusion, the entire healthcare information system needs to interact with each other and share information. Electronic health records generated by separate developers must be accessible in all the systems. NIST plays a significant role in ensuring health institutions progress by engaging itself in a wide array of activities that increase the rate at which health information technology advances to allow Americans to acquire more affordable, safer, and quality healthcare.
References
National Institute of Standards and Technology (2012). Health Information Technology [Video]. Web.
Vest, J. R., Jung, H. Y., Wiley Jr, K., Kooreman, H., Pettit, L., & Unruh, M. A. (2019). Adoption of health information technology among US nursing facilities. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 20(8), 995-1000. Web.