AdvancedInformationManagementandtheApplicationofTechnology (Recovered).docx

Running head: ADVANCED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 1
Advanced Information Management
NAME
Western Governors University
Advanced Information Management and the Application of Technology
C791
Ellie Hunt
January 6, 2019

ADVANCED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 2
Advanced Information Management
A1. Advantages and Disadvantages of a System
The use of health information systems is essential in healthcare today. They incorporate
technology that provides digital health records and allows sharable accessibility between
approved personnel. The systems provide patients’ past medical history, medications, allergies,
recent and past lab and imaging results that can be viewed to help make appropriate healthcare
decisions. There are both advantages and disadvantages to using health information systems.
Usability is the ease of use for everyone involved in patient care, from doctors to
technicians. When choosing a health information system, the usability of its features should be
“user friendly” since they are fundamental to the staff’s success. An advantage to usability is
real time charting. This makes providing care to the patient much easier and safer. An admitting
nurse can chart an allergy in a patient’s chart and it will be seen in the pharmacy immediately,
reducing medication errors. Likewise, if the system is easy to navigate, easy to recall
information, and time efficient it will provide exceptional usability.
A system that is not “user friendly” can be a disadvantage to the staff and facility.
Systems that are difficult to navigate can lead to medication errors or ineffective patient care.
This also causes frustration to the staff and may lead to a high turn-over rate, which costs the
facility a great deal of money. A system that requires a great deal of documentation may take
away from direct patient care. This may lead to patients feeling a sense of detachment from the
nurse or technician and decrease patient satisfaction scores. Over-time may also become an issue
because nurses wait until their shift is over to chart in the system causes the facility to lose even
more money.

ADVANCED INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 3
Interoperability is a huge advantage when it comes to health information systems. It is
the way information is shared across an organization. Sharing information across all aspects of
health care is necessary to quality patient care. Coordination between all members of the health
care team can occur through a congruent system. This eliminates unnecessary phone calls and
paper work that take away from patient care. Organizations can share information between
hospitals, long-term care facilities, and physician’s office. Some systems even allow patients to
access their information from home, allowing them to be more informed and involved in their
own care. This would allow for more complete care as all entities involved can get a full picture
of the illness or condition rather than a partial view of the current situation. A disadvantage to
interoperability is that it leaves the information vulnerable to hackers.