The beauty of health IT is being able to access your medical records without physically moving files around - a perk you've enjoyed if you've visited a doctor's office recently or needed to see a doctor during the pandemic.

In an era where we have every Star Wars movie ever available online, it may seem like cloud storage for your medical history, lab results, and radiographs is no big deal. But it is because IT in healthcare is only just catching up.

In the past few years, we've rapidly gone from growing piles of patient files and catalogs to easily accessible data stored digitally. Electronic Health records (EHRs) and Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) are rapidly simplifying the way medical personnel access our data and provide the best care.

We’ll be discussing how these health information technology improvements impact our healthcare positively, all the different kinds of tech that healthcare organizations are adopting, and how digital signage plays into everything.

Health information technology (Health IT) is the use of technology, particularly information and communication technology, to improve every aspect of the healthcare industry, from management and delivery of patient care to overseeing entire hospital databases. Healthcare information technology involves a wide range of tools, systems, and applications that are designed to:

Manage information so it's easily cataloged, shared, and retrieved

Analyze patient data and lab results to minimize medical errors

Let’s quickly talk about the various types of Health IT in use today in the healthcare industry. The adoption of these varies from facility to facility, and we’re seeing rapid advancements that are quickly making even these obsolete. 

EHRs are digital versions of patients' paper charts that contain their medical information, including

EHRs make it so much easier to share information among healthcare professionals and facilitate better patient care.

HIE systems let medical professionals securely share patient information and healthcare data across different providers, making it easier to collaborate and coordinate care. HIEs are why you don’t have to provide your entire medical history every time you visit a new doctor; the medical data collection is done once, and that's it.

These were very helpful during the pandemic because they allowed a healthcare provider to deliver medical services remotely, using video conferencing, online consultations, and remote monitoring. With Telehealth, you don’t have to leave your house to complete a doctor’s appointment, and combined with other Health information technology, it improves access to healthcare services, particularly for patients in remote areas.

Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) 

PACS is used to store, retrieve, manage, and distribute medical images such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. It’s a good thing, too, because it means you don’t have to take fresh scans every time you’re consulting a new professional. PACS also helps efficient image management, interpretation, and reporting.

CDSS gives clinicians access to evidence-based information and recommendations to assist in making clinical decisions. Think of it as a digital assistant that knows virtually everything your doctor needs to make an informed decision about your treatment. 

CDSS takes data input about everything from lab results to medical history, runs an analysis based on medical knowledge and clinical guidelines, and provides recommendations and information for health decisions. For example, they can help prevent adverse drug reactions by alerting doctors of potential dangers.

Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE)

CPOE systems allow healthcare professionals to enter and manage patient care instructions electronically. You’ve heard the joke about doctors’ handwriting. Well, this reduces/eliminates potential problems with that, along with other errors related to transcription.

RPM involves the use of technology to monitor patients' health remotely, collecting data such as vital signs and sending it to healthcare providers. This is particularly useful for managing chronic conditions and post-operative care.

Mobile health applications and devices let patients and healthcare providers access health information and services with their smartphones and other mobile devices. It may include:

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs)

PDMPs are state-level databases that track the prescription and dispensing of controlled substances like opioids and other potentially addictive medications. Their primary purpose is to monitor and regulate these drugs to prevent misuse and abuse.

Health Analytics and Business Intelligence

These tools help healthcare organizations analyze and interpret data to improve decision-making, enhance patient outcomes, and optimize operational efficiency.

RCM systems assist healthcare facilities in managing financial processes, including billing, claims processing, and revenue generation.

A patient portal allows individuals to access their health information, schedule appointments, communicate with healthcare providers, and manage their health online.

Benefits of Health IT with real-world examples

You can already begin to see how helpful these health information technology improvements can be to every aspect of patient care. But in this section, we’ll make things even clearer by talking about precise benefits with real-world examples.

Systems like Electronic Health Records (EHRs) can improve patient safety by reducing record errors like illegible handwriting or missing information.

Consider that even though most people can’t read doctor prescriptions, pharmacists and other medical professionals seem to know exactly what they mean. But sometimes, they don’t. Enter EHR, and there’s no risk of that happening; the prescription will be legible thanks to indelible health records and really reduce the risk of medical errors.

We have the Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) to thank for improved care coordination because they enable seamless sharing of patient information among different healthcare providers.

Here’s a real-world example of this: Imagine that your doctor referred you to a specialist. You would simply book an appointment, go in, and talk to the doctor. You may fill out a short form, but there’d be no need to provide your complete medical history since they can easily gain access to your electronic medical record. That leads to more informed and coordinated care.

Let’s talk about how Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) systems streamline the order entry process. Instead of writing out orders on paper, which can be time-consuming and prone to errors, healthcare providers can enter orders electronically, saving time and reducing mistakes.

Considering that the average wait time in doctors’ offices is 26 days (Merritt Hawkins), the CPOE can help save time and possibly pass that time savings onto waiting patients. 

Telehealth and telemedicine technologies can bring healthcare services to people in remote or underserved areas, as well as to people who are unable to make it to their doctors’ offices. 

We’ve already seen this play out in the pandemic, where telemedicine encounters increased by 766% (NCBI). Its uses extend from follow-up appointments and chronic disease management to mental health consultations.

Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) helps healthcare providers track and monitor patients' vital signs and symptoms remotely, which can be very helpful for patients who need close monitoring without a hospital stay. 

A great example is patients with diabetes who can use connected devices to monitor blood glucose levels, and healthcare providers can intervene if there are concerning trends.

Patient portals can really help provide a sense of empowerment, especially when individuals can actively participate in their own care. They allow individuals to check out their health info, test results, and appointment schedules so they feel some degree of control, even with not-so-great medical diagnoses.

The beauty is that health IT can easily wall off aspects of the patient's medical records that are strictly for medical use.

Nearly 800,000 people in the US die or are permanently disabled every year due to misdiagnosis. (WebMD) The Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) can help reduce those numbers by providing real-time health information and recommendations to healthcare personnel.

For example, a CDSS may inform a physician of a potential misdiagnosis, adverse drug reactions, and potential treatment plans that could improve patient health.

Digital signage: Readily accessible health IT

As far as health information technology goes, we’re talking about complex systems that are often exclusive to the healthcare system and require a lot of expertise to manage effectively. But not all of these systems are complicated; digital signage is one health IT element that comes to mind.

Digital signage has remarkable uses in healthcare, being helpful for everything from keeping nurses up to date to providing updates to people in the waiting room. Here is a short list of the ways digital signage as IT can help in the health industry:

Learn more about the digital signage in healthcare here.

What makes digital signage so important is that it’s easily accessible. With other systems like PACS, you need IT specialists and a host of security measures to prevent private patient data leaks. But you can easily sign up for digital signage software and get set up with zero outside help or security concerns.

Investing in technology solutions for medical facilities usually means a high initial outlay, with many tools costing hundreds of thousands of dollars or more to get set up.

Digital signage costs next to nothing compared to these prices. Consider that you can get started with a plan for $20 per screen per month. Tha  t means you only pay on an as-needed basis, and depending on the hardware you have on the ground, that could be the only investment you need to make.

If you have smart TV screens in your healthcare facility, you can easily hook these up to your ScreenCloud CMS and hit the ground running. Even if you have older TVs, a simple Amazon Fire Stick or our Station P1 Pro for greater performance.

Another great thing about digital signage in health information technology is that it doesn't just benefit caregivers of patients. Tech like CDSS is exclusively helpful to doctors and nurses who use it to make informed decisions.

But medical digital signage can be equally useful to everyone who visits the hospital. For example, wayfinding could help patient relatives find their way, while announcements let nurses receive critical information in a timely manner.

There’s also waiting room digital signage that can keep people entertained during long and often nerve-wracking wait periods in healthcare facilities.

Get started with Health IT using digital signage and ScreenCloud

One thing we failed to mention is that you can actually get started with digital signage for free today. Simply sign up for a 14-day free trial and see how ScreenCloud can help boost your health IT with digital signage.

Using information technology in healthcare has greatly improved data access and care provision. Find out more about health care IT systems and digital signage.

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Taking a different approach to IT in healthcare

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