Evolution of Health Care Information Essay Example for Free

Evolution of Health Care Information Essay Over the last 20 years dramatic changes have occurred in the health care industry. â€Å"Health care technology has exploded over the last 20 years, not just in the arena of medical diagnosis and treatment, but also in the area of health information and documentation† (The art of patient care, 2008, p. 1). Two Major Events Twenty years ago, Riverview Hospital was limited with technology. The use of paper files for patient records is a thing of the past. Today Riverview Hospital uses electronic medical records (EMR). â€Å"An EMR is able to electronically collect and store patient data, supply that information to providers on request, permit clinicians to enter orders directly into a computerized provider entry system, and advise health care practitioners by providing decision-support tools such as reminders, alerts, and access to the latest research findings, or appropriate evidence-based guidelines† (Wagner, Lee, Glaser, 2009, p. 1). â€Å"Paper-based records have been in existence for centuries and their gradual replacement by computer-based records has been slowly underway for over twenty years in western healthcare systems† (Open Clinical, n.d., p. 1). Riverview Hospital has also seen an increase in using personal digital assistants (PDAs). Twenty years ago, PDAs did not exist. Doctor’s and other health care providers had to look up information in books and other publications. â€Å"The use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in medicine and the health sciences has rapidly increased. Health care professionals are using PDAs for patient tracking, medical reference, and drug dosage, as well as personal use† (Journal of the Medical Library Association, 2004, p. 1). â€Å"Health care personnel need access to updated information anywhere and at any time, and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) has the potential to meet these requirements. A PDA is a mobile tool which has been employed widely for various purposes in health care practice, and the level of its use is expected to increase. Loaded with suitable functions and software  applications, a PDA might qualify as the tool that personnel and students in health care need† (PubMed, 2008, p. 1). â€Å"According to a May 2002 article in BNET, PDA software enables health care professionals to store patient information, order prescriptions directly to pharmacies, check on lab results and access medical information remotely. PDA programs even allow health care professionals to document billing and claims encounters to be submitted to health plans† (eHow, 2010, p. 1). The EMR system can connect doctors in a single practice and then share patient data with clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies if their systems are linked and compatible. EMR and PDA With the implementation of the EMR and the PDA, Riverview Hospital has seen an increase in the number of patients. Although patient stays have decreased, the number of patients which pass though the hospital has increased. The average stay today is half of what it was 20 years ago. â€Å"With the introduction of technology, health care providers have the ability to look up almost any aspect of medical information needed at the touch of a button† (The art of patient care, n.d., p. 1). The EMR implementation at Riverview Hospital has improved quality, outcomes, and safety. The EMR has improved efficiency, productivity, and cost reduction. The EMR has also improved service and satisfaction. â€Å"With PDAs, health care professionals can provide quality medical services to patients that are efficient and effective. PDAs offer instant access to critical information, so patients do not have to wait long to hear back from their doctors about lab test results or their prescription needs† (eHow, 2010, p. 1). One has to take into consideration with the EMR and the PDA that HIPPA is not violated. Although with the introduction of the EMR, it is less likely to see HIPPA violations as compared to paper charts. â€Å"Health care professionals who use PDAs must be careful to properly secure their electronic devices in a way that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act† (eHow, 2010, p. 1). President Obama has pledged that every American will have an electronic medical record by 2014. Twenty years ago, this was not even a  consideration. President Obama sees health care information technology and electronic medical records as key to improving the quality of care while reducing costs. This implementation will not only improve care coordination that will lead to better health care (reduced cost, enhanced quality), it will create jobs. Barriers The EMR and the PDA can also cause barriers within the health care system. Some of the barriers are resistance. This resistance was seen among health care practitioners at Riverview Hospital, although the implementation happened. There may be technical matters that occur, financial matters, resource issues, training and re-training issues, certification, security, ethical matters, and confidentiality issues. There may also be incompatibility between systems and doubts on clinical usefulness. Conclusion Remarkable advances in medical technology, especially at Riverview Hospital, continue to transform health care delivery. With this transformation comes many issues that arise. The EMR and the PDA can enhance how health care is delivered and can pose both positives and negatives. Within the 20 years at Riverview Hospital much has changed with technology and information systems, although one thing remains the same, the mission to treat patients as well as to improve and preserve the health and well-being of those they serve. Their vision is to redefine the healthcare experience, becoming the best place to work, practice medicine, and receive care. References eHow. (2010). Use of personal digital assistants in health care. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/facts_7436608_use-personal-digital-assistants- healthcare.html Journal of the Medical Library Association. (2004). The use of personal digital assistants in the health sciences: results of a survey. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC442176/ Kreidler, M.K. (2008). Health Care and Information Technology. Research Starters – Business, (1). Open Clinical. (n.d.). Electronic medical records. Retrieved from http://www.openclinical.org/emr.html PubMed. (2008). The use of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) among personnel and students in health care. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18957381 Scientific American. (2009). Will Electronic Medical Records Improve Health Care. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=electronic-health-records The art of patient care. (n.d.). Health Care Technology and Patient Care. Retrieved from http://www.art-of-patient-care.com/health-care-technology.html Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., Glaser, J. P. (2009). Health care information systems: A practical approach for health care management (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Investigating the Effect of Resistance on a Capacitor Circuit :: Papers

Investigating the Effect of Resistance on a Capacitor Circuit Method: We will set up the following circuit. We will measure the capacitor pd. (Vc) with the cell connected. Then we will remove the cell and connect point A to point B, at the same moment starting a stopwatch. We will record the length of time (t) for the Vc to decay to 3.75 Volts. We intend to repeat this procedure using different resistors. [IMAGE] Resistance (kW) Time (s) 33 33 68 72 100 97 150 153 330 320 680 584 Conclusion: From the graph we can clearly see that the time taken for the capacitor to discharge is directly proportional to the resistance. This is because the graph shows a definite straight line going through or near most of the points. This means that the higher resistor you use the longer it will take for the capacitor to discharge. The experiment has therefore proved the prediction correct i.e. the resistance should be directly proportionate to the time taken for the capacitor to de-charge. This can be explained by the following: Capacitors store electrical charge. When current is passing through the circuit the capacitor charges up as the current can't jump between the gap of the two plates but charge is held there because of the force of the opposite poles. This means that more and more electricity is stored until it reaches its full capacity. But when the circuit is broken the capacitor de-charges releasing electricity through the circuit. The resistor slows down the current causing 'congestion' and means that the capacitor has to de-charge slower because only a limited amount of charge can travel through a circuit with a high resistance at any one given time. Evaluation: The method was a good way of carrying out the experiment as it was quite easy to conduct once the circuit was connected, the results seem

Leadership Skills and Criminal Justice

Leadership Skills for Criminal Justice Professionals Leadership involves the commitment, dedication, and risk taking attitude of the individual, which also includes other skills to accomplish the tasks. â€Å"In a criminal justice organization, leadership is essential to the success of the goals of the organization† (McKinney, 2008). Criminal justice professionals should develop and maintain leadership skills in their professional and personal lives because they are role models, and their decision-making is suppose to be trusted by the public. The field of criminal justice is very broad, which includes professions like law enforcement, information security, and forensic science; however, there are many career choices in that field that require some of the same skills in leadership. Communication is a major skill in the success of careers in the criminal justice field. â€Å"Professionals in this field should possess excellent communication skills because they must be able to give suggestions to employees, give orders to people over whom they have authority, and explain clearly to the community what legal issues are involved† (â€Å"Qualities of Good Criminal Justice,† 2011). Professionals will need to be able to speak clearly, effectively, and with confidence and authority. In addition, a professional in the criminal justice field must be able to write in a manner that is understandably clear and relayed effectively. They will be writing anything from reports, press releases to parole orders from time to time; therefore, they also need to be comfortable with versatile writing styles and requirements. Good communication skills will help the justice professional to avoid conflicts and solve problems. Another vital leadership skill that a criminal justice professional should have or develop is the ability to think fast with a sound mind in order to make good judgment calls when faced with any issue. Meaning, in order to act in a way that is effective, a professional must possess the ability to evaluate a situation in order to determine what the next course of action that possibly needs to be taken. By applying analytics to forge an information-led strategy, criminal justice leaders can make decisions based on solid, robust data and allocate resources effectively to guide prevention, intervention and/or suppression tactics. Sometimes it is good to solicit opinions and obtain feedback from those that can be trusted or have had a similar situation to contend with. Finally, although most careers include some level of stress, some more than others, careers in the criminal justice field may be considered more stressful than any of the others. â€Å"In a career that deals with public safety, law enforcement, crime and punishment, and legal maneuvers, stress is inescapable† (Qualities of Good Criminal Justice,† 2011). A professional working in the field of criminal justice absolutely must be able to deal with the personal stress of the job with a competent state of mind at all times while performing their duties effectively and safely. Failure to properly cope with stress endangers criminal justice workers and can compromise public safety. It is important to stay in charge of emotions, but even more important to leave it at work and forget about it when you go home. The leadership skills mentioned above are only a few on a long list needed to be a strong leader, but being a professional in the field also means that one must possess a strong ethical sensibility. Why? Because they will be working to promote adherence to laws in order to prevent law-breaking, as well as determining consequences for those who do not follow the law. â€Å"Virtue ethics encourages people to act according to the best aspects of their personalities, assuming each has the capacity to act with prudence, honesty, courage and fairness† (Frenz, 2011). Without knowledge of ethics, criminal justice professionals may be naive about moral issues occurring within the criminal justice system. Many people think that acting lawfully is the same as acting ethically, but that’s not the case. Understanding ethics enables an appreciation of the complexities of acts that involve ethical issues and dilemmas There are so many leadership skills that a criminal justice professional should possess, and only a few was touched on in this essay. One important thing that a good leader can recognize is when to lead and when to follow. With criminal justice organizations constantly evolving and having to change, it is important to have a leader that is able to work with his subordinates and superiors to make effective decision that take the organization in the best directions† (McKinney, 2008 ¬). Ethics and morals encourage people to make beneficial, respectful and fair decisions. Ethical considerations are central to decisions involving d iscretion, force, and due process that require people to make good moral judgments. Therefore, it is imperative that the individuals put in any type of executive role to have formidable leadership skills. Reference Frenz, R. (2011). Importance of ethics and morals. eHow. Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com about_6718517_importance-ethics-morals. html Mckinney, C. (2008, April 3). Modern leadership theories in criminal justice. Yahoo Voices. Retrieved from http://voices. yahoo. com/modern-leadership-theories-criminal-justice- 1338251. html Qualities of good criminal justice professionals. (2011). Go Criminal Justice Schools. Retrieved from http://gocriminaljusticeschools. com/qualities-of-good-criminal-justice- professionals. html

What s It Like For The Black - 984 Words

What’s it like to be Black in America? Well firstly you’d have to understand that being Black doesn’t only describe a skin tone. To be Black â€Å"describes a behavior or a perspective of a group of people† (Anderson, 2001), and this perspective is the result of this group’s past and continuing struggles. But I don’t believe I can say I have the answer for that, because Blacks are in almost every category of class as other ethnic groups, and I’ve never been the most privileged or the lowliest of the group. However, I can say that as a group we all feel economically deprived and that overall being Black is to be confused. What are we confused about? Now the answers to that are little bit simpler; we won’t to know why we’re here or how can we make our lives better? You know the typical average person’s concerns. But, in this country and maybe even worldwide, Black people as a group are limited by others as to what th ey can achieve, before facing resistance, and have to ask themselves why is it that the more things change the more they stay the same? First, I think it’s necessary to understand that Black Americans are a planned permanent underclass, and we have a unique history here. Firstly, we’re the only group in this country who did not immigrate here. Our ancestors were brought here against their will as slaves, for free labor and ever since then it’s been a goal of the leaders of the dominant society to keep us down. Blacks were physically freed after the Civil War, but theirShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Ralph Ellison s What America Would Be Like Without Blacks 1855 Words   |  8 Pagesstates that had previously seceded from the Union. 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