Scholarly Project and Plan

Scholarly Project and Plan
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Scholarly Project and Plan
Abstract
Modern society has benefited immensely from the introduction of technology. Through the invention of technology, communication is now easier and more convenient. Unlike in the past when technology only focused on communication, there are other areas that technology has become relevant. In the medical field, it has been discovered that majority of patients with chronic illnesses have deteriorating conditions. The reason for this is failure to take their medication at the right time. Insufficient knowledge on their condition and medication is yet another reason that has been cited as the cause for increased death. African American males suffering from hypertension have particularly been cited as being in grave danger for failure to take medication. As a result, there is need to come up with am method that will increase adherence among African American hypertensive males in Los Angeles. One of the methods that has been identified and which is believed to be effective is the use of a mobile application. The mobile health application will be included in their phones to educate themselves and remind themselves to take medication. The application will also be used as follow up with the doctor thereby increasing adherence.
Introduction
Unlike in the past, there is an increase in the demand for high quality medical services in America and the entire globe. Perhaps this is due to the increase of lifestyle diseases such as hypertension. Use of mobile applications to enhance adherence and follow ups has been identified as one of the viable methods (Kabene 2010). Similarly, Al-Hakim (2007), found that many of the hypertensive patients die or develop complications due to late medication. Research has further shown that majority of patients who suffer from hypertension do not have any information on the disease. For some patients, inability to understand the symptoms of the ailment leads to deterioration. Lack of a mechanism through which patients can keep in touch with the doctors and vice-versa leads to increased deaths among hypertensive patients (West, 2012). Therefore, through the use of mobile technology, doctors are well placed to alert and communicate to their clients regarding medication processes. Al-Hakim (2007) observes that use of mobile phone applications can reduce considerably the number of hypertensive patients who develop complications. Adherence is important for improved quality of life among hypertensive patients. Non-adherent hypertensive patients have been reported to be at more risk of suffering from and dying from stroke. Studies indicate that patients that fail to take their medication on time have a more than two times risk of dying after few years of taking the prescribed medicine to control hypertension (Christensen, et al., 2009). A Mobile web app designed to alert patients to take their medication improves African American males' self- management for medication adherence. It aids in chronic disease management by improving patients confidence in adhering to prescribed medication to control blood pressure.
Description of the Scholarly Project and Planned Intervention
Al-Hakim (2007) further notes that the use of mobile technology in medical sector is a fundamental move towards effective communication and co-ordination. This is both within and outside the medical and healthcare facilities. Therefore, the central focus of this project is to give detailed information in regard to the use of mobile technology or applications. The mobile application will be used to increase adherence of male African American males suffering from hypertension. The setting within which the project will be implemented will be a local private clinic within Los Angeles. With the absence of mobile application within the clinic, it is found that most of the patients suffering from hypertension face either death or other body impairments due to late medication (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010). Researches carried among some hypertensive patients indicate that there are those who suffer from memory loss. Consequently, they forget to take their medication or forget the proper dosage of the medication that they are supposed to take (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). This results to fatal results.
The process of using mobile technology and services within the clinic will have a positive impact to both the clinic and patients as well. The installation will be done in the doctor's office. The aim is to ensure that the hypertensive patients have a direct link to the medical center. Further, the patients will receive alerts from the clinic reminding them of their medication and dosage. In case of any questions and clarifications, they can be done on real time thereby reducing complications that may arise from the ailment. It is crucial to point out that the mobile application in this case is not focused on the clinic but the patients. He project is therefore not intended to make the clinic technologically savvy. Rather it is intended on making sure that hypertensive African American male patients reduce chances of getting complications (Oscar, 2012). This is by ensuring that they have all the information about the disease on their fingertips.
Using a mobile web app for reminders and health education improves patient's self-management in adhering to medication. This way, they are able to develop an adherence routine and deeper understanding of how to achieve better health through implementing health education information. Self-management involves strategies that assist patients to solve problems related to their hypertensive condition. These strategies take cognizance of the fact that patients have a primary role in managing the condition through better health behaviors such as adherence. Mobile web applications are the new ways of engaging and managing patients in Medicaid programs particularly those with hypertension. Mobile technology is perceived to be widespread, cost effective and efficient in disseminating health information. It is also notable that health information positively impacts adherence, assists in mitigating medical mistakes and improves general health outcomes (Oscar, 2012).
Using the mobile web applications patients receive guidance on how to monitor their adherence habits and prevent risks that result from non-adherence such as stroke. They also receive information on benefits of adherence to medication as well as recommendations on dietary changes that assist them to better manage their dietary intake. It also helps African American males to get rid of misconceptions that hypertension may be treated with home-made regimens. It is an effective strategy that offers information about etiology of hypertension to the African American males and gives them a responsibility of personally managing their condition from a position of knowledge.
One crucial aspect about this mechanism is that it will not raise any issues on privacy. Its main aim is to keep patients informed on their need for consistency in their medication. The clinic, however, has a duty toe ensure that information of patients remain properly safeguarded. This means that information of patients should not be leaked to other parties. This is likely to discourage patients form subscribing to such an application.
Moreover, the use of mobile technology will make it convenient for patients who do not have to make trips to the clinic. Research conduct among hypertensive patients and other patients suffering form chronic illnesses have shown interesting observations. More often such patients are required to attend clinic regularly. Some of them get tried of the regular attendance. Those who do not experience pain or show any symptoms are more often likely to forfeit going to the clinic. For such patients, the mobile application will come in handy. They can communicate directly with the doctor without having to physically going to the clinic (West, 2012). This will help in saving time and money that these hypertensive patients would have faced in conducting the normal transaction.
Description of the Organization and its Implementations Structure
The clinic is under-developed in terms of the technological advancement. It is still a small clinic operated under a director, one do...