Infrastructure Evaluation

Infrastructure Evaluation Name Course Number and Name Grand Canyon University Instructor’s Name Date Infrastructure Evaluation Introduction Information technology has had a significant impact on operations, workflows, and flow of information in the healthcare sector. One of the latest technological breakthroughs has been the introduction of electronic health records (EHRs) that have replaced the traditional manual records that used to hold and store patients’ data. EHRs allow hospitals and doctors to share and exchange records within a short time over the internet. Despite EHR having a significant impact on healthcare delivery and the quality of services, technology is an evolving process that has faced significant issues and challenges that have interrupted the way of life of society. The purpose of this research is to discuss the infrastructure of EHR, how it has impacted workflows and processes, the existing gaps and issues, suggestions to improve its operability, and its future considering that technology is always evolving. Current Infrastructure, Workflow, and Processes of Electronic Health Records Electronic health records have become essential tools in storage, retrieval, and exchange of information in healthcare facilities. Different hospitals have embraced the technology of EHR in different departments with the goal of easing communication while at the same time maximizing the quality of care on patients. Carayon et al. (2015) carried out a study to investigate the impact of EHR technology on work and workflow in intensive care units (ICUs) in the United States. The researchers found that EHR technology had a significant positive impact on time management and communication among physicians when switching and managing the distribution of tasks. A separate study by Fleming et al. (2014) had found that physicians found it easy to communicate and exchange health records, leading to an improvement in workflow and management of resources. For instance, physicians could start working directly in the emergency departments as information was retrieved and submitted directly to the emergency department once the patient records had been entered in the EHR system. Additionally, the transition of tasks in emergency departments has been simplified through the incorporation of EHR technology. This has minimized medication errors while at the same time magnifying the quality of service delivery. Traditionally, the process of communication in hospitals involved capturing of patient data manually. This process was time-consuming and prone to errors (Evans, 2016). Today, EHR has provided cheaper, efficient, and accurate method of capturing first-hand data, process it into useful information and send or share it over multiple channels within seconds. Fleming’s study (2014) found that physicians made minimal errors in the prescription of drugs as nurses relied on the EHR system to prescribe medications. This is essentially useful in the management of chronic diseases like diabetes I and diabetes II, which require high levels of accuracy in diagnosis and prescription of medication. Existing Gaps and Issues in Electronic Health Records Despite its usefulness and significant contribution to the management of records in hospitals, the EHR system has faced significant legal and ethical issues. The primary concern has been on the management of privacy and security of data (Dphill et al., 2018). The designers of EHR systems have little regard on security, privacy, and confidentiality of personal information in the systems. Just like any other electronic database, the EHR system can be hacked by people with malicious interests. The use of EHR system requires collaboration among different stakeholders. Designers of EHR systems do not consult physicians or doctors who are the potential users of the system. The IT sector thrives as a business entity that seeks to capitalize on gaps in society. Legal issues have also emanated in the adoption and use of electronic health records. The primary concern has been on the ownership of digital data. Once the patient has submitted personal information to the EHR system, the ownership is automatically lost to third parties. The hospital reserves the right to use the data without the owner’s consent. This is a bridge of privacy as and right to informed consent. The law has not defined the person...