Modern information technology (IT) is taking more active place in all spheres of human activity. Medicine is not an exception, but contrary gains massive attraction that led to the emergence of a new section of Informatics – Medical Informatics.
Informatics and Medicine Integration
One reason for the active involvement of modern IT in the healthcare industry – possibility of reducing the provision of health care while improving services quality spending. Experience shows that IT involvement in medicine can not only improve medical staff efficiency, but also the quality of services provided to patients who meet increased needs of the population, increase medical institutions profitability. As evidence of modern information technologies effectiveness in the medical field, you can see study results of American colleagues preparing and publishing any report on results of effective IT implementation in medical institutions, of both private and public character.
Electronic Medical Records
Electronic health records are one of the most popular of modern IT, allowing to gather in one place all the necessary medical information in one database.
This approach allows:
- doctors obtain samples on relevant criteria in order to identify the optimal treatment regimen;
- quickly and efficiently refresh the information on the medical history of a particular patient;
- carry out the selection of individual dosages of drugs, thereby increasing treatment effectiveness;
- reduce paper costs;
- make it impossible to lose patients’ records;
- automate the transfer of test results from laboratories to physicians.
Medical Informatization – Interference with Private Life?
Despite obvious advantages offered by medical informatization means, there are issues that cause negative emotions in patients. We are talking about people who are fighting to preserve secrets of the health status of each patient. It is exposed to serious doubt questions of information confidentiality relating to disease’s description, results of analyzes, etc. Because of fear of databases theft as a result of hacker activity.
Unfortunately, any organization is not insured from harmful effects of hackers. However, modern IT application in the medical field provides a significant advantage, and at an appropriate level of security option disclosure of patients’ confidential information is minimized.
Advantages of Using Modern IT in Healthcare
Through effective implementation of modern information technologies in the medical field, doctors and nurses stop “harassing” significant volumes of paper on patient records management, reporting and so on. Managers of medical institutions have an opportunity to optimize the distribution of all kinds of resources at their disposal.
Through the organization of medical patients’ records in form of confidential medical notes, physicians have an ability to quickly obtain necessary information, knowledge of which will help to quickly make a decision on further treatment, care options, the organization of effective prevention and so on.
Comparing the costs of transferring paper documents into medical information in electronic format, for the development and operating costs of special software for efficient operation of medical data in digital format, is significantly lower than for similar actions of paper-based documentation. In addition, the efficiency of medical staff, when all of the interest information may be available in minutes, is quite significant.
The present level of special software development for medical professionals meet the highest standards of data security, placed on the World Wide Web, which allows to carry out online access to databases containing confidential patients’ data.
Another significant advantage of modern information technologies in health care is that facilities, especially small (regional, rural, etc.) are able to reduce costs for staff, whose responsibilities include just work with paper documents.
The equally important positive consequence of IT introduction in medicine is the ability to communicate with other external information sources through online conferences, symposia, etc.., which allow, without leaving the patient to solve complex issues with the help of more experienced colleagues, to hear the views of other professionals to challenge. This is a significant help for small hospitals located in remote areas of the country center. Canadian Health and Care Mall is an online pharmacy carrying out online consultations as well to provide people with the information necessary for making a decision.
However, development and introduction of modern IT is not only in the facilitation and improvement of medical personnel performance and medical establishment as a whole. There is no less significant development for patients. So, today subscribers of special medical systems are able to receive the assistance of qualified physician for health virtually 24 hours a day without leaving home. Working in cooperation with insurance companies, patients have an opportunity to order an insurance policy with help of resources connected to the Internet to receive clarification on insurance programs of specialists, also without leaving home, calling a doctor and so forth.
An interesting direction of special software development for physicians – for close cooperation with pharmacy chains, which will allow not to write a paper prescription, and send it directly to a particular pharmacy where a patient will simply buy out the necessary medication. This approach not only reduces the costs of medical institutions, but also reduces the probability of acquiring wrong medication due to illegible handwriting on prescriptions, conditions for checking drug interactions and allergies. In addition, waiting time of patients in pharmacies is significantly reduced, since employees can advance to take care of necessary preparations.
Substantial assistance to have a single database for physicians in providing care to patients in the framework of disaster management, consequences elimination of emergency situations and so forth. As in health care workers have an opportunity to work for objective medical information on each victim.
Disadvantages of Using Modern IT in Healthcare
First and foremost, of course, it’s all the same security, which may be compromised by hackers. In this direction, we continue to keep a serious work, but hackers are not asleep, too.
Lack of a comprehensive and effective legal framework is related to information technologies introduction in medicine. All available documents are in constant reorganization and improvement.
Another significant disadvantage of information technology introduction in the medical field is a human factor, which is manifested in errors associated with data entry.
It can be attributed to shortcomings in demand for people with special skills to maintain efficiency and effectiveness of IT in medicine, which requires a certain financial outlay.
Summary
Bringing information technology in the medical field has both advantages and disadvantages. This is logical and natural. Almost since IT involvement in medicine, conducted a massive debate about the feasibility of information technology development in the medical area. Most likely, this discussion will continue indefinitely, as always there will be both supporters and opponents of given phenomenon, each of which will be exactly sure of the rightness of their views.
But medicine, as well as information technology, does not stand still, constantly evolving and improving. Indeed, IT involvement in medicine reduces costs, improves access to information and reduces the speed of its receipt, quickly and efficiently exchanges information, improves quality of medical services, significantly reduces the influence of human factor in health care, etc.
As for criticism that it basically revolves around possibility to save information about each patient’s health state in complete privacy, as well as weak legal framework concerning responsibility for maintaining confidentiality. But in these areas should carry out serious and continuous work to perfection.
No doubt there is one fact: no matter how far will be medical IT technologies development in the near or not too soon in the first place you should always meet the interests of patients, their health, level of medical services provided.
Online pharmacies are becoming more and more popular worldwide because IT – technologies development that’s why we desire to explain you everything about this method of drugs ordering.
An Online Pharmacy – Benefit or Harm?
Majority of people agrees, there are situations in life, when the Internet is an indispensable assistant, not only in matters of information and entertainment, but also in health. When it comes to the possibility of purchasing drugs for himself and family — Canadian Pharmacy Mall may also be useful. But how safe can be a similar treatment in online pharmacy?
Yes, time-saving, of course, attracts people and causes their interest to make purchases of medicines via the Internet. There is no need to go anywhere or go for a necessary drug.
There is also the option of self – treatment, when people are not going to the doctor, having read “smart” tips and tricks and prescribe treatment regimen themselves, and buy what they consider essential. But we strictly recommends you to consult a doctor before self-medicating.
Low cost is another advantage of online pharmacies. When compared with pharmacy prices, it may look very tempting. But choosing the “loyal” prices, if we run the risk of health – your own and your loved ones? If we buy the drug at a price almost in 2 times cheaper in online pharmacy than in official pharmacy, then there obviously have doubts in: whether the quality product can be so cheap? Quality may be high in low-cost medications especially on our website because these medications are generic ones.
Counterfeits in Online Pharmacies
According to statistics, in Europe, more than half drugs that are sold via the Internet are counterfeit. But if you still decide to buy “miracle” means in this way – you should know that you lurk a lot of problems.
If you come across with some misunderstandings that have arisen with purchase of medicines via the Internet, whether it is quality or effectiveness of drug – then later you have no excuse, and won’t complain. To find people who are behind sites selling drugs, is very difficult.
Online pharmacy business worldwide is legal. Implementation of drugs is allowed only through drugstores and online pharmacies. The only exception is the realization of medical products through medical and obstetric centers in rural areas – where there are no pharmacies.
After the purchase of low-quality drugs in official pharmacy you have the right to seek protection in civil service for medicines in the country in which you reside. You will need to present the check and write an application for a particular sample.
Canadian Health Care Mall is a universal method to obtain high quality medications at a low price. Our support group is ready to answer all your questions here – [email protected] We try to do our best to provide people with everything necessary for this or that disorder treatment. Use our service and find more and more medications on sufficient level for various diseases’ treatment.