Healthcare Law and Information Technology Essay Example

Healthcare Law and Information Technology Essay Example Healthcare Law and Information Technology Paper Healthcare Law and Information Technology Paper Tom Keefe, senior director of state government relations for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society said that legislation in Massachusetts â€Å"will have a direct effect on mandating nationwide use of EHRs healthcare today is an industry characterized by revolutionary technological advances† (Rhea, S. 2008). Technological advances have been utilized by the healthcare industry for years in one way or another. One of the most widely recognized technological advancement in healthcare is the Electronic Health Record (EHR). Simply put, HER’s are â€Å"digital versions of patients’ paper charts† (â€Å"Learn EHR Basics,† n. d. ). Some of the information that can be contained in an EHR can include a patient’s medical history (including diagnoses, any test results, and medications), information from health clinics, pharmacies, emergency facilities and laboratories. The benefits of EHRs are to â€Å"Improve quality and convenience of patient care, increase patient participation in their care, improve accuracy of diagnoses and health outcomes, improve care coordination, and increase practice efficiencies and cost savings† (â€Å"Benefits of Electronic Health Records [EHRs],† n. d. ). Healthcare professionals and hospitals who utilize EHRs, whether that is through implementation or upgrades, are eligible to receive incentives from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (â€Å"EHR Incentives Certification,† n. d. ). This incentive is possible due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In order to be eligible for any incentives, healthcare professionals and hospitals must meet the definition of meaningful use. Meaningful use is defined as â€Å"using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology† (â€Å"EHR Incentives Certification,† n. d. ) in order to â€Å"improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities, engage patients and family, improve care coordination and population and public health, and maintain privacy and security of patient health information† (â€Å"EHR Incentives Certification,† n.  d. ). In other words, utilizing meaningful use would hopefully result in improved medical outcomes as a result of patients being more involved in their care and course of treatment and information being available to healthcare professionals where and when it is necessary. Healthcare professionals and healthcare organizations must also meet the National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG). In 2003 the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) developed six NPSGs with a seventh added in 2004. NPSGs were created with the hopes of delivering safe patient care (Harris Schmitt, 2004, pp.88). The seven NPSGs are â€Å"improve the accuracy of patient identification, improve the effectiveness of communication among caregivers, improve the safety of using high-alert medications, eliminate wrong-site, wrong-patient, wrong-procedure surgery, improve the safety of infusion pumps, improve the effectiveness of clinical alarm systems, and reduce the risk of healthcare-acquired infections† (Harris Schmitt, 2004, pp. 89). Ultimately, the seven NPSG’s, if implemented and followed, would result in safe, consistent patient care. In order to make sure that the NPSGs are followed correctly, they should become a part of initial training upon employment in the healthcare industry. Also, there should be a refresher training each year where healthcare professionals get together and review the NPSGs as well as try to find new ways to track the data and achieve each of the goals. In order to ensure a healthcare organization is meeting the requirements of both meaningful use and NPSGs, the organization needs to collect patient data and analyze the collected data in order to break negative patterns. One process that can be utilized to collect patient data is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR). One of the biggest benefits an EMR provides to healthcare professionals is the ability to track, identify, monitor and improve a specific practice or healthcare organization (â€Å"What is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR),† n. d. ). An EMR could track patient data over time, identify when a patient needs a screening or preventative visit, monitor where patients stand in regards to vaccines, and to ultimately improve the quality of care in a given practice (â€Å"What is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR),† n.d. ). Implementing the use of EMRs into a healthcare practice would get the ball rolling where technology in the healthcare field is concerned. Starting off small is a good way to allow the healthcare professionals, as well as the patients, to form the necessary trust in further technological advancements. If an EMR is already in place in a medical practice, mobile healthcare is another process that healthcare professionals can use to collect and analyze data. Mobile healthcare is also a great tool for healthcare professionals who have a variety of patients over a large geographical area or who are always on the move between their practice and hospitals. Also known as m-health, mobile healthcare is the application of mobile information technologies in the field of healthcare (Siau Shen, 2006, pp. 90). Siau and Shen state that â€Å"mobile technologies can be applied to healthcare in various ways such as voice communication, messaging, notification, asset tracking, and remote access† (Siau Shen, 2006, pp.90). Mobile technologies can reduce administrative costs, improve the response of healthcare professionals, as well as motivate healthcare consumers to become more involved in their treatment course (Siau Shen, 2006, pp. 90). Current technologies in existence make m-health possible. Three examples of these current technologies are Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Global Positioning System (GPS), and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). Mobile technologies allow flexibility between healthcare providers and healthcare consumers. Patients and doctors, as well as administration professionals, benefit from mobile technologies. In the future, mobile technologies in healthcare organizations could save lives. Mobile technologies, including EMRs and EHRs, allow providers to collect patient data (including past patient history, demographic information, family history, allergies, test results, and lab results for example), track inventory, exchange data and communicate. Healthcare professionals can access a patient’s data and communicate with other healthcare organizations, pharmacies, healthcare professionals, and even the patient themselves. With the advancement of this technology, patient centered healthcare takes on a whole new meaning. The patients can have access to their files, be able to communicate with their healthcare professionals directly, and have access to online information about their diagnoses, medications, and course of treatment. As is always the case, the privacy and security of confidential information are a major concern and that concern heightens when thinking of mobile technologies. Without privacy and security, users of m-health would not be able to form the trust that is necessary when using mobile technologies. HIPPA Privacy and Security Rules â€Å"have detailed requirements regarding both privacy and security†¦the HIPPA Privacy Rules covers protected health information in any medium†¦the HIPPA Security Rules covers electronic protected health information† (â€Å"Privacy and Security,† n. d. ). Studies regarding privacy and security have been, and will continue to be, conducted. Plans regarding privacy and security have been created and implemented in order to help ensure the privacy and security of confidential information. With the topic of privacy and security met, we can now return to the National Patient Safety Goals and how they should be implemented, applied to the practice of healthcare, and tracked by healthcare professionals. National Patient Safety Goals should be utilized and met in every type of healthcare organization setting. Some examples of such a setting are hospitals, clinics, schools and universities, nursing homes, and mental health facilities. Every healthcare consumer deserves the very best care possible. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recognized that, and as mentioned earlier, created the seven National Patient Safety Goals. Take the mental health facility in the form of a group home for example. Many of the consumers’ needs are met daily by direct care professionals. There is an in-house nursing department that takes care of medical needs that arise during the course of the day. The nursing department also handles scheduling many doctors’ appointments for the consumers’, helping to ensure their health. Aforementioned, there are seven National Patient Safety Goals, however, only a few will be focused on for the sake of tracking and analyzing data in certain types of care that would benefit a consumer in a group home setting. In terms of long term care, the National Patient Safety Goals that are focused on are making sure residents are correctly identified, make sure medications are used safely, preventing infection, preventing residents from falls, and preventing bed sores (The Joint Commission Accreditation, 2013). In order to ensure that medications are safely used, a group home could put together a medical administration record (MAR) in which each resident residing in the group home would have their own sheets with each medication they take listed. On these sheets, staff is responsible for initialing each medication they provide to a resident. In order to meet state requirements, the staff also initial and sign the back of the medication sheets and at the end of each month, the MAR is sent to the nursing department to be reviewed before being returned to the group home to be filed. In addition to the MARs, another way to track when medications are not used safely is through incident reports, which are entered into a system that is run by the state. Both of these methods are great ways to make sure each resident is getting the correct medication at the right time on the right date and by the correct route. In a home care setting, the National Patient Safety Goals that are strived to be met are identifying patients correctly, safely using medicines, preventing infections, preventing falls, and identifying patient safety risks (The Joint Commission Accreditation, 2013). In order to help protect residents from falls, it is important to know each resident and what they are capable of, especially when it comes to ambulating. For example, if a resident who lives in a group home has an unsteady gait, they should be monitored when on or around stairs. They should also not be left alone for too long. Ways to track this are by creating and implementing behavior plans as well as social and environmental plans. Their behavior throughout the day should be watched and documented. Any incidents of falls or injuries should be written on an incident report and reported to the proper people/organizations, given the category of the incident. In a behavioral health care setting, the National Patient Safety Goals that are focused on are correctly identifying residents, safely using medications, preventing infection, and identifying client safety risks (The Joint Commission Accreditation, 2013). Identifying clients correctly is one of the most important and widely used National Patient Safety Goal. It is something that you see happening in every healthcare organization that directly deals with patients. Normally, healthcare providers use two different forms of information to make sure they are working with the right consumer. Some examples of ways consumers can be identified are by name, birth date, patient number, primary care doctor, etc. As a healthcare professional, it is important that they make sure they are working with the right patients, so that there are no mistakes during the course of treatment. While this is not the easiest data to analyze or track, there are a few different ways it can be done. For example, if a resident goes to see their primary care physician, their picture could be taken at the office as a way of identifying the right resident. Facilities could also create and utilize a cover sheet with all the residents pertinent information including, but not limited to, their name, address, social security number, health insurance information, emergency contact, and diagnoses. It is imperative that as much data as possible be tracked. The more data that is collected and tracked, the better the analysis will be. When working with residents in the mental health field, many families are not involved and it is the job of the direct care professionals to advocate for the health and well-being of the residents they work with. Tracking this data can be done in the forms of behavior plans, behavior logs, social and environmental plans, incident reports, family history as well as past medical history and medications, both past and current, just to name a few. In order to ensure that all data is tracked properly, it is important to have a common template that is used agency wide. This will cut down on confusion. In the future, it is my hope that group homes will incorporate some sort of technology in order to better track and analyzing data on residents. If there was a common technology used agency wide, it would cut down on how much paper is used as well as constantly repeating information on many different forms. Also, it would be a great way for anyone involved with the care of a resident to quickly have access to the information they need. If this technology was linked up with the primary care physicians that serve this population, there would not be a need to carry around big files for each resident and there would be better communication between residents, staff and physicians, which would make for a more productive and higher quality visit and course of treatment.

The Albatrosses and a Killer Whale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Albatrosses and a Killer Whale - Essay Example Changes caused to the marine environment due to natural as well as human reasons, as stated by Safina, have made the albatrosses vulnerable (qtd. in Sakamoto et al. 1). As mentioned by Croxall and Brooke, in recent times, studies have been carried out about the diet and foraging habits of these birds. However, little is known about how albatrosses actually locate their prey in the open ocean (qtd. in Sakamoto et al. 1). Previous studies found it difficult to follow individual birds, and thus could not find out all about the foraging activities employed by them. This particular study is mainly aimed at examining how albatrosses find their prey, as well as how they deal with and respond to their environment while on their foraging trips in the Southern Ocean (Sakamoto et al. 1). Four black-browed albatrosses were captured at their nest sites in Bird Island, Southern Georgia for the purpose of this study, and still cameras were attached to their backs. Three of the four birds were recaptured and the instruments retrieved. The fourth bird could not be recaptured. The camera was equipped with depth and temperature sensors. After the recovery of the instruments, the data captured, which included image, depth and temperature, were downloaded to a PC. The environment around the study birds was studied. Other animals or birds which appeared in the images were also scrutinized. Depth data were analyzed with a behavior analysis program.

Business Codes of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business Codes of Ethics - Essay Example A well designed code of ethics will help highlight the resources available to achieve various goals set at the personal and corporate levels. A good code of ethics document will inspire confidence in all business associates – like suppliers, clients and employees. The rest of the essay will critically analyze the codes of ethics of two accounting firms and evaluate their merits in the process. The two firms chosen for the exercise are KPMG and Grant Thornton (Budd, 2007). â€Å"At KPMG, our promise of professionalism to each other, our clients, and the capital markets we serve, compels us to align our culture of integrity with our values, words, and actions. By setting high standards for ourselves, and our clients, our commitment to upholding KPMG’s values is clear: There is never a situation when compromising our standards is either expected or acceptable. To support our culture of integrity, KPMG has further developed a robust ethics program that includes our Code of Conduct, as well as the Ethics and Compliance Hotline†. (Budd, 2007) The above passage captures the essence of what KPMG stands for as an organization. The language is unambiguous and the sentences are well structured – two essential qualities for business writing. It also makes it clear how imperative ethics are to the firm – not compromising their standards in any situation. Keeping pace with the times they have developed a easy to use Ethics and Compliance Hotline, which can be availed by all business associates. So, in this regard, KPMG adheres to international standards of maintaining ethical business conduct (Shearer, 2002). â€Å"Being at the cutting edge of professional development is vital for an accounting and advisory organization operating in a dynamic business and regulatory environment. By taking an active role in entities that liaise with regulators, promoting high-quality professional standards and insisting upon high standards of ethical behavior, senior

MGT3301 Service Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MGT3301 Service Operations Management - Essay Example The library provision of standard material regarding the health services education and practise has always been severely needed the NHS took steps in order to fulfil this need by providing an online database and made the clinician’s enable to make the most of it. In a study conducted by (Taylor, Ellis, & Gallagho 2002) the scope of telephonic advice to patients was examined. It was found that the patients were very much satisfied with the advice given to them, this not only helped the patients but also helped the management in managing the primary care workload. In the same way the internet presence of NHS in shape of NHS Direct also enabled the physicians to educate their patients about their treatment, do’s and don’ts and their diet schedule in a more effective, consistent and timely manner. NHS Direct also helped the physicians to consolidate their relationships with other institutions in order to share their ideas about different discoveries and enhancements in their related field. This process is under way in some parts of the world. Williams & Ropert, (2004) under taken a project in the Universities of Australia and Philadelphia in which eighty-four students were brought together, The main purpose of the project was to determine whether Internet is an effective tool in exchanging ideas and discoveries in a useful manner. The result determined that the use of Internet was useful in exchanging the ideas about a topic, it not only enhanced the knowledge but also opened new dimensions for inquiry and research. The self-service technology or also termed as SST, has so much to do with the efficiency and the effectiveness of the NHS Direct. What really is SST and how does it work as an element of e-business? Cheryl Nakata’s book entitled â€Å"Self-Service Technology failure: Understanding the Customer Perspective† talks about the necessary factors regarding self-0service technology that could contribute to

Differences and Similarities between Respiration and Photosynthesis Essay Example for Free

Differences and Similarities between Respiration and Photosynthesis Essay Cellular RespirationPhotosynthesis OrganellesMitochondriaChloroplast Organelle StructuresThe double-membraned mitochondrion can be loosely described as a large wrinkled bag packed inside of a smaller, unwrinkled bag. The two membranes create distinct compartments within the organelle, and are themselves very different in structure and in function.Two membranes contain and protect the inner parts of the chloroplast. The stroma is an area inside of the chloroplast where reactions occur and starches (sugars) are created. One thylakoid stack is called a granum. The thylakoids have chlorophyll molecules on their surface. That chlorophyll uses sunlight to create sugars. The stacks of sacs are connected by stromal lamellae. The lamellae act like the skeleton of the chloroplast, keeping all of the sacs a safe distance from each other and maximizing the efficiency of the organelle. Stages InvolvedGlycolysis, the Krebs Cycle, Electron Transport ChainPhotoexcitation, photolysis, photophosphorylation ReactantsOxygen and GlucoseCarbon Dioxide and Water

literary essay joy luck club :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Joy Luck Club   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Amy Tan’s novel â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† there are many themes and imagery throughout the book, but one theme that is relevant and stands out is the issue, â€Å"Cruel men? Weak men? Fair portrayal of men?† The novel is based on women in the Chinese traditional families, but does not discuss the men. What role do they play in their lives? Were they the people that made there lives unbearable? The men that will be looked upon are associated to the Jong, The Hsu, and the St. Clair family. Although many people would believe that the men in â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† were vindictive, they have shown that they not only are they feeble but that the weak men over power the cruel, and through their actions this statement will be apparent to all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jong Family have two key males that fit the description of cruel and or weak men. The first was Tyan-Yu, Linda Jong’s first husband. Lindo and Tyan-Yu’s wedding was arranged marriage. Lindo’s parents were forced to depart their home leaving Lindo behind. Even though she was only twelve years old, Lindo belonged to the family of her betrothed. The Huangs, the family of Tyan-yu, were very wealthy and took little interest in Lindo which lead to the first impression that Tyan-yu was a cruel man by the way he acted. He and his family made her stay in their servants’ quarters and made her perform physical tasks, such as cooking, washing dishes, cleaning, and embroidering clothes. Tyan-yu would make her sleep on the couch lying to his mother so that he would not get himself into trouble which was a sign of weakness on Tyan-yu’s part. Lindo proves this by saying â€Å"That’s when I could see what was underneath Tyan-yu. He was scared.†. (58) Lindo’s marriage was miserable, for there was no love in it. Tyan-yu, feeling no emotion for his wife, would not touch her. Matters were made worse when everyone wondered why Lindo did not become pregnant and for this came trouble. Tyan-yu was to much of a coward to make any moves and left it all for Lindo to do herself. Lindo found out that â€Å"it was his fear that made Lindo think he had no desire for any woman. He was like a little boy that had never grown up†. (58) Lindo totally changed her view of Tyan-yu from once being terrified of him, to feeling as if she was playing the role of an older sibling.

The Importance of Safety in Maintaining Good Health Essay -- utilizing

Utilizing safety precautions is among the factors of obtaining a high degree of physical wellbeing. Facebook posts, blogs, personal experience, and the news are just some of the sources where you hear stories about children, young adults, and grown adults who end up physically hurt, hospitalized and sometimes even dead due to the fact that they were not utilizing safety precautions. Utilizing safety precautions is something everyone is capable of. Those who ignore or choose not to utilize safety precautions are often categorized as adolescents. â€Å"Teen alcohol use kills about 4,700 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined† (CDC). The Century Council says about 43% of teens that drinks do so at a party that is supervised by parents. Often time’s people develop religious belief through their parent or guardian, it was the way their parents were raised, the way the child was raised and the chain usually continues. Parents or guardians with religious faith often refrain from the use of alcohol because their religion or church is not in favor of it, or of their own personal conviction. Parents who refrain form alcohol because of their religion would expect the same of their children. Because of the religion they possess, no party with alcohol would be in the house of those parents, resulting in their child refraining from alcohol use, and thus being able to think while sober and utilize safety precautions. As well as having a sober mindset and implementing safety precautions the adolescents personal religious beliefs, and convictions would refrain them from making choices that would put them in a situation where their safety is at risk. Those with religious beliefs appear to be making choices consistently and rationally thu... ...n[uk]. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014. . "Washington State University." Wellbeing. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. "What We Believe." The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. . White, Martha C. "5 Reasons Your Job Is Making You Miserable." Business Money 5 Reasons Your Job Is Making You Miserable Comments. Time Magazine, 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. . "Why Tim Keller Wants You to Stay in That Job You Hate." Interview by Andy Crouch. Christianity Today. Christianity Today, 22 Apr. 2013. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. .