The Impact of Technology on How Health Care Is Delivered

The impact of Technology on how Health Care is delivered

Somia O'Kelley

HCA 459 Senior Projects

Instructor

July 30, 2012

Technology is the mixture of skills, facts, equipment, and computers that are use to propose, create, and allocate goods and services. The more complex technology, the better the need for a flexible organization and progressive society to improve manager's ability to respond to unforeseen situations which give manager's the choices and aspiration to work out new result to the problems they come across. And the more practice managers have with technology, the more suitable is a recognized structure according to (Jones & Georgia 2011) Technology can generate positions within one's organization and it can abolish positions. When filing is done electronically, there is possible no longer a need for file clerks but more of a need for department technicians to maintain and develop the computer network. As technology continues to change the function of jobs in the workplace; the landscape of organizational structure changes with it. (Anderson) In this report I will discuss the impact that technology have on an organization structure, employee's performance and management planning of an organization.

Technology has an advantage impact on the structure of an organization technology can facilitate and improve the communication process. It can save time, the benefits of improved coordination and increased supervision. (Nelson, p.56) While the achievement of technology in general can be a advantage to an organization and be part of a change that results in radical improvement, it is also necessary to at least consider the drawbacks associated with progress. By doing so, the organization can avoid some of the related pitfalls. These disadvantages can be categorized as behavioral and non-behavioral. (Kiernan 1995)

Most healthcare institutions have already realized some efficiency by incorporating aspects of ICT, such as institutional electronic health records and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) for digital imaging. By Hospitals implement the technologies described above; they will be able to improve the quality of patient care by streamlining processes, reducing duplication and minimizing the risk of medical errors, such as administration of the wrong drug or dosage or even the performance of a wrong surgery. According to a 2003 study of medication errors in pediatric settings, 76% of all errors could potentially be avoided if a computerized provider order entry system were used (Potts et al. 2004). One US hospital that has made the move to a "paperless environment" estimates that they have reduced transcription by 65% and charting by 85%, meaning that healthcare providers have more time for patient care due to lighter administrative loads (Hancock and Groff 2000). Electronic communication between organizations means that health providers will be able to access health records and other data at the point of care, providing patients with more rapid and effective healthcare. Health information databases will also facilitate research by providing a more effective means to collate and evaluate medical data, thus enabling a shift toward evidence-based medical care.(Anvari,2007)

According to Anderson Technology helps to measure and manage the employee performance. It helps to computerize the processes of HR and save time and cost and reduce the efforts required and the paperwork. According to a survey, more than 30 percent of the respondent organizations are already using or planning to buy software for the performance management in the organization which help to systematically record all the data about the employee performance, pre-determined targets and the results achieved, compensation, succession planning and other related HR systems. The various forms can be filled online and can be submitted to the HR. The information is systematically stored in metrics where the current employee performance can be compared with the targets and the standards. These systems also help to analyze the training needs of the employees, systematically monitor their progress and their review and feedback and the improvement in the performances.