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How Technology has been used to improve healthcare delivery and information
management within Public Health
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How Technology has been used to improve healthcare delivery in Public Health
Public health is a vast field in healthcare. Just like other healthcare fields, public health
relies highly on Technology. Technological advancements have significantly transformed
healthcare delivery in public health. They have revolutionized patient information management,
access to healthcare services, and how care is coordinated. There are various ways that
Technology has improved healthcare delivery in public health, that is, by the use of electronic
health records (EHRs), telemedicine and remote care, and the use of health information exchange
(HIE) and interoperability (Mohammed et al., 2016). These advancements in the public health
sector have significantly led to improved access to patient information, increased healthcare
service accessibility, enhanced care coordination, and facilitated comprehensive insights through
data integration.
Electronic health records, EHRs
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are digital copies of patient's medical records and
health information. They contain detailed and longitudinal details on a person's medical history,
diagnosis, treatments, drugs, allergies, laboratory findings, and other clinical data. These records
are kept in a safe and standardized electronic format, and they are only available to approved
healthcare practitioners and organizations. The use of electronic health records has impacted the
field of public health in the following ways; they have been implemented in public health
settings, there is improved access to patient information for the healthcare providers, and there is
enhanced coordination and continuity of care for the patients.
EHRs in public health have resulted in better record keeping because EHRs have
replaced traditional paper-based records, enabling healthcare providers to access and handle
patient data digitally. Implementing EHR systems in public health settings has expedited
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documentation, decreasing errors and redundancy. EHR systems provide various advantages over
traditional paper records (Gold et al., 2017). They increase the accuracy and completeness of
patient information by decreasing human errors and illegible handwriting. EHRs also improve
accessibility since authorized healthcare providers may securely access patient records from
many locations, supporting better-informed decision-making and continuity of treatment.
Furthermore, EHRs promote interoperability by allowing the interchange of patient information
between different healthcare providers and systems, supporting seamless care coordination and
collaboration.
Furthermore, the usage of EHRs has considerably enhanced healthcare providers' access
to patient information. EHRs have enabled healthcare providers to quickly and securely access
extensive patient information. This accessibility means that medical providers have a complete
picture of a patient's medical history, prescriptions, allergies, and previous treatments, allowing
them to make better-informed decisions and provide more individualized care. Furthermore,
using EHRs has played an essential role in improving individual coordination and continuity of
treatment (Kim et al., 2019). EHRs improve care coordination and continuity by allowing
multiple healthcare professionals to communicate patient information smoothly. This enhances
the overall patient experience by preventing test duplication, lowering medical errors, and
ensuring a more holistic approach to therapy.
Telemedicine and Remote Care
Telemedicine and Remote Care describe the application of Technology, primarily
telecommunications and digital platforms, to deliver healthcare services remotely. Patients can
receive medical consultations, diagnoses, treatments, and monitoring without visiting a
healthcare center. Telemedicine and remote care benefit public health in a variety of ways. It is
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crucial in enhancing access to healthcare services since it bridges the gap between patients and
healthcare practitioners, especially in underserved areas such as rural communities or regions
with minimal healthcare facilities. It eliminates geographical barriers and the need for patients to
travel large distances for medical care. This accessibility guarantees that people have timely
access to healthcare, promoting early interventions and preventing health issues from worsening.
Telemedicine and remote care are critical for remote consultations and diagnostics.
Patients can consult with healthcare providers remotely via video calls, phone consultations, or
secure messaging services. This reduces the need for non-emergency in-person appointments,
lowering wait times and boosting patient convenience. Based on the information provided by the
patient, healthcare practitioners can evaluate symptoms, provide medical advice, and make
diagnoses, enabling the development of appropriate treatment plans. Remote monitoring and
follow-up care are simple using telemedicine technology (Kronenfeld & Penedo, 2021). It allows
for the remote monitoring of patients' health problems, such as vital signs, chronic diseases, and
post-operative recovery. Patients can communicate data to healthcare practitioners in real time
using connected gadgets and wearable technologies. This enables proactive interventions, early
diagnosis of problems, and rapid treatment plan changes. Remote follow-up care can also be
provided, ensuring that patients receive adequate guidance and support during their recovery and
avoid unnecessary hospital visits.
Telemedicine is also helpful in other areas of public health, such as public health
surveillance and outbreak management, as well as health education and preventive care.
Telemedicine is critical in public health surveillance and epidemic control. Remote consultations
and monitoring enable healthcare providers to follow and report infectious diseases in real-time,
notice patterns, and identify future outbreaks. This information can be shared with public health
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organizations to help with timely responses such as focused testing, contact tracing, and public
health education campaigns. Public health authorities can strengthen their capacity to respond to
health emergencies and prevent disease transmission by harnessing telemedicine (Jnr, 2020).
Telemedicine platforms can provide public health education and preventative care services.
Remote consultations can advise on healthy lifestyle choices, preventive screenings, and
immunization advice. By preventing the onset or progression of preventable diseases, this
proactive approach to public health empowers individuals to make educated decisions about their
health, lowering the strain on healthcare systems.
Health Information Exchange (HIE) and Interoperability
The electronic sharing of patient health information between various healthcare
institutions, systems, and stakeholders is referred to as health information exchange (HIE). It
entails the safe and smooth transfer of pertinent medical data, such as medical history, test
findings, diagnoses, treatments, and prescriptions, to guarantee that authorized healthcare
professionals can access complete and up-to-date patient information. Interoperability, on the
other hand, refers to the ability of various healthcare information systems and technologies to
share and use data successfully. HIE and interoperability play an essential role in improving
health outcomes and boosting population health in the following ways: sharing and exchanging
health information among healthcare practitioners, Continuous data flow for better care
coordination and public health surveillance, Integration of public health data systems with
clinical data for broader insights and better public health research.
Health Information Exchange (HIE) allows healthcare professionals to share and
exchange patient information securely. Interoperability enables more coordinated treatment by
allowing physicians, specialists, and public health organizations to access pertinent data,
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resulting in better-informed decisions and more efficient healthcare delivery. Furthermore, HIE
allows for smooth data exchange between healthcare providers, allowing for better care
coordination and public health surveillance. Access to patient information, such as test results,
diagnoses, and treatment plans, will enable doctors to collaborate more effectively, respond to
public health events, and execute focused treatments (Holmgren & Adler‐Milstein, 2017). HIE
allows healthcare practitioners involved in a patient's care to obtain relevant and comprehensive
health information. Because multiple physicians may communicate and make informed
judgments based on the patient's complete medical history, this supports coordinated care
delivery. This is especially crucial in public health when dealing with complex illnesses or
managing the health of vulnerable populations, as it promotes continuity of care and avoids
fragmentation.
Integrating public health and clinical data systems provides complete insights into
population health. Healthcare professionals and policymakers better understand health trends,
disease prevalence, and the effectiveness of public health measures by merging public health
surveillance data with individual patient data. This integration enables the implementation of
proactive actions such as targeted vaccination campaigns or disease prevention activities. Finally,
interoperability allows clinical data from multiple sources to be integrated into public health
systems (Dixon et al., 2020). Researchers can use this integration to perform population health
studies, analyze health outcomes, identify risk factors, and assess the effectiveness of public
health interventions. This type of study helps to inform evidence-based policymaking, program
planning, and the creation of effective public health solutions.
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How Technology has been used to improve information management in Public Health
In public health, information management is systematically collecting, organizing,
analyzing, and disseminating data and information relevant to public health activities and
interventions. It entails the procedures and techniques for successfully gathering, storing,
retrieving, evaluating, and utilizing health-related data to guide decision-making, policy creation,
and program implementation in public health. Data collection, standardization, quality assurance,
data analysis and interpretation, information dissemination, and privacy and confidentiality are
essential components of public health information management. Technology is, therefore, critical
in information management in the manner outlined below;
Technology and information management in healthcare
Technology is critical in public health information management. Technology makes data
gathering more efficient, allowing public health institutions to collect extensive and reliable
information on demographics, health indicators, and disease surveillance. This information forms
the basis for evidence-based decision-making, allowing public health professionals to detect
trends, patterns, and risk factors. Second, information management systems aid in organizing and
analyzing acquired data, offering valuable insights for public health interventions and policy
creation (Holmgren & Adler‐Milstein, 2017). Public health authorities can use data analysis to
uncover health inequities, track disease outbreaks, and evaluate the effectiveness of
interventions. Similarly, Technology facilitates information distribution, allowing public health
groups to disseminate critical health information, research findings, and guidelines to healthcare
practitioners, policymakers, and the general public. This raises awareness, gives people the tools
to make educated health decisions, and encourages stakeholder collaboration.
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Efficient information management is critical in public health because it allows for
accurate and timely data collection, analysis, and distribution. It enables public health
organizations to track and monitor disease outbreaks, identify risk factors, assess interventions,
and make educated decisions. Efficient information management encourages evidence-based
practices, improves coordination among healthcare professionals, facilitates effective policy
creation, and allows for a speedy response to public health emergencies (Donahue et al., 2018).
By assuring data quality, privacy, and security, efficient information management enables public
health practitioners to meet population health issues effectively, allocate resources efficiently,
and ultimately promote community health and well-being.
Health Information Systems in public health and their benefits
In healthcare, various methods are utilized to provide efficient data management for
public health. Health Information Exchange (HIE), Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS),
and Population Health Management Systems are all used in these techniques. HIE allows for the
safe sharing and exchange of patient health information among various healthcare organizations
and stakeholders. Real-time access to comprehensive patient records fosters seamless data flow,
aids in care coordination, and improves public health surveillance. To aid healthcare providers in
making educated clinical decisions, CDSS employs algorithms, guidelines, and evidence-based
knowledge (Yaraghi, 2015). CDSS incorporated into health information systems can give point-
of-care warnings, reminders, and suggestions, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, therapy selection,
and patient safety. In addition, population health management systems. These systems collect and
analyze data from multiple sources to monitor and enhance population health. They give risk
stratification, care coordination, and preventive intervention tools to public health professionals,
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assisting them in identifying high-risk patients, planning targeted interventions, and evaluating
population health outcomes.
Benefits and Implications of Health Information Systems in public health
There are many benefits of using health information systems in public health. Healthcare
information systems directly contribute to improved healthcare planning and resource allocation,
equally contribute to enhanced Clinical Decision-Making and Patient Outcomes, and equally
play a part in providing a potential for research and data-driven insights. Health information
systems offer detailed, real-time information on population health, disease burden, and
healthcare utilization patterns. This enables public health officials to identify health priorities,
organize interventions, and efficiently allocate resources to address population health needs (He
et al., 2021). Clinical data, patient history, and evidence-based guidelines are all integrated into
health information systems, allowing healthcare clinicians to make more accurate diagnoses and
treatment decisions. This improves patient outcomes by promoting customized care, and
reducing medical and medical errors. Health information systems make it easier to collect and
analyze vast amounts of health data for research purposes. They allow for population-level
investigations, trend detection, intervention evaluation, and the provision of data-driven insights
to support policy formulation, quality improvement initiatives, and public health policies.
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