The US health care sector has witnessed an admirable surge of scientific advances over the decade, but the need to slow its cost spiral has become the primary concern for the Obama Government. Generation and dissemination of information are at the heart of the entire health care delivery system. Despite millions of investment, each year, the credibility and efficiency of the American health care sector will be at stake, if this information is not properly managed and used to the advantage of patients. Integrating Health Information Technology (HIT) with the medical industry,outsourcing(medicare/medicaid) nationwide, will indisputably optimize patient care. HIT is an integrated repository of various data sources, including patient Electronic Medical Records (computerized patient records), Decision Support Systems, and Computerized Physician Order Entry for medications. Apart from reducing paperwork, HIT enhances the accessibility of health medical records for doctors and patients alike, significantly improving information management, overall performance, patient safety as well as compliance with preventive health management guidelines. Health Information Technology helps in sound information sharing and coordination amongst providers, patients and insurers, considerably and consistently increasing the efficacy of the health care system and generating both external and internal savings.
HIT is not always effective in direct cost-cutting, but it certainly diminishes the longevity of hospital stays and even, hospital readmission rates by bolstering the operational efficiency, safety and capabilities of health care delivery systems. Infact, Health Information Technology can accelerate certain hospital functions, such as reducing the total time needed to process a diagnostic image and eliminate expensive errors in relation to adverse drug interactions. It thoroughly checks the online medical records of patients and the list of medications, administered to them, for discrepancies and the moment it spots one, it warns the physicians against potential drug allergies or conflicts. Clinical decision support systems aid in disease management by reminding doctors of tests that need to be scheduled for patients and helping them with identification of complicated conditions and even, adoption of preventive measures for treatment. Medical errors make the exploitation of additional health care resources indispensable.
