- You are to research, compose and type a scholarly paper based on the scenario
described above. Reflect on what you have learned in this class to date about
technology, privacy concerns and ethical issues. Do not limit your review of the
literature to nursing only. Other health professionals are using the technology and you
may need to apply critical thinking skills to its applications in this scenario. - Use Microsoft Word and APA formatting. Consult your copy of the Publication
manual of the APA, 6th edition, as well as the resources in Doc Sharing if you have
questions, e.g., margin size, font type and size (point), use of third person, and so
forth.3. The length of the paper should be 3-4 pages, excluding the title page and the
reference page. Limit the references to a few key sources. - The paper will contain an Introduction that catches the attention of the reader with
interesting facts and supporting sources of evidence, which should be included as in-text
citations. The Body should present the advantages and disadvantages regarding the use
of QR codes. The Conclusion and Recommendations should summarize your findings
and state your position regarding whether your neighbors should participate in a pilot
project. Make your case based on the evidence you have collected. - NOTE: Review the section on Academic Honesty found in the Chamberlain Course
Policies. All work must be original (in your own words). - Submit the completed paper to the We Can But Should We? Dropbox by Sunday,
11:59 p.m. MT by the end of Week 4. Please post questions about this assignment to the
weekly Q & A Forums so that the entire class may view the answers.
Technology and Health Care
Introduction
Healthcare information technology and systems are transforming and changing the
health care industry. Surveys have shown that healthcare information technology involves
crunching data in order to offer better treatment and diagnoses, assisting health care
practitioners communicate with the patients effectively, linking medical practitioners with
other medical practitioners, connecting medical practitioners with the patients and assisting
patients to gather relevant information that is critical for staying healthy (HRSA, 2010).
Main body
Emergency workers based in California’s Marin County have embarked on QR codes
technology in emergency situations, particularly in saving human lives. Lifesqure is the
partner organization in the program. Lifesqure has requested the residents to visit its website
and insert their personal medical information, and at the same time align the information with
QR codes, which are accessible to the emergency workers. The QR code stickers can be
TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH CARE 3
accessed at the local pharmacies. ID Amber is another organization with printed Security
Code readily available to the emergency responders. ScanMedQR.com has QR codes on
necklaces, bracelets and wallets accustomed to deliver quick medical information as
pertaining to the health records (Payer, 2006).
Most of the people in the neighborhoods are old people, and they are aware of the
medical pilot study. Old people in the society are skeptical and not trusting the developments
brought by the technology basing on a number of reasons. Hospitals must be competitive in
the twenty first century in meeting the needs of the target market. Technologies have eased
the competition by providing imaging services and offering electronic health records.
Technology is designed based on patient safety, financial management and adhering to the
regulatory factors. Modernity in the health care centers is accompanied by the ability of the
institutions to embrace change.
Health care technology and the information systems are engaged with the main
intention of improving the overall patient outcomes, lowering the medical costs and
streamlining the operations. Mobile technology is among the recent medical inventions where
smart phones are put into task (Howell, 2006). Quick Response (QR) and Smart scanning
codes are changing the medical practices through enhancing timely response. It has been
noted that QR codes are armed with web addresses and Uniform Resource Locators (URLs),
which then connects persons scanning the code.
The information is relayed to the target destination through the application of a smart
phone, software and special application, tablet scanner environment and a hyperlink reader.
The web has the tool ready where the persons in need of the information could access the
applications. There are a number of smart phones with the application ready.
QR codes are useful in the twenty first century, it has been noted that patients
connects to the relevant medical websites through the QR codes where videos among
TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH CARE 4
information are available (Payer, 2006). Further surveys have shown that QR codes enables
the patients and the medical practitioners access Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and by
the fact that QR codes connects the patients with the medical practitioners.
The major challenges as pertaining to the QR codes are on the patient privacy and
issue of medical ethics, in that the medical institutions must ensure that the systems have
relevant security measures in making sure that breaches of information is unheard off. Leaked
medical information poses significant challenges and harm to the reputation of the hospitals
and also to the privacy of the patients (HRSA, 2010).
The costs of employing the technology will be very high in the medical institutions, in
that the network of computers requires highly skilled laborers, in tracking the billing system
and delivery of the medical information. Electronic record keeping require updated electronic
units. The security of the information is compromised; internet opens the closed network
systems in the medical facilities to the external attacks and influences (Reiser, 2001). Issues
of medical record security and patient privacy are compromised. Application of the internet
services renders the medical services lack standardization, in that communicating with
different hospitals will present a challenge. It has been noted that emergency codes in
different hospitals may have a different meaning in other hospitals.
Recommendations
Considering that the immediate population under the study is composed of the elderly
people in the society, internet may not be beneficial as compared to the younger generation,
considering that the elderly population is resistant to the changes (Reiser, 2001). It is
important for the pilot study organizers to actively engage the elderly population in accepting
the changes brought around by internet and smart gadgets in the medical care. QR codes have
diverse merits as compared to the drawbacks. The elderly population will be convinced that
the organization will apply security measures in protecting the medical information.
TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH CARE 5
Conclusion
Omnipresent of the tablets, smart phones and applications has facilitated the
efficiency of the QR codes, contributing significantly to the cultural and social shifts as
pertaining the hospital setting. Physicians and clinicians through the gadgets have managed to
acquire massive information in real time (Reiser, 2001). It is argued that the gadgets has
enabled the medical practitioners interact with the patients, institutions and among the health
practitioners. Internet has led to diverse revolution in the medical practice, to the best, adding
a competitive edge for the hospitals embracing change and internet in the medical field
(Howell, 2006).
References
Howell, J. D. (2006). Technology in the Hospital: Transforming Patient Care in the Early
Twentieth Century. Baltimore, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
HRSA. (2010). Meaningful Use and Critical Access Hospitals, A Primer on HIT Adoption in
the Rural Health Care Setting. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health
Resources and Services Administration , 1-8.
Payer, L. (2006). Medicine and Culture. New York: Holt Paperbacks.
Reiser, S. J. (2001). Medicine and the Reign of Technology. Cambridge, England: Cambridge
University Press.