Information Technology in Healthcare

Information Technology has always been a part of businesses and corporation, but has become more prevalent in the last couple of decades with the importance of keeping up networking systems and the use of technology in the workplace.

Information technology in the healthcare industry, specifically in the skilled nursing facility setting of healthcare.  Information technology has continued to evolve in this industry.  One of the first places I worked was still using DOS for documentation.  The function of computers in this setting are for nursing to track medications and changes in medical condition, CNA's to document levels of care provided through out the day, therapy staff requires computers for uploading documentation for billing insurance purposes.  The nursing staff uses point click care software for documenting on medical conditions and changes in plan of cares, Dr appointments and orders are also uploaded onto point click care.  Hospitals send over new orders or medical history that is also uploaded for staff to look up and update care plans.  Therapy staff uses the Nethealth application for their documentation.  It's important for staff members to be computer literate so they are able to navigate the different softwares in order to look up patients information and provide the correct cares whether it be for medications or for transfer levels.  Another application that is used through out the facility is tiger text which is an encrypted app that allows patient information to be shared without the risk of violating HIPPA.  

In the last few years Nethealth has acquired two other documentation software companies, Rehab Optima, and Casamba.  This trend could mean they are on track to acquire more health care software companies to streamline documentation and having both nursing, therapy, and dietary using the same software and communicate easier.  As of now therapy and dietary orders are communicated on paper and uploaded onto the different systems and sometimes orders arent followed through with due to paper orders being misplaced.  The building I work in is very old cinder block construction and networking is difficult because of all the dead areas in the building where it is difficult to connect to the network with the Wifi.  The IT employees are always trying to figure out how to make the network better and tracing the different routers in the building.