There is tremendous growth in the healthcare sector, and there is a need for the best approaches to improve efficiency and cut costs. That is the main reason for the implementation of Health Information Technology on most premises. Ideally, the main focus of such a system is the existence of a platform that fosters decision-making and improves on key aspects of the facilities. The increase in the number of patients makes it necessary to have a system that is up to the task. Moreover, change is inevitable, and there is a need to have an approach that makes it possible to transact and improve on key aspects related to the organization. The essay evaluates the importance of HIT in decision-making. That explores factors such as cost reduction, assisting with staffing complexities, as well as the possibility of having a budget that addresses the scope of a given program.
The implementation of HIT is such a great step since it streamlines operations and makes it possible to connect with stakeholders in different parts of the world, banking in the e-health market. Key sub-systems that exist include the decision support system, which helps create a report and communicate it to the appropriate stakeholders within the premise. The existence of electronic health records is also a factor to embrace since it centralizes operations (Ring & Tierney, 2017). Mostly, healthcare records exist, and clients can access them in various locations. That only requires updates, which can happen periodically. Even though the system proves helpful, some risks are associated with it, and most of them relate to the failure of the system. Moreover, complexities also arise relating to the adoption as well as the usability of the system. The main approach is to embrace user involvement during the implementation and offer a space for training to ensure that individuals get the necessary skills needed to operate the system. In any system, there is a need to understand user needs and ensure that the project involves users at all levels. Again, usability is key since people tend to judge a lot, more so with the emergence of a new system.
Personal health records and portals are significant on most occasions since they offer integration and interoperability when communicating. In the current set-up, the PA and MD find it hard to create a space where either can operate. With the help of the HIT, it is possible to have programs that give every post a space to interact on key matters. One of the matters that is currently of concern is staffing (Ring & Tierney, 2017). The system will eliminate all the complexities that might arise and that ensures growth in the entire premise. Even though that surfaces, the need still arises on the importance of understanding user demands. Ideally, the implementation of the user-task matrix can be of much importance and makes it possible to create a correlation between the demands of the system at different levels.
Budget plays a crucial role in making decisions. Most healthcare premises found it an uphill task to make the right decisions since they lacked the basis for the same. Ideally, the implementation of HIT makes it possible to have a central execution of operations within the premise. Different departments find it possible to submit their budgets, and the system consolidates the same before providing the final recommendation. A question that can arise is how helpful is the process (Gordon et al., 2015). Ideally, consolidating the findings improves managerial decision-making since the manager will spend less time working on the budget. There is no need to have a consistent meeting before arriving at the final budget. That can happen at the departmental level, and the final results are sent to the manager. Moreover, the system has inbuilt structures that improve calculations. That was never the case in the previous instance in which health professionals had to embark on the manual approaches.
Globalization, as well as advancements in technology, also play a crucial role in cutting costs (Gordon et al., 2015). The implementation of HIT within the organization makes certain positions unnecessary since the system can multitask. Ideally, every organization wants to grow and having a system that cuts on cost is paramount. Managers are likely to make the decision faster and with the least workforce possible. That is likely to eliminate conflict when managing people. However, the technical hitches that arise compensate for the same. That insinuates the need for proper consideration before implementing the system. Such steps will make it possible to grow the organization and obtain a competitive edge in the market.
In conclusion, quality is paramount in every organization. There is a need for a system that improves decision-making and operations. It is apparent that the implementation of HIT is helpful. It makes it possible to cut costs and provides managers with the right information promptly. Managers can use the information to make crucial decisions that give the organization a competitive edge. With the growth in patient base, healthcare facilities need a system that offers a unified operation and improves on decision-making to have a competitive edge.
References
Gordon, B. D., Bernard, K., Salzman, J., & Whitebird, R. R. (2015). Impact of Health Information Exchange on Emergency Medicine Clinical Decision Making. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 16(7), 1047.
Ring, D., & Tierney, W. M. (2017). Health Information Systems Supporting Health and Resiliency Through Improved Decision-making. Methods of information in medicine, 56(Open), e11.
