Data Management in Healthcare



Data Management in Healthcare

Introduction

With the rapid advancement in technology it has become easier for organizations to manage their information and data that is essential for achieving organizational success. Since the information contained is confidential it is important to ensure the security of data. Every organization has understood the significance of incorporating information technology for effectively running their operations and for storing, processing, and delivering data and information to clients in the healthcare industry. With the adaption of information technology by healthcare system vast data is available to mine for valuable knowledge (Glickman, et. al, 2007).

Health care organizations have adopted information technology as it makes certain to reduce costs and simultaneously improve efficiency and quality. Less paper work has resulted in saving time and costs for the organizations. It is significant for medical researcher to exploit clinical data to discover knowledge that lies implicitly in individual patient's health records. Uses of client data affects healthcare as the relationship between patients and physicians relies on high level of trust to a greater extent. To ensure that patients are operated effectively and efficiently physicians require appropriate knowledge and information about their patients (www.adastracorp.com). Moreover, if a high level of trust has not been built between the patient and the physician, the client will be reluctant to share significant information to protect the confidentiality of their health care information and thus they will withhold or ask the physician not to record sensitive information. To ensure confidentiality of information different rules and regulations have been set in the health care environment. There are numerous examples that can be found with relevance to inappropriate disclosure of confidential data that has caused harm to individual. It is thus significant for physicians to develop a high level of trust with their clients to allow optimum care (www.adastracorp.com).

In the recent years the healthcare industry has come across various fundamental changes, thus the organizations operating in the industry are challenged with monitoring their operations on continuous basis and look for opportunities to reorganize their processes to bring improvements and efficiency in the services that they provide. Effective data management will allow them to reduce costs, be more effective in their operations and simultaneously be more competitive by providing high quality services through personalized patient care. Healthcare organizations are therefore required to implement new information and communication technologies to be able to achieve their business goals and objectives. These organizations are required to adopt new business strategy that includes implementing information technology such as, internet applications, enterprise information systems, and mobile technologies for bringing improvement and efficiency in business operations (Glickman, et. al, 2007).

To ensure health and well-being of patients, healthcare organizations are required to go beyond solving business problems. Government regulations require healthcare organizations to provide access to accurate information to doctors, nurses and other practitioners in the timeliest manner, along with ever-changing care-delivery technology (www.adastracorp.com). Various systems have been developed for providing access to information, improve effectiveness, and allow participation and feedback from ...