Medical Care a Public Health Issue

Medical Care a Public Health Issue

Question 1

Medical care was introduced as a national health information system to share medical information by connecting hospitals? doctors? government agencies? insurance companies? laboratories? employers and consumers? as well as schools? community agencies and patients. Over 100 Medical care were established by 2007? with some still being in a formative stage? to serve healthcare stakeholders in specific regions or within organizations. The collaboration of connectivity shared varies? yet? there are four basic types of Medical care connections: 1) point-to-point networks when patient information is shared; 2) federated networks that link healthcare providers through electronically stored patient information via a Wide Area Network (WAN); 3) centralized systems that store patient information for access; and 4) hybrid systems that are a combination of federated and centralized systems (Pater 2001).

Advantages of RHIO can be seen with the California Regional Health Information Organization (CalRHIO)? which is a statewide connection focused on providing safety? quality and efficient healthcare services through the exchange of health care information by way of computerized technology. More than 40 healthcare stakeholders and organizations? from hospitals to insurance companies and county government agencies in California participate in CalRHIO. The EMR CalRHIO system increasingly builds its network data exchange? importantly reaches underserved communities? constructs financial and business models for healthcare organizations? shares legislation and regulation information? and ensures the network is consistent with technology and networks nationwide (Longest & Darr? 2005).

The major disadvantages of Medical care are cost and the complexity of the systems. Some professional groups and institutions criticize that Medical care information exchange threatens privacy. Another problem is that Medical care have not established standards relative to data definitions? interface and computer coding. Because of the broadness of the Medical care system? some healthcare information is entered incomplete and fragmented due to patients' healthcare being performed at different medical sites and at different times. There are also some healthcare organizations that have no desire to exchange information because it makes their data accessible to competitors? and if all healthcare stakeholders in a region are not involved in the Medical care system? it significantly reduces the effectiveness of Medical care. To avoid problems with regulations? licensure and legal issues Medical care tend to be limited to one state. The federal government encourages the development of Medical care; however? federal funds have not been forthcoming for the initiative (Longest & Darr? 2005).

According to Longest& Darr (2005)? there is need for more advanced innovative technology to facilitate healthcare EMR software to reduce inadequacies and deficiencies of the systems? and particularly to provide the systems at lower costs. Despite the disadvantages of Medical care? it is likely Medical care utilization will increase in coming years? and will be instrumental to communicating healthcare information more comprehensively and effectively as computer technology advances with increased power and storage capabilities. In the future Medical care may be on the Internet? and it is valuable to reducing monopolistic control in the healthcare industry.

Question 2

As the healthcare debate heats up ...