Introduction
Clinical information systems have played an important role in adding value and redefining patient care. This has been enhanced by various programs that can be shared among different facilities and healthcare providers. Many processes and activities are performed using these programs (Rais, 1991, p. 76). Such processes might include reporting, billing, scheduling, and provision of data among others. Electronic health records of a patient can be found in clinical information systems where there is present and past data about an individual. It should be known that good clinical information systems encompass a lot of integration that guarantees effective coordination of individualistic patient care services (Olmeda, 2000, p. 23). Nurses have continued to play an important role in a technology-driven environment because they are the driving force behind the success of clinical information systems. Nurses are role models of high-quality patient clinical care and that is why they have continued to play an important role as far as enforcement of clinical information systems is concerned.
Discussion
Background of the Clinical Information Systems
Clinical information systems are information systems that have been designed to take care of various aspects of service and hospital processing. In this case, they have been around for more than 25 years meaning that they are advancing as time goes by. The first clinical information system was tried out in the late 1960s and this has been changing with emerging technologies. Initially, there was a lot of focus on acute care but this later on changed with a new design that centered on patient care. It should be known that it has not advanced as fast as expected to meet the ever-growing demand for clinical data (Shortliffe, 2006, p. 45). This implies that clinical information systems were designed to meet the needs of clinical data in hospital operations and processes. Initially, there was a lot of focus on financial information processing but changing trends and environment have led to the growth and need for clinical information systems.
Current Status of the Clinical Information Systems
Currently, there is a lot of pressure to ensure that clinical information systems can support professionals at work. In this case, clinical data should be able to support the delivery of effective and good healthcare. Currently, there is a lot of focus on care indicators through monitoring and the establishment of workable programs. There is a lot of integration that is going on to ensure that clinical information systems are part of every aspect of healthcare delivery (Olmeda, 2000, p. 52). This is with an aim of ensuring that patients get personalized healthcare services. Clinical information systems should be able to add some strategic value to the healthcare delivery system and that is what every stakeholder in the industry is dealing with and emphasizing. Some problems have emerged with computer-based patient records and these are some of the aspects that are being looked at. Research on new studies suggests that there is still room for improvement and these are some of the issues that will be closely looked at and evaluated.
Future of the Clinical Information Systems
The future of clinical information systems will be shaped by various factors like the use of the internet for health information. This means that clinical information systems should be able to keep up with changes in technology which implies that the design must be reviewed every now and then to suit emerging the needs of the industry and the health care delivery system (Shortliffe, 2006, p. 45). In fact, advances in information and technology integration will also play a big role in enhancing clinical information systems as time goes by. Clinical information systems will drive success in the industry in the future and this is a fact. This means that the practice of medical care will be altered in a broad way as time goes.
Conclusion
Clinical information systems have helped a lot in the management of healthcare services and processes. In fact, nurses have played a big role in ensuring that these systems are successful because they are always with patients to ensure that they get better services (Shortliffe, 2006, p. 45). Patient data plays a big role in the delivery of effective care and this is what clinical information systems are built on. The role of nurses will continue being important based on the design that has been developed to meet emerging needs and changes in the healthcare industry.
References
Olmeda, C. (2000). Information Technology in Systems of Care. New York: Delfin Press.
Rais, A. (1991). Health Care Patterns and Planning in Developing Countries. New York: Greenwood Press.
Shortliffe, C. (2006). Biomedical Informatics: Computer Applications in Health Care and Biomedicine. New York: Springer.