Health information systems (HIS) are unique technological solutions that have been created for specific medical processes. They replace paper patient records and bulky file folders and speed up information transfer inside and outside the hospital. In this case, the problem is not the knowledge to use technology, but the ability to introduce them into everyday practice. Besides, financial and cultural inequalities are derivative barriers to the implementation of a global digital health system. Thus, an evolving discipline requires time in which care agents can become accustomed to electronic systems and use them effectively.
The modern healthcare system requires transformations to meet the growing needs of the population. Implementing the HIS is a critical long-term strategy that can accelerate internal processes in the institution, store and transmit information, and establish online communication with customers. However, the challenges of adopting the system remain relevant to health care. First of all, employees are accustomed to using paper and memory as the main tools of work, and they feel vulnerable when moving to a new paradigm of operation. It is partly supported by a Christian vision of health care, in which libertarianism and the free market are at odds with available care (Sibley, 2016). Consequently, economic benefits and reluctance to transform the system to advance services are barriers and missing skills. Also, the high cost of services and inequality in financing are relevant limitations. It has been noted that a basic EHR package can cost tens of millions of dollars, which is not available for rural or specialized hospitals (Jen & Korvek, 2020). A potential solution to this problem is the optimization of financial flows, in which the state covers the updating of electronic systems.
HIS is a fundamental technology for today’s healthcare industry due to the growing responsibility of workers. Apps and tools are not complicated to use, but they do require commitment and systematic use. The reluctance to move from paper to touchscreen correlates with libertarianism, in which people use the most beneficial personal operating model. Besides, the high cost and budgetary allocation difficulties make it impossible to implement HIS globally adequately.
References
Jen, M., & Korvek, S. (2020). Health information technology. StatPearls Publishing.
Sibley, A. (2016). Health care’s ills: A Catholic diagnosis. The Linacre Quarterly, 83(4), 402-422.