Healthcare organizations are using automated information systems to manage healthcare needs of populations which depend on them. Therefore, some healthcare providers are implementing population health management practices to add value to the quality of services they provide to their clients. The use of online registries has been explored as an effective way to monitor the health status of people in a community. However, it is not clear if online registries alone are capable of bridging gaps in healthcare access. The authors argue teams of professionals can be formed to care for patients with varying health needs (Matthews & Hodach, 2012, p. 74). The article shows how providers can generate more income through provision of preventive and treatment services to patients. This improves the quality of service offered by a healthcare facility in a given area.
Automation of healthcare services targeting a specific population helps to channel scarce resources in a health system to people who really need them. This improves healthcare access in a given area. It is clear that IT solutions help providers to reduce costs incurred when providing services which are not integral to their operations. One article showing the importance of automation of healthcare services was reviewed. The article shows how healthcare service providers are able to gather crucial data in specific populations to find out causes of particular health problems that affect people. Information sharing is thereby strengthened and people are made aware of preventive strategies that help to reduce their exposure to these causes. Electronic health records in a health facility help health experts access crucial patient information easily (Matthews & Hodach, 2012, p. 75). This helps a physician to obtain crucial details about a patient’s history which improves the quality of treatment given.
Electronic health records need to be combined with other IT based solutions to improve the quality of healthcare offered. The authors argue that this helps to integrate information gathered from a population with other important medical records in a healthcare facility. Reliable information systems in a healthcare system enables physicians to send out alerts and information to patients living in a given area. This improves the delivery of health services in because more people become knowledgeable on how they can improve their own health (Matthews & Hodach, 2012, p. 77). Outreach programs make it possible for healthcare providers to monitor progress patients are making after treatment which is a valid indicator on the effectiveness of clinical practices used. Effective healthcare information systems ensure patients who are at risk of contracting certain diseases are clustered together in similar groups.
The authors put forward valid arguments about benefits of healthcare service automation. They have failed to highlight the need for health experts in a given healthcare system to collaborate by sharing information and ideas. Collaboration between physicians and caregivers in a health system improves the quality of care given to patients. Some people in targeted populations lack technical skills which bars them from using automated health systems effectively (Matthews & Hodach, 2012, p. 79). Therefore, such patients may be denied access to crucial health services because of their ignorance. On a positive note, the article shows automation as an effective way through which health facilities can serve patients’ needs better. The article shows why healthcare providers need to keep touch with patients they serve to give them quality services.
References
Matthews, M.B., & Hodach, R. (2012). Automation is key to managing a population’s health. Healthcare Financial Management, 74-80.