Benefits and Challenges of Simulation Technology
Simulation technologies have been used for a long time and cannot be considered technological breakthroughs. It has been used extensively by NASA in the training of astronauts since the 1980s. Mainly these technologies are now used in the gaming industry and are gaining extraordinary popularity there, forgetting that it is applicable not only in entertainment but also in educational fields, such as health care, where this has recently become the most relevant.
Similar to the NASA example, the medical field uses simulation technology to improve the skills of its employees. Its increasing prevalence in healthcare aligns with the professional trend of employing advanced predictive tools to forecast the development of particular conditions. Simulations are integral to predictive analytics, as they allow for evidence-based test under safer circumstances. A significant advantage is that there is no risk of casualties in this training, as such machines simulate situations of a critical nature. To avoid putting the trainee at risk, special programs are created that allow them to practice their emergency care skills on a computer simulation (Akay & Marsh, 2018). This is undoubtedly a giant leap forward for the future of medicine. In addition, the use of this technology saves a great deal of time, and, as a result, there is no need to identify a patient with a specific training requirement.
The main disadvantage is that such programs are not cheap, and their development takes a long time. If we compare life circumstances, we can see that working with a live person is quite different from working with a computer. Despite the time and money spent, the program participant may still be incompetent in treating this or that ailment. In addition, the factor of preparing the student for the computer system kills the idea of an emergency, as the student will have the necessary skills to take this or that test.
Having analyzed the current trends in simulation technology, one can see a development in one direction in particular. More companies spend money and energy on creating products in the virtual reality field. I think this branch of computer technology development, while important, should not be the first to develop. Focusing on developing augmented reality (AR) technology would be much more important. Its superiority over virtual reality technology is not a total immersion into another dimension but only an addition to the current one, which allows for a smoother implementation of the system of simulation technologies in our time (Popovici & Mosterman, 2017). Since a person will already be familiar with the objects of the environment, it will be easier for them to navigate in space and work comfortably in their familiar environment. In addition, augmented reality technology is not as expensive as its more advanced analog, which is entirely virtual, because fewer software and physical devices will be enough for convenient use. This technology is in demand in the design and simulation market and is quite successful there.
Looking at the current healthcare system, we can see that simulation technology is used to a reasonably limited extent. This may be because the staff themselves are not trained to operate these machines. The cost of this technology is relatively high, limiting both its availability and the likelihood of committing errors when working with this technology. If I had to choose a path to develop this technology, I would replace virtual reality with augmented reality and focus the development of this technology in that direction.
Overall, Health Information Technology Governance is an aspect of paramount importance for this field. In this regard, there is a strong need for balance between innovation and security. Electronic solutions allow for efficient health information handling, but they also create new possibilities in terms of data leaks and breaches. This imposes additional requirements for organizational leaders who are expected to assess the situation correctly. The key is to select the optimal model that will utilize the benefits of health information technology but in light of data security protocols. Furthermore, the resilience of the organization is important in the face of potential system shutdowns. In other words, technical issues should not paralyze the functioning of the organization. Ultimately, healthcare continues to rely on the expertise of its workers, which is why the role of high-tech solutions should be adequate and justified, complementing people’s efforts without undermining them.
Case Study Analysis
- TO: Trauma Center Administration
- FROM: IT Department
- DATE:_________________________________
- SUBJECT: EHR DOWNTIME
The described situation represents a serious case of the electronic equipment malfunctioning that can negatively affect the performance of the trauma center. More specifically, the estimated downtime/recovery time is 10 hours, which implies that the situation is level 4 downtime scenario. Even though the IT recovery team has been deployed to address the incident, the impact on the workflow has already had a disrupting effect. For the purpose of data preservation, a data dictionary is to provided, and the example of such a dictionary is represented in Table 1.
Table 1. Data Dictionary
The incident in question occurred at 17:00 local time in the form of an unplanned EHR downtime. The IT team at the organization has made attempts to amend the problem by following the usual troubleshooting procedures. In addition, there have been consultations with the electronic system’s vendor. These attempts lasted one hour but did not improve even after a complete system reboot. The downtime has affected patient data from the electronic health records at the facility. As a result, this data become unavailable for the duration of the downtime. The detailed assessment has revealed that the EHR database was corrupted, which caused a major system error. According to the full recovery projections, the total down-time of the system is expected to last for 10 hours.
Following the amendments, it is recommended to implement several additional measures to prevent system corruption and downtime in the future. An installation of a redundant system will maintain the functioning of the records database in the event of an unplanned downtime. Ido et al. (2019) confirm the necessity of such systems in the case of an unplanned downtime of critical IT infrastructure. Additionally, the attached data dictionary should be followed in order to ensure that all data entered complies with the system requirements.
The assessment of the incident has been completed with the help of quick assessment tool known as the Downtime Determinant Model. The quadrant for the event in question is provided as Figure 1, wherein each number is assigned a particular variable:
- Time of day/Number of users: the incident occurred in the evening when the clinic sees many visitors who come after work.
- IT Infrastructure Affected: the entirety of the database was corrupted.
- System Criticality: electronic health records are vital for most procedures at the clinic (Baumann et al., 2018).
- Planned versus unplanned: the downtime is entirely unplanned and detrimental.
- Health system complexity: the system is not too complex, being a standard EHR system.
- Communication: communication is still possible at the clinic, but the communication with the vendor’s IT recovery team is impeded by time zone difference.
- Ability to recover: the system can be recovered through back-ups, but it is a lengthy endeavor.
References
Akay, M., & Marsh, A. (2018). Information Technologies in Medicine. Wiley.
Baumann, L. A., Baker, J., & Elshaug, A. G. (2018). The impact of electronic health record systems on clinical documentation times: A systematic review. Health Policy, 122(8), 827-836. Web.
Ido, K., Nakamura, N., & Nakayama, M. (2019). Miyagi medical and welfare information network: A backup system for patient clinical information after the great East Japan earthquake and tsunami. The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine, 248(1), 19-25. Web.
Popovici, K., & Mosterman, P. J. (2017). Real-Time Simulation Technologies : Principles, Methodologies, and Applications. Crc Press.