How Can Health Informatics Impact the Healthcare Industry?

Gone are the days when patients had to carry several files of prescriptions and medical reports before visiting a physician. Today, health informatics has changed the scenario as the healthcare industry players can acquire, store, and retrieve healthcare information to facilitate better collaboration among various healthcare providers. Health informatics is contributing towards major healthcare reforms as it links information technology, communications, and healthcare to improve quality of care and patient outcomes. The field of health informatics gained prominence with the implementation of electronic health records (EHR). With the widespread use of health informatics in the developed parts of the world, the adoption rate in emerging economies is also on the rise. This growth is largely driven by healthcare facilities implementing new systems and upgrading existing databases.

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Improved Patient Outcome

Improving patient outcomes is one of the most important reasons why players in the healthcare industry opt for health informatics. Physicians and healthcare providers agree with the fact that having electronic medical records assists them in delivering quality care. Additionally, it also assists in accurate diagnosis and reduces the chance of medical errors. It also increases the efficiency of physicians as they can take care of more patients without compromising on the quality of care. Automation is expected to bring about a revolution in healthcare delivery as it is estimated that technology can replace about 80% of a doctors work. For instance, sensors and active data collection can replace routine checkups, testing, diagnosis, and prescription.

Cost Savings

Medical errors are the biggest contributor to the rising costs in the healthcare industry. Many studies estimate that such mistakes costs the healthcare industry billions of dollars. As health informatics eliminates many labor-intensive tasks, it can eliminate human errors and result in cost savings not only for healthcare facilities but also for patients. Additionally, reducing errors will also result in patients taking less repetitive testing or blood work since EHR can instantly provide historical data.

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Patient Engagement and Participation

In the case of people with specific diseases like diabetes, obesity, cardiac conditions, and asthma, it is essential to monitor medication and patient condition regularly. Health informatics empowers the patient to track their medication usage and physicians to gain updated information on their patients. As a result, physicians can readily suggest the right healthcare choices to their patient.

Public Health

As the famous saying goes, “knowledge is power,” access to healthcare data can improve the status of public health on a larger scale. Data collected from thousands of patients on hundreds of diseases can provide relevant insights into disease management, drug efficacy, and other factors. Additionally, public health informatics can assist in controlling the spread of diseases during an epidemic and also improve preparedness during an outbreak. Also, collection and analysis of health data can empower public health organizations to put preventive plans in place by monitoring changes in certain geography or demographics.

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Telemedicine and Self-treatment

Health informatics helps physicians in accessing patient data remotely. This will often result in lower hospital visits and the availability of immediate care, which improves patient outcomes and reduces cost. Additionally, the increasing success of medical wearable devices will also allow healthcare professionals to gather a wide variety of health metrics and recommend appropriate treatment plans.