Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Improved Clinical Workflow
Security of Patient Data
Using wireless technology in hospitals has im-
proved the overall clinical workflow. Physicians
empowered with smart wireless devices utilize
their time well by monitoring patients instead
of wasting hours with wired networks to access
patient information (Fiser, 2004; Motorola, 2006).
Patient details and critical information can be
viewed at the patient bedside (Fiser, 2004).
Where security of critical patient data is a bar-
rier to the adoption of wireless applications in
some healthcare organizations, it has proved to
be a driving factor for most of the healthcare
organizations. Healthcare professionals are able
to quickly access required patient information
through secure wireless networks by providing
proper authentication details (Nursing Standard,
2008). Authorized remote login is also available
for most of the applications which allows data to
be accessed securely outside the hospital premises
(Nursing Standard, 2008). Implementation of
proper security standards ensures greater secu-
rity when compared to wired Ethernet networks
(Nursing Standard, 2008).
Reduced Medication Errors
The use of wireless technology in healthcare has
helped in reducing critical medical errors. When
the hospital staff is equipped with wireless access
to correct patient information, medical error are
reduced (Business Wire, 2004). The IT manager
at the Children's Memorial Hospital of Chicago
has reported that the nurses have observed an
increase in the accuracy of the entire clinical
management (Havenstein, 2005). Wireless ac-
cess to the latest information on patient records
reduces the tendency of doctors to perform likely
mistakes such as suggesting incorrect treatment
strategies (Motorola, 2006).
4.3. Devices
Healthcare professionals use handheld devices
like Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, Notebooks (Gibbs,
2009) and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs)
for common tasks. However as tasks get more
complex, task-specific devices would be used.
As new applications are built, the use of Tablet
PCs is increasing.
Improved Prescription Management
4.4. Current Applications
in Wireless Healthcare
The process of prescription management has
improved with the use wireless prescription ap-
plications. Apart from the transfer of electronic
prescriptions to the pharmacies, the physicians
can also view the drugs prescribed to the patient
earlier (Gibbs, 2009) and check for adverse ef-
fects, allergies and efficiency of the medication
currently prescribed (Igbokwe, n.d.). With the
deployment of these applications on a mobile
device, the whole process can be managed at the
patient's bedside (Igbokwe, n.d.).
There are various different kinds of wireless
applications in the healthcare industry specific
to the clinicians and other health professionals,
including physicians, doctors, and obstetricians,
for improving clinical workflow to provide better
healthcare to patients. Numerous companies that
develop healthcare-specific software applications
joint-venture with companies specializing in
wireless technologies, in order to integrate their
software with portable devices.
Mobile access to patient health records is the
second most important and credible wireless ap-
plication in the healthcare industry. (Alasaarela,
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