Essay on Clinical Systems

Introduction

Clinical systems refer to tools that can increase the quality of patient care and safety, the efficiency of healthcare delivery, and the communication between healthcare workers (Awad et al., 2021). As healthcare providers work to enhance the quality of treatment and patient outcomes, the use of clinical systems is growing in popularity. These systems have increased in the nursing field, resulting in better patient care, improved communication between healthcare professionals, and the ability to monitor patients’ health status online (Sutton et al., 2020). In order to understand how clinical systems affect outcomes and efficiencies in the context of nursing practice and healthcare delivery, this paper will synthesize and summarize the findings from four peer-reviewed articles. The chosen research articles offer insight into the use of telehealth nursing, online medical records, telehealth for home-care patients with long-term conditions, and telehealth for patients with long-term conditions.

Annotated bibliography

McFarland, S., Coufopolous, A., & Lycett, D. (2021). The effect of telehealth versus usual care for home-care patients with long-term conditions: A systematic review, meta-analysis and qualitative synthesis. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 27(2), 69–87.

This article explores the impact of telehealth versus conventional therapy for patients receiving home care for chronic conditions. The authors carried out a systematic review, meta-analysis, and qualitative synthesis of telehealth studies to ascertain the impact of telehealth. The results showed that telehealth enhanced patient outcomes by lowering hospital admissions, enhancing patient self-management, and raising the standard of living. The use of telehealth also increased efficiency by lowering the amount of time needed for administrative duties and raising the standard of care. However, the authors also noted several challenges and factors to consider when implementing telehealth services, such as the requirement for sufficient assistance and training for medical professionals. The authors concluded that, when used correctly, telehealth can be an efficient intervention for home-care patients with chronic conditions and can result in better patient outcomes. According to the authors, telehealth can offer long-term condition patients receiving home treatment a variety of advantages. These advantages include improved patient engagement in treatment, better chronic condition monitoring, and improved patient and provider communication. Telehealth can also improve access to a wider variety of services while reducing the need for travel and waiting times (McFarland et al., 2021).

Additionally, telehealth can improve care quality by giving patients more thorough information about their situation and available treatments while lowering the number of hospital visits and other healthcare facilities. However, giving medical workers the proper training and support is crucial to implement telehealth services successfully. By doing this, healthcare professionals can better comprehend and apply telehealth technology to deliver high-quality care for patients who require home care due to chronic illnesses.

Negash, S., Musa, P., Vogel, D., & Sahay, S. (2018). Healthcare information technology for development: Improvements in people’s lives through innovations in the uses of technologies. Information Technology for Development,24(2), 189-197.

This article discusses the potential of healthcare information technology (HIT) to enhance healthcare efficiency and outcomes for individuals in developing nations. HIT refers to the application of digital technologies to enhance the provision of healthcare services. The authors identified the influence of HIT on different healthcare outcomes after conducting a systematic review of HIT studies (Negash et al., 2018). They highlight several cutting-edge HIT applications, including using mobile technologies to give health information, telemedicine to deliver care remotely, and electronic health records to enhance data collection. They discovered that HIT improved patient outcomes by lowering medical mistakes, enhancing clinical judgment, and enhancing communication between healthcare workers. HIT also improved efficiencies by reducing the time needed for administrative duties and raising the standard of care. The authors also review some possible drawbacks of utilizing HIT in developing nations, such as limited access to digital infrastructure, a shortage of skilled workers, and the requirement for secure data transmission. Finally, they emphasize the policy’s value and planning in ensuring the efficient application of HIT and maximizing its capacity to enhance people’s lives.

Redelmeier, D., & Kraus, N. (2018). Patterns in patient access and utilization of online medical records. Journal of Medical Internet Research,20(2), e4.

This article analyzes patterns in patient access and utilization of online medical records (OMRs). The authors surveyed patients to determine their use of OMRs and their impact on patient outcomes and efficiencies. The study found that the most active patients tended to be younger, male, and more likely to have chronic diseases. The findings also revealed that access to online medical records was higher for those living in urban areas and those with higher education levels. They also found that patients who used OMRs were more likely to engage in preventive care and had better control of their chronic conditions (Redelmeier, D., & Kraus, N. (2018). Additionally, the use of OMRs resulted in improved efficiencies by reducing the number of unnecessary office visits and reducing the time required for administrative tasks. The authors conclude that further research is needed to understand better the patterns of patient access and utilization of online medical records and to identify potential strategies to increase patient usage.

Mataxen, P. A., & Webb, L. D. (2019). Telehealth nursing: More than just a phone call. Nursing,49(4), 11-13.

In order to increase patient outcomes and operational effectiveness, this article examines the use of telehealth nursing. With the help of telehealth nursing, nurses can offer care to patients who cannot travel, have restricted access to medical services, or have other mobility-related concerns. Teleconferencing, video conferencing, and remote patient monitoring are just a few of the technologies covered in this essay used in telehealth nursing (Mataxen & Webb, 2019). Additionally, it discusses nurses’ duties in telehealth nursing, including educating patients, making recommendations, conducting assessments, and triaging patients. After reviewing the available literature, the authors determined the effects of telehealth nursing on different medical outcomes. They discovered that telehealth nursing enhanced patient outcomes by delivering timely interventions, lowering hospital readmissions, and enhancing patient satisfaction. The use of telehealth nursing also increased efficiency by lowering the amount of time needed for administrative duties and raising the standard of care. The article also offers tools and advice for nurses who want to work in telehealth nursing.

Conclusion

The four peer-reviewed articles examined in this study offer evidence supporting the application of clinical systems to enhance patient outcomes and productivity. It has been demonstrated that healthcare IT, electronic medical records, telehealth nursing, and telehealth all improve patient outcomes by lowering medical errors, enhancing clinical decision-making, delivering prompt interventions, lowering hospital readmissions, enhancing patient self-management, and enhancing patient satisfaction. Additionally, using clinical systems has increased efficiency by lowering the time needed for administrative duties and enhancing patient care. These studies show that clinical systems significantly affect nursing practice and healthcare delivery. The findings emphasize the need for ongoing investment in clinical systems to enhance patient outcomes and operational effectiveness, especially in developing nations and in patients receiving home care for chronic conditions. Clinical systems should be incorporated into nursing practice and healthcare delivery to improve patient-centred care, lower healthcare costs, and enhance healthcare outcomes. The reviewed papers do have some limitations, though. First, the fact that the studies were carried out in various contexts and with various populations could limit the generalizability of the findings. Second, the statistical power of the results may be impacted by some studies’ small sample sizes. Finally, some studies are needed to assess how clinical systems affect patient results and productivity over time.

References

Awad, A., Trenfield, S. J., Pollard, T. D., Ong, J. J., Elbadawi, M., McCoubrey, L. E., … & Basit, A. W. (2021). Connected healthcare: Improving patient care using digital health technologies. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, 178, 113958.

Mataxen, P. A., & Webb, L. D. (2019). Telehealth nursing: More than just a phone call. Nursing,49(4), 11-13.

McFarland, S., Coufopolous, A., & Lycett, D. (2021). The effect of telehealth versus usual care for home-care patients with long-term conditions: A systematic review, meta-analysis and qualitative synthesis. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 27(2), 69–87.

Negash, S., Musa, P., Vogel, D., & Sahay, S. (2018). Healthcare information technology for development: Improvements in people’s lives through innovations in the uses of technologies. Information Technology for Development,24(2), 189-197.

Redelmeier, D., & Kraus, N. (2018). Patterns in patient access and utilization of online medical records. Journal of Medical Internet Research,20(2), e4.

Sutton, R. T., Pincock, D., Baumgart, D. C., Sadowski, D. C., Fedorak, R. N., & Kroeker, K. I. (2020). An overview of clinical decision support systems: benefits, risks, and strategies for success. NPJ digital medicine, 3(1), 17.