Industrial Relations Sample Paper
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
TOPIC:
What is the impact of current technological change on the Healthcare industry? How has technological change altered the education requirements in the Healthcare industry?
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Introduction
Technology has forced major changes in the world we live in. It has transformed institutions, organizations, governments, universities, healthcare, marketing and sales and other relevant departments in today’s world. For the better part of it, technology has changed things for the better (Bullock, 2014). However, there are some threats that have come attached to each of the advancements. Regardless, the benefits seem to out-way the negatives and it is important to highlight them. This paper will look at how technology has changed the healthcare industry, its impact on the industry and how it has altered educational requirements in the healthcare industry. Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Introduction of Technology to Healthcare
The healthcare industry has seen the introduction of technology, and as a result, there have been tremendous positive changes to the industry. From the introduction of high-tech diagnostics and machines to modified practice patterns, and even to computer-based learning, technology has set a new bar in the healthcare industry that is incomparable (Di Bidino, Cicchetti, et al., 2010). This has saved time, saved lives, improved the quality of life and more. There have been breakthroughs in the gathering of information, research, communication, and treatment, and in general, medical practitioners have better tools and fresh ideas on how to practice proper healthcare (Allen, 2015). Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Impact of Technology on the Healthcare Industry
Access to Information and Records
The Internet has made it easier for people to research their medical issues. They not only explore symptoms but also the treatment options and the medication (Edwards, 2005). Although it is advisable to get all these from the healthcare practitioners, the Internet has empowered people to make informed decisions on what to do with their medical issues. Technology has also replaced paper records with Electronic Health Records (EHRs). This way, nurses, and technicians can input patient data, like their test results, vital signs and weights, on a centralized and digital system (Holland& Bardoel, 2016). Medical billers can use EHRs to schedule appointments, update patient data and submit medical claims with the touch of a button. It brings in a system that is safe, easy to use and easily accessible. Once a patient’s records are accessed by the medical practitioner or the healthcare facility, they will understand the history of the patient, without having to ask the patient (Allen, 2015). Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Enhanced and Improved Patient Care
EHRs can alert a medical practitioner of any potential health issues with the patient, for example, allergies or intolerances to certain medication. They are very useful to doctors for the provision of medical history, especially if the patient is unconscious. The system provides such patient data to clinicians who have advanced medical knowledge and have the capability to understand the medical problem (Sensmeier& Horowitz, 2003). More to this, these electronic and central healthcare systems, powered by technology, and help identify and understand the spread of viral or bacterial infection, as well as give insights on how widespread such outbreaks are, and effectively allow them to put up countermeasures.
Better Treatment
Technology has brought about new machines, medicines and treatments that are very vital in saving lives, improving the chances of recovery, and improving the quality of life for billions of people around the world (Di Bidino, Cicchetti, et al., 2010). Sophisticated medical practices have helped patients heal, and the technology that supports all these has improved research for experts to better understand certain conditions, as well as make healthcare more effective. Gone are the days that people used to die because they have complicated health conditions, that are unexplainable, or they have health conditions that cannot be treated. Today, technology has enabled research into all these conditions and has brought in sophisticated machines that can detect an ailment and present a cure, which can also understand how the treatment is fairing. Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Mobility
Technology has enabled the coining of a new sphere in healthcare today, which is ‘mobile health’. This is when healthcare and medical information, can be supported by mobile technology. Smartphones have allowed practitioners to complete tasks from remote locations (Bullock, 2014). This is through access to a patient’s EHRs, follow-up communication between the practitioner and his/her patient(s), conduct video conferences and the offer of medical prescriptions. Medical billers can now send text messages about payments schedules and outstanding bills. It has also reduced on the use of papers. From the perspective of the patient or everyday smartphone users, there literally are hundreds of thousands of health applications, available for purchase or download, that can help people stay fit, access their health records, assist with understanding one’s pregnancy position, and so much more. Mobile healthcare has been used in recent disasters, like the 2010 Haiti earthquake, where it was very effective (Holland& Bardoel, 2016). Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Other positive impacts as a result of technology being introduced in healthcare, include the reduction of healthcare costs, the development of new drugs and treatments, ease of workflow, the avoidance of preventable deaths, the prevention of epidemics, the reduction of healthcare wastage, the improvement of efficient and quality healthcare and the overall improvement of the quality of life (Medical Benefits, 2007).
Negative Impact
Despite all these positive results from technology fusing into healthcare, there have been some negative attributes, which are worth mentioning. For starters, human error cannot be erased permanently. Therefore, data that has been inputted on EHRs, could in one way or the other, be inaccurate (Bullock, 2014). If the person responsible omitted or indicated a different statement or figure, the system could bear wrong information about a patient. It, therefore, is important to make sure that human error, does not tarnish the positive impact of technology. Also, smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices are subject to vulnerability, like being stolen, hacking, malware and viruses. The mobility of technology, therefore, has a loophole which is tough to cover (Holland& Bardoel, 2016). Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Another negativity brought about by technology in the healthcare industry is the fact that centralized data or information can be at risk or being unavailable. For example, if all the data is introduced on a Cloud storage, there is the risk of it being unavailable in the case of emergencies. In areas without proper connection, it can be inaccessible. Such data is also at the risk of theft by hackers, raising health, safety and insurance concerns. For example, in 2015, hackers stole data of almost 80 million employees and customers of an insurance company in the US (Holland& Bardoel, 2016). Although no details of illnesses or treatments were exposed, the names and addresses were stolen. Such information can be used to create fake IDs, to submit false insurance claims or purchase drugs. The worry is that although this was an insurance firm that was affected, it could also happen to hospital and/or patient records.
Impact of Technology in Healthcare Education
So far, there has been a discussion of the impact technology has brought about in the healthcare industry. Briefly, we will look at how technology has impacted or altered educational requirements in the healthcare industry. To begin with, it is important to understand that technology has also forced its way in all of education. Large autonomous open universities and traditional campus-based institutions have had to adjust to technological advancements. Such technological advancements, now allow for a highly interactive stand-alone material, as well as asynchronous communication between teachers and students (Allen, 2015).
To advance in such a career, the education system has been altered a bit, and requires more alteration, so that students manage to handle upcoming and more complex diseases. Technology has made sure that all (future) practitioners possess computer skills (Edwards, 2005). Healthcare professionals have to be computer literate, in order to enter and retrieve patient data, as well as other technological things. The healthcare schools also have to teach these necessary computer techniques and tools, in order to produce computer-literate healthcare practitioners. The system also requires professionals to be informed on how to handle certain machines and systems, that require high-tech knowledge. They could include machines used in theatre, machines that detect new diseases, and machines that are there to learn more about infections and their spread (Sensmeier& Horowitz, 2003). Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Reforms
The entire healthcare industry needs urgent reforms, in order to conform to the current and future technologically-enabled health care. In some countries, healthcare education curricula are outdated and do not necessarily further proper health care practices (Di Bidino, Cicchetti, et al., 2010). Such new curricula, should address the many benefits technology has brought in, address how these students can further the research towards a prosperous future in healthcare, and also address the gaps and challenges that technology has created or has not addressed. This could include coding classes for nurses so that they combat hacking, viral attacks on the software or system and other related technological aspects. New health threats should also be addressed in the education system for the healthcare industry, so as to make each new student, aware of the existing conditions, and how to handle upcoming ones (Allen, 2015). Industrial Relations Sample Paper
Conclusion
The future of healthcare education relies on technology and other related topics. There have been so many positive attributes brought about by technology, on the healthcare industry. However, some loopholes still exist, and they should also be addressed, as technology continues to advance. Education in the industry should be restructured, in order to fit these benefits and more, as well as tackle the aforementioned gaps and loopholes, and all other cases that might come up in future. There is the need for more education on healthcare and technology, to patients, learners, educators, and clinicians. In the meantime, healthcare is in good hands if technology plays a role in it. Industrial Relations Sample Paper
References
Allen, M. (2015). How Technology Can Impact Health and Human Services. Policy & Practice (19426828), 73 (4), 6-34.
Bullock, A. (2014). Does technology help doctors to access, use and share knowledge?. Medical Education, 48 (1), 28-33. doi:10.1111/medu.12378
Di Bidino, R., Cicchetti, A., Corio, M., Polisena, J., Oradei, M., & Marchetti, M. (2010). Impact of technology overlapping: A case study on colorectal cancer screening. Technology & Health Care, 18 (4/5), 303-315. doi:10.3233/THC20100594
Edwards, P. A. (2005). Impact of Technology on the Content and Nature of Teaching and Learning. Nursing Education Perspectives (National League For Nursing), 26 (6), 344-347.
Holland, P., & Bardoel, A. (2016). The impact of technology on work in the twenty-first century: exploring the smart and dark side. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27 (21), 2579-2581. doi:10.1080/09585192.2016.1238126
How Changes in Medical Technology Affect Health Care Costs. (2007). Medical Benefits, 24 (8), 10.
Sensmeier, J., & Horowitz, J. K. (2003). Advance care delivery through technology. Nursing Management, 34 (10), 2-6. Industrial Relations Sample Paper