The Impact of Health Information Technology on the Medical Care Industry

The rise of health information technology (HIT) has transformed the healthcare industry, benefiting both providers and patients. Not only does it improve patient care, but it also aids communication, reduces costs and increases efficiency, and improves patient outcomes and involvement with their own care.

Why HIT is crucial to healthcare

It is important that information systems in healthcare be accessible to physicians, therapists, providers and healthcare organizations involved in patient care. The evolution of electronic health records (EHRs) has made patient data portable, enabling doctors, patients, and insurance companies to easily interact and share information – from prescription requests to patient scheduling and billing – in the office or on the go. The accessibility created by HIT:

• Improves the quality of healthcare and safety by reducing errors and eliminating inconsistencies in medical documentation
• Increases efficiency by allowing secure access from different locations
• Provides the public with a strong healthcare information infrastructure
• Encourages individuals to be proactive in managing their healthcare, making them engaged and informed consumers
• Eases coordination of care leading to improved patient outcomes

How HIT coordinates medical coding and classifications

Medical coding streamlines the billing process as well as eases research, quality studies, and statistics. Medical codes also allows information systems to translate patients’ medical conditions into useful information that can assist healthcare providers recognize dangerous medication interactions, avoid treatments that can be harmful to the patient, and even offer suggested forms of treatment and link to current research and clinical treatment guidelines. One mistake with an improper code could mean a huge headache for the patient, healthcare providers, insurers, and researchers alike. The codes, detailed in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), are used world-wide. According to the World Health Organization, which created the ICD in 1948, it is the gold standard for reporting diseases and health conditions. ICD-10 has been clinically modified for use in the United States as medical coding is closely tied with reimbursement and public health initiatives. As such, the version used in the U.S. is called ICD-10-CM/PCS. In addition to ICD-10-CM/PCS codes, CPT® codes, the five-character Current Procedural Terminology codes, are the U.S. standard for the way medical professionals report medical, surgical, laboratory, radiology, anesthesiology and E/M (evaluation and management) services. Because of HIT, medical professionals around the world can code symptoms, procedures, diagnoses and prescriptions electronically. This streamlines patient care by having information that is easily accessible, secure, complete, and accurate.

HIT’s role alongside medical equipment technology

Telehealth would not have been possible without health information technology. Because of the advances in HIT, doctors can hold video conferences with their patients or colleagues across the globe on tablets and smartphones. Doctors can access drug information, EHRs, research and studies instantly because the information is available on their personal devices. There are apps that show x-rays and CT scans – and even detect cancerous tumors. The integration of telehealth and medical equipment technology has made robotic surgeries possible. The physician can perform a minimally invasive surgical procedures remotely with the help of robotic devices.

The importance of HIT in precision medicine

Doctors are discovering that medical treatments are not “one size fits all,” and they are seeking ways to find the best treatments for their patients. A vast array of data – EHRs, genetic panels, metabolites (chemical makeup) and microorganisms present on and in the body, and environmental and lifestyle information – can all make a difference in patient therapies. The information needs to be stored in a searchable database and categorized properly to be useful. Having a solid information system in healthcare is absolutely necessary for precision medicine to be useful and ultimately provide better healthcare that is also more affordable.

The increasing demand for health information technicians

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for medical records and health information technicians is growing faster than average. As the HIT field expands – partially due to an aging population requiring additional medical care – more knowledgeable employees will be needed to code, input, and manage data. Northwestern College offers an associate’s degree program in health information technology that can put you on the fast track to an in-demand career.

Why a Northwestern College degree makes a difference

The Northwestern College health information technology degree program integrates two of the more profitable healthcare industry options – coding and health information technology – and can prepare you for your career in two years when studying full time; online options exist for students with current work or family obligations. Meeting national requirements, as well as employer expectations, the program is multi-faceted. You learn what you need to know about medical coding, health information supervision, financial resource management, legal and ethical issues, healthcare statistics, quality assessment and the components of electronic health record systems. Because your hands-on program includes a required externship, you will have experience in the real world before you accept that important first job. When you complete your training, as a health information technician you should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology
• Apply health record documentation guidelines and regulations
• Collect, maintain and ensure accuracy of the health data
• Interpret medical law and evaluate ethical standards
• Show an understanding of health informatics

Study for your associate’s degree in health information technology from Northwestern College, and you’ll be on track to a promising future.

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Employee Spotlight: Griselda Calderon, Senior Admissions Coordinator

Most people who have gone to college and received their degrees say “goodbye” to the hallowed halls forever. Griselda Calderon, senior admissions coordinator in nursing at Northwestern College, is an exception.

Calderon was an adult student who didn’t return to college until she was 30. She graduated from Northwestern College with a degree in paralegal studies. “I wasn’t successful at the community colleges because it’s just like you’re in an empty hole. Here, it’s a little more one-on-one,” she says. She went on to complete her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Roosevelt University. After accepting a temporary paralegal job, she soon realized it wasn’t what she wanted in a career. “I had to sit back and evaluate what I really wanted.” She turned to her alma mater, where she always felt that she mattered. “I looked online,” she says. “I saw they (Northwestern College) were hiring in admissions, and I’ve been here ever since.”

That was seven years ago. Today, Griselda Calderon helps future Northwestern College students choose the college program that is best for them – something she can relate to. “I came in not knowing at all what I wanted to do,” she admits. “I definitely get it, so I try to help them deal with it.” That requires considerable preparation.

How she “qualifies” students

Some students come to Northwestern College directly after high school graduation. Many are adults looking for a career change or a first-time college experience. “I understand where they’re coming from – the fears behind it and the unknown,” she continues, “so I try to make sure they’re going into it with their eyes wide open.” Calderon asks a lot of questions to make sure she points them in the right direction. “I really go over the experience because the medical field is not something that you just jump into. I try to ask enough questions – their passions, their likes, their dislikes. You can’t say, ‘Oh, I don’t like blood,’ and they’re in nursing.” The main question she asks is why they want to go into nursing. “If I get, ‘I’m doing it for the money,’ then those are the people I’ll probably talk out of it. If you’re only going into nursing for the money, then that’s not the reason to go into nursing – or any field.”

Facing challenges

“I think the biggest challenge I have is that I can’t split myself into two to help more people,” she says. Her challenge with students is unexpected. “The biggest challenge is when a student comes in and doesn’t have enough experience with other colleges out there and doesn’t know the gem that they walked into. I strongly believe in this institution.”

What she loves most about her job

Calderon’s enthusiasm for the students and her job is evident. What she likes most is attending graduation. “Knowing these students that I get to work with from the beginning and seeing them graduate is the highlight for me.” It assures her that the students did get on the right track. “Success for me is really big. To see them finish – I enjoy that.”

An open-door policy extending beyond graduation

Calderon likes following students throughout their studies and even after graduation. Her door is always open – and they always walk in. “I’ve had them crying in my office. I’ve had them happy in my office. I encourage them to call me because I really do care,” she says. I try to walk around the building to see if I see them and ask, ‘How was your clinical? How was your exam?’ If she discovers a student she previously worked with accepted a job, she likes to phone and congratulate them. Calderon also encourages former students to reach out after graduation.

The Northwestern College difference

“What separates us from everybody else is that it’s pretty simply laid out,” Calderon says. At other schools, being accepted into – and completing – a nursing program can take a long time. At Northwestern College, it’s a quicker process. “They cut out everything that’s not necessary. If you’re doing nursing or radiography, it’s specific to that core program.” The Violet L. Schumacher School of Nursing at Northwestern College offers a complete career-focused program that students can complete in as few as two years. Once they successfully complete the program, they earn an Associate in Applied Science degree that puts them on the fast track to a career as a registered nurse.

In addition, Calderon says, “The community is a lot smaller, and you get that ‘you-want-to-go-where-everybody-knows-your-name’ feel.”

“I enjoy all the different people that I meet every single day. It’s never a dull moment,” Calderon says. “I want to be everywhere. I want to do everything. I really believe in education and what we do here.” Griselda Calderon is the kind of admissions coordinator you want to have in your corner.

If you’re interested in a nursing or radiography career, contact Northwestern College today.

 

 

 

The post Employee Spotlight: Griselda Calderon, Senior Admissions Coordinator appeared first on Northwestern College.

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