Business and technology
Future Trends in Health Care
HCS/533
November 19, 2012
Sheryl-Anne Murray
Introduction
The findings of a review of trends in health care delivery that are associated with innovations in electronic communications are topic of discussion in this paper. The review focuses on four specific issues. The first issue concerned the ways in which electronic communications may be applied effectively as an external delivery mechanism in the communication of patient-specific information. The second issue centered on the impact of distance-delivery on the effectiveness of health care. The third issue involved a determination of the effects that the use of electronic communications have on health care delivery today. The fourth issue required a projection of the likely affects that the continued use of electronic communications will have on health care delivery. These interrelated issues are addressed in separate discussions in this paper.
Electronic Communications as an External Delivery Mechanism
When considering the ways in which electronic communications may be applied effectively as an external delivery mechanism in the communication of patient-specific information, it is useful to first (a) identify the parties who will likely be involved in such interchanges and to (b) determine the types of information most likely to be exchanged. Further, depending upon of types of information likely to be exchanged it is also useful to consider how and in what form such information is developed (Committee on Redesigning Health Insurance Performance Measures, Payment, and Performance Improvement Programs, 2006; Committee on Public Health Strategies to Improve Health Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, 2012; World Health Organization, 2008).
The party-pairs most likely to be involved in electronic communications exchanges are (a) provider-to-patient, (b) patient-to-provider, (c) provider-to-provider, and (d) provider-to-parties other than
HCS/533
November 19, 2012
Sheryl-Anne Murray
Introduction
The findings of a review of trends in health care delivery that are associated with innovations in electronic communications are topic of discussion in this paper. The review focuses on four specific issues. The first issue concerned the ways in which electronic communications may be applied effectively as an external delivery mechanism in the communication of patient-specific information. The second issue centered on the impact of distance-delivery on the effectiveness of health care. The third issue involved a determination of the effects that the use of electronic communications have on health care delivery today. The fourth issue required a projection of the likely affects that the continued use of electronic communications will have on health care delivery. These interrelated issues are addressed in separate discussions in this paper.
Electronic Communications as an External Delivery Mechanism
When considering the ways in which electronic communications may be applied effectively as an external delivery mechanism in the communication of patient-specific information, it is useful to first (a) identify the parties who will likely be involved in such interchanges and to (b) determine the types of information most likely to be exchanged. Further, depending upon of types of information likely to be exchanged it is also useful to consider how and in what form such information is developed (Committee on Redesigning Health Insurance Performance Measures, Payment, and Performance Improvement Programs, 2006; Committee on Public Health Strategies to Improve Health Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, 2012; World Health Organization, 2008).
The party-pairs most likely to be involved in electronic communications exchanges are (a) provider-to-patient, (b) patient-to-provider, (c) provider-to-provider, and (d) provider-to-parties other than