Article Analysis and Evaluation of Research Ethics

1. Describe how epidemiological data influences changes in health practices.

Provide an example and explain what data would be necessary to make a change in practice.

2. Discuss ways a managed care organization uses technology to gather patient and health care information, and how this information and data are used to direct patient care and outcomes.

No resources < 5 years old

ANSWER

Healthcare Information

Epidemiological Data Influence on Changes in Health Practices.

Epidemiological data is considered as various experimental and non-experimental observations including health effects and population exposure levels observed from various samples (Friis and Sellers, 2020). With the obvious medical and experimental errors, while estimating human risks, epidemiological data has remained significant evidence for risk management. Epidemiological data has been a concern with the pattern and frequency of health events in a population. This has helped in assessing the factors and reasons behind the occurrence of a certain disease. Epidemiological data has enabled health professionals to understand how many people have a certain disorder or disease, how the numbers are changing, and how the disorder influences the economy and society (Friis and Sellers, 2020). Therefore, this information from epidemiological data is used to evaluate and plan strategies to control illnesses and guide patient management in an identified disease. Offering and explaining data concerning a disease has been essential in facilitating change in the healthcare practice.

Hand Hygiene Data

Collecting epidemiological data related to hand hygiene could be important in influencing changes within the healthcare practice. For instance, epidemiological data on hand hygiene offers information to healthcare workers on hand washing. Data-based simulations that focus on hand hygiene show the dramatic effects and spread of infectious disease due to handwashing. This improves the rates of handwashing since people surprisingly get casual about washing their hands. Therefore, the epidemiological data is essential in guiding clinical practice since hand hygiene is monitored through epidemiological data by the hospital.

Technology and Healthcare Information

Information collection and exchange have been crucial in the delivery of appropriate care. Healthcare organizations have used technology to gather healthcare and patient information which have been used to monitors patient outcomes and care. Health Information systems have been designed as systems to manage healthcare data (Kruse, Stein, Thomas, and Kaur, 2018). These include systems that gather, store, transmit and manage patient’s medical records and operational management that are used in supporting healthcare decisions and policies. Information from health information systems has offered major clinical information such as procedures that guide the patient care process, health records of the patient, and rapidly changing medical evidence base. The information systems have also offered financial, clinical, and administrative data to access, measure, control, and improve the productivity and quality of their operations.

References

Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. (2020). Epidemiology for public health practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Kruse, C. S., Stein, A., Thomas, H., & Kaur, H. (2018). The use of electronic health records to support population health: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of medical systems, 42(11), 1-16.