| Healthcare Analytics can be thought of as the | | | | and electronic medical records don't got missing, |
| combination of IT and healthcare. Technology and | | | | or take a lot of storage room. |
| computers are increasing important in many | | | | 7. Communication is improved, as information can |
| industries, and the NHS is no different. | | | | be shared quickly and easily. Perhaps a consultant |
| 1. The NHS National Programe for IT, (NPfIT) and | | | | wants a second opinion from another consultant |
| Connecting for Health are helping to provide | | | | hundreds of miles away, or maybe an X ray |
| better patient care, and more choice for patients, | | | | needs to be sent to a different hospital. NHSmail |
| by making more use of technology. Electronic | | | | is secure and allows patient details to be shared |
| medical records, electronic images, and electronic | | | | with those who need to be able to see them. |
| prescriptions are just some of the ways that IT | | | | Perhaps a GP wants to discuss something with a |
| is helping the NHS. | | | | midwife, or a dentist wants to know what |
| 2. Thanks to electronic medical records, it's now | | | | medication a patient is on. |
| much easier to share patient information between | | | | 8. Healthcare informatics will help to provide better |
| medial establishments, such as when a patient | | | | hospital administration and tighter financial control. |
| moves doctors, or is treated at a different | | | | It's possible so see where time can be better |
| hospital. | | | | spent, or when there are too many staff in one |
| 3. The NHS eSpace systems is helping NHS | | | | department, or when there is likely to be a |
| medical staff to share their experiences, | | | | shortage of beds, or other resources. |
| treatments and solutions, so that other staff in | | | | 9. Healthcare reporting systems It's much easier |
| similar roles or circumstances can benefit, and | | | | to see exactly what's going on at any one time, |
| don't need to spend time or other resources | | | | and see what happens on an hourly, daily, monthly |
| carrying out research that's already been done, or | | | | our yearly basis. Perhaps you'll want to know how |
| trying treatments that might not work. | | | | long the average wait is in Accident and |
| 4. By using patient information systems, it's much | | | | Emergency, or how many staff are needed on a |
| easier to improve workflow, and see where and | | | | Friday Night. You might want to know how many |
| when staff are needed. Trends can be seen, and | | | | operations are carried out daily. All this sort of |
| so the right number of staff, beds and other | | | | information is readily available and can help to |
| resources can be available, without leaving a | | | | make planning and patient care better. |
| shortage anywhere else. | | | | 10. Healthcare informatics and using IT in medical |
| 5. By being organised in advance, and using | | | | environments are designed to make patient care |
| technology, the treatment and service provided | | | | better. Patients don't want to know about the |
| by medical staff, surgeries and hospitals can be | | | | technology involved, they just want to get better |
| much more efficient. Patients can choose to have | | | | quicker. Medical staff don't want to have to learn |
| appointments at convenient times, or locations, so | | | | new IT systems, they just want to treat their |
| that there is less chance of people failing to | | | | patients. Administrators won't want to reduce |
| attend appointments. | | | | spending for the sake of it. |
| 6. Healthcare informatics is also helping the data | | | | Now you know more about Healthcare |
| collected to be more accurate and useful. With no | | | | Informatics, what difference will it make to you |
| written records, there are no handwriting issues, | | | | as a patient or medical staff? |