We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Healthcare IT Sophistication Improves Nursing Home Care

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 15 Sep 2016
Print article
Researchers at the University of Missouri (MU; Columbia, USA) assessed annual U.S. national trends in technology adoption over a three-year period, using an IT Sophistication Survey, which provided scores based on IT capabilities, extent of use, and integration, and how they are used in resident care, clinical support, and administrative activities. The target goal of the survey was a 10% representative from each state in the United States, for a total of 1,570 random sample of nursing homes recruited from Nursing Home Compare.

A total of 815 surveys were completed – which was below the goal – but the facilities in the participating sample had similar demographic characteristics (ownership, total population in a location, and bed size) to the remaining homes not participating. The results showed greater IT capabilities in resident care and administrative activities, but less in clinical support, with IT capabilities at their highest when integrated when internal and external stakeholders. Overall, IT capabilities appeared to be greater than IT extent of use. The study was published in the September 2016 issue of the Journal of Nursing Care Quality.

“The scores indicated that technology is becoming a greater part of resident care in areas where physicians and nurses work, not just in areas of administration and billing. We found that as IT sophistication increases in resident care, there appears to be a positive impact on quality measures,” said lead author Gregory Alexander, PhD, RN. “This finding means that if nursing home staffs have access to the right technological tools and are using them to facilitate resident care, quality of care can and should improve.”

The 2009 American Reinvestment & Recovery Act (ARRA) includes measures designed to modernize infrastructure, one of which is the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Nearly USD 20 billion were set aside in incentives for hospitals and physicians who adopt qualified, certified electronic medical record (EMR) platforms with the ability to exchange information with other sources. However, nursing homes did not receive the same level of investment in technology as hospitals, leading to little understanding of how IT sophistication is impacting patient care in nursing homes.

Related Links:
University of Missouri

Gold Member
STI Test
Vivalytic Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Array
Gold Member
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Silver Member
Wireless Mobile ECG Recorder
NR-1207-3/NR-1207-E
New
Medical Oxygen Analyzer
MAXO2+AE

Print article

Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed an advanced shear-thinning hydrogel for aneurysm repair (Photo courtesy of TIBI)

New Hydrogel Features Enhanced Capabilities for Treating Aneurysms and Halting Progression

Aneurysms can develop in blood vessels in different body areas, often as a result of atherosclerosis, infections, inflammatory diseases, and other risk factors. These conditions lead to chronic inflammation,... Read more

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: The living replacement knee will be tested in clinical trials within five years (Photo courtesy of ARPA-H)

Living Knee Replacement to Revolutionize Osteoarthritis Treatment

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent type of arthritis, characterized by the progressive deterioration of cartilage, or the protective tissue covering the bone ends, resulting in pain, stiffness, and impaired... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The new eye-safe laser technology can diagnose traumatic brain injury (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Novel Diagnostic Hand-Held Device Detects Known Biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury

The growing need for prompt and efficient diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major cause of mortality globally, has spurred the development of innovative diagnostic technologies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.