HEALTHCARE
"HOW DOES IT HELP THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY GAIN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE"
First of all, what is IT? I have done researches about It and so far what I found out was that IT is the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information system, particularly software applications and computer hardware. Instead of taking a piece of paper and writing something on it and then filing it in a big file cabin IT makes it easier by using a software to type on and store it at the same time without even standing up. It basically makes your job a little easier.
IT in our generation today is becoming a necessity a need for faster and a more productive system, not only does it apply to our daily life, IT now a day is everywhere, even in my pocket. It made life easier, work faster and communication worldwide. And now, IT is being applied to health.
So how does IT help health care industry gain competitive advantage? First is, positioning yourself in the market by being the most IT advanced health care facility in the place, having a good database design, faster hardware, more secured data for privacy and secured place for safety having technological advancement. Patients can pass on the grueling process of filling up information forms while bleeding.
Establishing this even if your facility is smaller than the others but providing faster processes and secured data means, is, providing your company a good foundation for the trust of your market. Another is ,easy transactions, having a good and fast hardware and a good database design provides a smooth a hassle free entry of data and storing of records for your customers.
Having IT in drugstores relieve people of the tiring process of manually checking of the availability of the medication out of the hundreds of medicines stored in the drugstore, IT database could be designed to check the inventory of the products according to the remaining quantity and consumed number of that specific medicine, provides a faster and time efficient transaction and faster sales at the end of the day, compared to a poorly designed software and hardware system drugstore.
IT also provides accurate dosage of medicine to take, drink or inject to the person, the number or amount of dosage/s can be digitally computed for more accuracy and the only thing the nurses has to do is to inject and provide the patient the medicine needed corresponding the amount of how much should be taken. It could also monitor the time frames of when the medicine should be taken and have the nurses be informed that the patient should take another dosage of the medicine he or she needs. IT could automatically adjust whatever equipment such as the temperature of the air condition unit, the bed and all the other things that needs adjustments even if the nurse is at her desk she could do it by computer. Some hospitals even placed cameras in corridors, rooms etc., just to make sure that the patients are all okay and safe.
Room management could also be a factor for IT to be included, having a monitor just like the security surveillance camera, but IT could be design to monitor status of patients in their rooms, having IT in healthcare ensures accurate and less errors removing stress like what human labors feel, computer does not get tired and could always be provided for backups.
Less human resource could be used so that it could cut the cost of the healthcare facility. Avoiding errors is a must because people’s lives at risk, computer can be programmed for fixed schedules, accuracy and persistency is a must. Pharmaceuticals can be accurately mixed and dosages can be evenly distributed per pill, tablets and liquid medicines.
Another big step IT could help in competitive advantage, the one I see that makes all the difference is healthcare through the internet, from what I see is, patients could conveniently access the internet, and check on the website regarding symptoms, health problems, and other safety advises. Online schedules, like for flights, can be even monitored, whether the plane has landed , if the flight was cancelled, or delayed. Through IT, family members that are abroad can communicate to those who are in the Philippines for instance. Little accidents, such as allergies or any illnesses, instead of going to the hospital, fall in line and by the time you get to talk to the doctor the allergies already is healed, people could just search for the procedures to be done , thru the help of IT, the internet. And with that, any one, as long as he or she knows how to go online and use the internet, do it.
Another instance is when a surgery should be done, with the help of IT surgeons or doctors could do simulations of the operation, in order for the doctor to practice or even check whether what he or she is planning to do is really possible and safe, before doing it to the patient for a safer operation.
Nowadays, companies and other businesses are dependent on IT, because, it is where they can advertise their products instead of putting up and sticking flyers everywhere, IT can help them save effort, time and money. One example is, there are advertisements of health medicines that are spread through out the internet, like weight loss capsules, skin whitening medicines... etc.
