Please draft a response to another students discussion Board Post. The original instructions for the students post
are as follows:
Although medical technology brings numerous benefits, what have been some of the main challenges posed by the
growing use of medical technology in the United States? Next, how do American cultural beliefs and values
influence the use of medical technology?
Here is the students post to the above question you are replying to:
Libby Willson
Medical Technology
COLLAPSE
There are many challenges posed by the growing use of medical technology in the United States. The information
technology field continues to be an essential part of the health care delivery system. The information technology
applications of electronic health records and telemedicine pose their own set of challenges.
Medical Technology Challenges
Electronic health records used to replace traditional paper medical records. The challenges faced by using
electronic health records systems results in decreased productivity because electronic health records are time-
consuming. Within the United States, it will take a significant amount of time for all health records systems to be
electronically used nationwide (Shi & Singh, 2019). The use of multiple electronic health records systems also
presents a unique set of challenges. Physicians and healthcare staff are required to access and train on multiple
platforms to evaluate and care for patients. Workflow challenges attributed to the use of electronic health records
due to the high perception and workload of multiple platforms. Challenges presented when communicating with
patients due to typing and facing the computer during patient encounters are major distractions during the
consultations. Communication and professionalism issues occurred due to limited access to patient care (Buery-
Joyner et al., 2015).
The United States completed a rapid implementation of telemedicine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians
across the United States implemented telemedicine to continue to care for patients while minimizing the risk of
exposure to COVID-19. The pandemic has challenged healthcare providers to provide high-quality care while
addressing the needs of their patients. The challenges faced using telemedicine included limitations on patient
privacy and confidentiality. The providers limited clinical decision making due to the absence of physical
examinations and point of care testing. In the mental health field, providers challenged with the need for ongoing
screening and assessments of mood symptoms. Patients experienced challenges by not having the appropriate
device to engage in telemedicine; reimbursement rates are low or unavailable from insurance companies,
experienced technology literacy gap, and language barriers limited engagements. As the pandemic continues,
healthcare providers continue to provide telemedicine care for patients as an alternative and understand the safety,
efficacy, and acceptability of telemedicine (Barney et al., 2020).
Medical Technology – American Cultural Beliefs and Values
American cultural beliefs and values have shaped the development and use of medical technology. As American
citizens, there is a high expectation for medical technology advancement to produce high-quality care and find
cures for diseases. Innovations are encouraged through capitalism, and the economic and political environment
prosper on opportunities to develop new technology. The desire to have advanced technology despite cost leads to
technological imperative (Shi & Singh, 2019). Fisher & Monahan (2011) defined a technological imperative as "
the tendency within medicine to prioritize the development and use of new technologies regardless of their cost."
Technological imperative charted onto two consecutive, overlying, models of medical culture in the United States,
medicalization, and biomedicalization. Medicalization refers to sustaining and prolonging life by treating disease
and illness. Biomedicalization emphasizes treating patients' illnesses to providing services for consumers. As new
forms of technological imperatives occur within the healthcare delivery system, hospitals become stressed due to
working with restricted resources and reduced funding but must improve patient care through advanced medical
technology (Fisher & Monahan, 2011).
Biblical Integration
With the current state of the United States undergoing the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare delivery has changed
from physician-patient encounters to remote communication using telemedicine. In Matthew 10:1, Jesus discusses
how the community must address healthcare needs and look at the physical, social, and spiritual needs of the body
– not just focus on physical needs. Matthew 10:1 states, "And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them
authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.”
References
Barney, A., Buckelew, S., Mesheriakova, V., & Raymond-Flesch, M. (2020). The COVID-19 Pandemic and Rapid
Implementation of Adolescent and Young Adult Telemedicine: Challenges and Opportunities for
Innovation. Journal of Adolescent Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.05.006
Buery-Joyner, S. D., Dalrymple, J. L., Abbott, J. F., Craig, L. B., Forstein, D. A., Graziano, S. C., … Mckenzie,
M. L. (2015). Overcoming Electronic Medical Record Challenges on the Obstetrics and Gynecology
Clerkship. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 126(3), 553–558. https://doi.org/10.1097/aog.0000000000001004
Fisher, J. A., & Monahan, T. (2011). The “biosecuritization” of healthcare delivery: Examples of post-9/11
technological imperatives. Social Science & Medicine, 72(4), 545–
552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.11.017
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2019). Essentials of the U.S. health care system. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Running head: MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE 1
Medical Technology Response
Institution Affiliation
Date
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE 2
Libby Willson
The growing use of medical technology in the US has indeed posed many challenges.
However, I disagree with you that the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) is time-consuming
and that it lowers productivity. The use of EHR instead of traditional paper medical records has
made a great contribution to the medical field. According to Akhu‐Zaheya, Al‐Maaitah, and Bany
Hani (2018), keying in data in a computer consumes less time than using paper-based methods,
which leads to a smooth workflow. EHR has made it easier to identify mistakes that are hard to
identify when a physician's handwriting is used. Also, EHR leads to greater patient care because a
physician can get information about patients from other medical facilities since the use of EHR
enables medical facilities to share patient information, which promotes the provision of quality
care.
On the issue of health professionals having to train on multiple platforms, the growing use
of medical technology in the US indeed requires all healthcare professionals to understand how to
manage and access patient information. However, healthcare professionals are the greatest barrier
to understanding medical technology because most of them are not prepared to learn or help other
clinicians to use medical technology when providing care to patients. The unwillingness to learn
and lack of providing support to others leads to the provision of care that is inconsistent with
established guidelines. It is also true that EHR pauses data and security issues of patient
information. It is because the US does not have national standards explaining how patient data
should be captured, processed, stored, presented, and communicated. I also agree with you that the
use of telemedicine has led to more money being spent on healthcare, while the quality of outcomes
is still low.
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE 3
I agree with you that American cultural beliefs and values have shaped the development
and use of medical technology. Americans perceive that diseases are caused by scientific
phenomena that occur naturally, and therefore, they support the use of advanced technology to
provide treatment. The Americans believe that medical advancement will provide quality care,
which has encouraged the invention of new technology in the medical field. Also, Americans value
the use of medical technologies even if the advancements are expensive to develop and implement,
which have led to the use of sophisticated technology in the US (Shi, & Singh, 2019). Another
thing is that Americans value quality health care, making healthcare facilities to use advanced
technology to meet people’s expectations. Additionally, Americans believe that medical
technology can be used to prolong people's lives, and therefore, any technology that helps to
prolong people's lives is highly supported in the US.
It is also true that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the use of telemedicine in the US since
safety measures discourage physical interactions between patients and physicians. Use of this
measure is a way of giving help even though physical contact is reduced. It is a dimension which
is effective to all. Therefore, I feel you were right to quote the scripture in Matthew 10:1, which
states that people’s healthcare needs should be addressed in different dimensions. The healthcare
needs in the US currently need to be addressed by providing social, spiritual, and emotional
support. The current times are challenging, and every American should act like the disciples sent
by Jesus so that they can support the people in our society who are suffering in different ways. The
pandemic is scary and only supporting each other and following measures put in place will be a
way of healing.
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE 4
References
Akhu‐Zaheya, L., Al‐Maaitah, R., & Bany Hani, S. (2018). Quality of nursing documentation:
Paper‐based health records versus electronic‐based health records. Journal of clinical
nursing, 27(3-4), e578-e589.
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2019). Essentials of the U.S. health care system. Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
Running head: MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE 1
Medical Technology Response
Institution Affiliation
Date
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE 2
Libby Willson Response
The growing use of medical technology in the US has indeed posed many challenges.
On the issue of health professionals having to train on multiple platforms, the growing use of
medical technology in the US indeed requires all healthcare professionals to understand how to
manage and access patient information.
I agree with you that American cultural beliefs and values have shaped the development and use
of medical technology.
It is also true that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the use of telemedicine in the US since safety
measures discourage physical interactions between patients and physicians.
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE 3
References
Akhu‐Zaheya, L., Al‐Maaitah, R., & Bany Hani, S. (2018). Quality of nursing documentation:
Paper‐based health records versus electronic‐based health records. Journal of clinical
nursing, 27(3-4), e578-e589.
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2019). Essentials of the U.S. health care system. Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
