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:
2 days ago
Amelia Quinto
Amelia Quinto: DB4 Main Thread
COLLAPSE
How Technology Challenges Healthcare in the United States
Innovation has furthered healthcare in numerous ways (Campbell, et al., 2018). Medical technology that
identifies patterns and forecasts results may help stop many diseases. Remote diagnostic devices and
evolving systems of communication can increase the quality of patient care, which correspondingly
make care less expensive (Campbell, et al., 2018). Electronic health records, which allow providers to
access a patient’s complete medical history rapidly, also lead to better care (Adane, et al., 2019).
Nevertheless, technology brings about challenges. Accordingly, healthcare administrators and leaders
must work to overcome these challenges so all patients can profit from the newest developments in
medical technology. The following are some healthcare challenges presented by technology:
Training Issues
Continuing medical technology education is vital for medical professionals and healthcare
administrators. Yet, these individuals often have demanding timetables and may not have the time to
learn the latest technology. Not having a complete understanding of novel medical apparatus may result
to blunders, which is why it is crucial that medical facilities plan training for innovative processes or
expertise (Ko, et al., 2018). Consequently, implementing technology in medicine has a steep learning
curve. Those who need it most may not have the time to learn how to use it. Though, without a
comprehensive understanding, trying to apply the most recent medical technology can lead to
practitioner error and malpractice.
Greater Expenses
For healthcare facilities with inadequate resources, innovative expenses can pose difficulties. Experts
concur that healthcare has a troubled economic stance mainly because of its related costs (Harris, et al.,
2017). These cost increases can be due to new technologies or the intensified utilization of old ones.
Thus, the regulation of technology is one of the most significant aspects in bringing outlays at a
minimum. Still, experts warn that any effort to limit the introduction of new technologies beyond what is
essential for safety and efficacy would be unethical (Harris, et al., 2017).
Meaningful Use Non-Compliance
Meaningful use denotes the provisions in the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and
Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. This sanctioned incentive payments via Medicare and Medicaid to
clinicians and hospitals that use electronic health records (EHRs) in a meaningful way to essentially
improve clinical care (Lin, et al., 2019). Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Incentive
Programs encourage healthcare facilities to make meaningful use of electronic health records, but this is
challenging for several. Professionals who do not act in accordance with meaningful use measures will
experience a reduction in Medicare reimbursements. This could fundamentally increase financial
apprehensions for institutions with monetary difficulties.
Recommendations from Experts
The technological challenges demonstrate that synchronizing with technological advances is difficult.
Accordingly, experts offer suggestions on how to keep up with technology. Among other things, it was
suggested that health care facilities become proactive and anticipate future needs (Greenhalgh, et al.,
2017). More notably, experts highlighted that patient care takes precedence over reservations about
technology (Mackey, et al., 2019).
How American Cultural Beliefs and Values Influence the Use of Medical Technology
Americans have high expectations of discovering health remedies through science and technology.
They associate the application of cutting-edge medical technology with high-quality care (Shi & Singh,
2019, p. 109).
Technology is Highly-Valued
Americans are more concerned about the quality of health care than its cost. Additionally, many
consider a low-cost provider to be second-rate. There is some evidence that individuals view higher
prices as a substitute for quality (Greene & Sacks, 2018). They assume that higher-priced care is better
care and that less expensive care is inferior.
Higher cost is characteristically paralleled with greater quality in most products and services. Moreover,
it is sensible to assume that they bring the same interpretation to health care. Thus, there is a likelihood
that consumers’ misunderstandings and misconstructions of cost data may result in lesser value
selections (Greene & Sacks, 2018). Therefore, providers should support consumers and help them
realize that a physician who delivers higher-quality care than other providers does not automatically cost
more.
Technological Imperative
The inclination to have an advanced technology available, coupled with the fascination to use it
regardless of its cost, is referred to as the technological imperative (Shi & Singh, 2019, p. 110). Because
of technology's success and preeminence in medicine, the reliance on it has engendered a
technological imperative. This objectifies and frames patients according to automatous rules.
Technology's accomplishments produced a demand to intensify the application of technology if the
objective is to continue improving healthcare. Thus, Americans are rationally and professionally
enforced to think that if there is no increase in the practice of technology, they are not as steadfast to
improving the health and healing of patients.
Scriptural Integration
Technology is fundamentally shaped by human beings to assist them in reaching beyond what they can
do. This encompasses completing an old task more efficiently or performing a function that was totally
impossible previously. Technology is widespread, and it is so intensely intertwined into daily chores that
individuals scarcely notice its presence. That is precisely why it is so vital that people consider it from a
Christian standpoint. Romans 1:22 asserted: “Professing to be wise, they became fools” (New
International Version, 2011). Hence, how one utilizes technology is what counts. Correspondingly,
technology is neither overpoweringly good nor integrally evil (Legault, et al., 2018).
References
Adane, K., Gizachew, M., & Kendie, S. (2019). The role of medical data in efficient patient care delivery:
A review. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 12, 67-73. doi:10.2147/rmhp.s179259
Campbell, B., Campbell, M., Dobson, L., Higgins, J., Dillon, B., Marlow, M., & Pomfrett, C. J. D. (2018).
assessing the value of innovative medical devices and diagnostics: The importance of clear and relevant
claims of benefit. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 34(4), 419-424.
doi:10.1017/S0266462318000466
Greene, J., & Sacks, R. M. (2018). Presenting cost and efficiency measures that support consumers to
make high-value health care choices. Health Services Research, 53(4), 2662-2681. doi:10.1111/1475-
6773.12839
Greenhalgh, T., Wherton, J., Papoutsi, C., Lynch, J., Hughes, G., A'Court, C., . . . Shaw, S. (2017).
Beyond adoption: A new framework for theorizing and evaluating nonadoption, abandonment, and
challenges to the scale-up, spread, and sustainability of health and care technologies. Journal of
Medical Internet Research, 19(11), e367. doi:10.2196/jmir.8775
Harris, C., Allen, K., King, R., Ramsey, W., Kelly, C., & Thiagarajan, M. (2017). Sustainability in health
care by allocating resources effectively (SHARE) 2: Identifying opportunities for disinvestment in a local
healthcare setting. BMC Health Services Research, 17(1), 328-12. doi:10.1186/s12913-017-2211-6
Ko, M., Wagner, L., & Spetz, J. (2018). Nursing home implementation of health information technology:
Review of the literature finds inadequate investment in preparation, infrastructure, and training. Inquiry
(Chicago), 55, 004695801877890. doi:10.1177/0046958018778902
Legault, G. A., Verchère, C., & Patenaude, J. (2018). Support for the development of technological
innovations: Promoting responsible social uses. Science and Engineering Ethics, 24(2), 529-549.
doi:10.1007/s11948-017-9911-5
Lin, Y., Lin, M., & Chen, H. (2019). Do electronic health records affect quality of care? evidence from the
HITECH act. Information Systems Research, 30(1), 306-318. doi:10.1287/isre.2018.0813
Mackey, T. K., Kuo, T., Gummadi, B., Clauson, K. A., Church, G., Grishin, D., . . . Palombini, M. (2019).
‘Fit-for-purpose?’ – challenges and opportunities for applications of blockchain technology in the future
of healthcare. BMC Medicine, 17(1), 68-17. doi:10.1186/s12916-019-1296-7
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2019). Essentials of the U.S. health care system (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones
& Bartlett Learning
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Reply to Another Students Discussion Board Post
Technological advancements in the field of medicine are intended at improving healthcare.
It is rightly stated in the post, however, that medical technology presents challenges to the
effectiveness of healthcare in the United States. For example, medical technology indeed presents
the challenge of non-compliance. Health workers may fail to use new technology-based equipment
rightly, thus causing accidents. As noted by the World Health Organizations (2010), about 19% of
health workers poorly apply medical technologies thus leading to an increase in accidents, and
medical errors. The challenge of non-compliance arises from the fact that a majority of medical
workers may have to apply new technology-based medical equipment without undergoing some
formal training relating to its use.
The relationship between medical technology, and healthcare cost suggested in the post is
rather simplistic, and unreasonable. In the post, it is suggested that medical technology increases
healthcare expenses. An analysis of cost implications of different medical technologies carried out
by Sorenson, Michael & Beena (2013), however, revealed that the relationship between medical
technologies, and medical expenses is complex and contradictory. In some instances, new
technologies can result in a significant increase in medical expenses. For example, some
technology-based treatment options such as breast cancer treatment drugs significantly increase
healthcare expenses (Sorenson, Michael & Beena, 2013). The healthcare department, the health
institutions, and patients have to invest a lot of money to provide and/or use these medical
technologies. On the other hand, some medical technologies could reduce the expenditure on
healthcare. For example, the use of drug-eluting stents lowers the costs of healthcare for American
citizens and healthcare institutions (Sorenson, Michael & Beena, 2013). Some medical
technologies such as electrocardiography are also found to have no impact on medical expenses
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(Sorenson, Michael & Beena, 2013). These findings show that medical technologies do not
necessarily cause an increase in medical expenditure. Indeed, the socioeconomic values of some
medical technologies might offset the costs related to their use.
The evolution of technology creates the need for healthcare workers to undergo training.
The World Health Organization (2010) states that with the advancement in technology health
workers need to expand their knowledge and level of expertise. Even though the need for training
of health workers is always urgent, the training that is needed for a health worker to apply new
technology is always less time consuming because technology evolves from pre-existing medical
methodologies. Medical institutions can explore innovative ways of training health workers that
are less destructive to healthcare service provision, such as on-the-job training programs.
It is stated in the post that American cultural beliefs promote the use of medical technology.
Again, culture is rather more complex, and its impact on the use of medical technology is also not
simple. According to Bussey & Genao (2003), the American multi-ethnic population has diverse
cultural beliefs and values. Some Americans value medical technology, and believe that medical
technology improves healthcare outcomes.
As a result, this category of Americans prefers to use medical technology in the treatment
of diseases. However, it is not true that all Americans have a fascination with the use of medical
technology regardless of associated expenses. In a study by Bussey & Genao (2003), the majority
of the citizens of African and Mexican descent believes that traditional medicine is superior to the
available medical technology-based treatment option. This implies that the belief in traditional
healing methods among some Americans reduces the use of medical technology. Some Americans
of Mexican origin only use medical technology as the last resort (Bussey & Genao, 2003).
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References
Bussey, J., & Genao, J. (2003). Impact of culture on healthcare. Journal of National Medical
Association, 95(8), 732-735.
Sorenson, C., Michael, D., & Beena, B. (2013). Medical technology as a key driver of rising
medical expenditures: disentangling the relationship. ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes
Research, 5, 223-234.
World Health Organization. (2010). Increasing complexity of medical technology and
consequences for training and outcome of care. New York: World Health Organization.
