Discussion Topic 1:
I chose decision support systems to discuss. Clinical decision support systems (CDSS)
are computer programs that evaluate data to provide prompts and reminders to assist
health care providers by adding evidence-based information at the point of care. It has
the ability to remind providers to screen for hypertension, prompt questions about
medication compliance, and recommend certain health changes(Centers for Disease
Control & Prevention, 2021). These systems provide information and tools to support
managerial decision-making. The tools are used to forecast patient volume, project
staffing requirements, evaluate financial performance, analyze utilization, conduct
clinical research, and improve the quality and productivity of a facility (Shi & Singh,
2019). I also did my own research to find out more about this topic and found that
decision support systems are used in my job on a daily basis. These systems can
improve medication safety and reduce medication error-related costs. These systems
can improve patient care by including computerized reminders and advice on drug
selection, dosage, drug interactions, allergies, and inventory. Medication errors happen
quite often and more than half a million patients are injured or die each year from
adverse drug events, which can cost up to 5.6 million annually per hospital(Jia, Zhang,
Chen, Zhao, & Zhang, 2016).
Discussion Topic 2:
In my opinion, the cost is the most important area to focus on when it comes to
technology diffusion. To help control high medical costs, many other nations have tried
to limit the amount that they perform high-tech procedures. As a consequence, those
countries have "waiting lines" for those procedures. This particular way of practice does
reduce costs, however, it also restricts access to care. Americans believe that advanced
medical equipment, drugs, and tests are critical to having high-quality healthcare. This is
known as a technological imperative (Shi & Singh, 2019). This results in good treatment
becoming less affordable for very sick individuals. The same can be said for physicians
who choose to work in a primary care setting over choosing a specific specialty. Primary
care doctors use technology significantly less than specialized physicians, which means
the specialty practitioners can charge more for their services.
New technology means higher labor and capital costs, however, some can reduce costs.
Some technology can result in shorter hospital stays and a shorter recovery time. There
is also competition from new manufacturers from emerging economies that are putting
competitive pressure on more developed nations by producing and selling their medical
products at a lower cost (Shi & Singh, 2019). There are times when medical treatment is
first introduced in caring for a patient, where the benefits outway the costs, and the use
of the technology is said to be cost-effective. However, over time, additional treatments
then begin to lower these benefits in relation to rising costs. At a certain point, additional
care adds little or no health benefits while costs continue to accumulate and rise (Shi &
Singh, 2019). Being able to afford medical expenses and stay healthy is important and I
believe that that is why there are so many sick people. They can't afford the treatment,
or they are spending their lives worth trying to get better.
Centers of Disease Control & Prevention. (2021, July 22). Implementing clinical decision
support systems. Retrieved April 13, 2022, from
https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/pubs/guides/best-practices/clinical-decision-support.htm
Jia, P., Zhang, L., Chen, J., Zhao, P., & Zhang, M. (2016, December 16). The effects of
clinical decision support systems on Medication Safety: An Overview. Retrieved April 13,
2022, from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0167683
Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2019). Chapter 5/Technology and Its Effects. In Essentials of the
U.S. health care system (Fifth ed., pp. 101-125). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
