I will explore decision support systems and how
they affect the healthcare field. Decision support systems (DSS) can be
the backbone to a business--a DSS can provide much needed information
and analysis through "people,
procedures, software, databases, and devices" that can lead experts in
fields of business, health, non-profits, and government to decisions
much more quickly and efficiently [1]. By studying processes through various databases and software, companies big and small are able to save massive amounts of money, energy, time, and material through a few phases, including design and implementation [1].
Many in the healthcare field use what is known as a clinical DSS. A clinical DSS consists of medical records and other facts that can be crucial to making the right decision for patients, giving them the medications that work best, and curing them of ailments as quickly as possible [2]. In addition to being used to help doctors make decisions, a DSS also proves to be educational, and it has been reported that through using a DSS, the amount of unnecessary medical imaging has decreased. When a hospital is using a DSS, the hospital might not require a patient to go through all of the same tests that he or she would normally go through. This increases "patient safety and quality," and decreases "health care costs" [2]. One clinical DSS in particular, the GQ-Dx genomic decision support system made by GenomeQuest, was even approved by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as meeting privacy and security standards, which means that a DSS not only custs down costs for those in the health care field, but increases privacy for patients, while still providing professionals with useful information [3].
A survey recently given out to various healthcare companies and hospitals found that over "84% of the surveyed organizations without a clinical decision support system said that they plan to deploy at least one new or additional clinical analytics tool within the next year" and that of those, most of those taking the survey were also looking into hiring an IT worker to assist with the DSS [4]. Between cost saving, medication error and improvement of overall population health, a DSS seems necessary in all areas of the healthcare field [4]. The systems do not allow for the same errors that humans can often make. While they should not be relied on alone, they do provide great "support" businesses and healthcare companies alike.
In conclusion, clinical decision support systems have been a great improvement in the healthcare field -- they simplify and often break down problems, and act as an aid in making important decisions, preventing future problems, decreasing costs, and serving as educational tools.
Sources
[1] Stair, Ralph M., and George Walter Reynolds. Fundamentals of Information Systems. Boston: Thomson/Course Technology, 2003. Print.
[2] http://esciencenews.com/articles/2011/01/04/clinical.decision.support.systems.help.control.inappropriate.medical.imaging.study.suggests
[3] http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120730/GenomeQuests-genomic-decision-support-system-achieves-HIPAA-compliance.aspx
[4] http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2012/8/2/survey-finds-it-leaders-are-prioritizing-clinical-decision-support-tools.aspx
Many in the healthcare field use what is known as a clinical DSS. A clinical DSS consists of medical records and other facts that can be crucial to making the right decision for patients, giving them the medications that work best, and curing them of ailments as quickly as possible [2]. In addition to being used to help doctors make decisions, a DSS also proves to be educational, and it has been reported that through using a DSS, the amount of unnecessary medical imaging has decreased. When a hospital is using a DSS, the hospital might not require a patient to go through all of the same tests that he or she would normally go through. This increases "patient safety and quality," and decreases "health care costs" [2]. One clinical DSS in particular, the GQ-Dx genomic decision support system made by GenomeQuest, was even approved by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as meeting privacy and security standards, which means that a DSS not only custs down costs for those in the health care field, but increases privacy for patients, while still providing professionals with useful information [3].
A survey recently given out to various healthcare companies and hospitals found that over "84% of the surveyed organizations without a clinical decision support system said that they plan to deploy at least one new or additional clinical analytics tool within the next year" and that of those, most of those taking the survey were also looking into hiring an IT worker to assist with the DSS [4]. Between cost saving, medication error and improvement of overall population health, a DSS seems necessary in all areas of the healthcare field [4]. The systems do not allow for the same errors that humans can often make. While they should not be relied on alone, they do provide great "support" businesses and healthcare companies alike.
In conclusion, clinical decision support systems have been a great improvement in the healthcare field -- they simplify and often break down problems, and act as an aid in making important decisions, preventing future problems, decreasing costs, and serving as educational tools.
Sources
[1] Stair, Ralph M., and George Walter Reynolds. Fundamentals of Information Systems. Boston: Thomson/Course Technology, 2003. Print.
[2] http://esciencenews.com/articles/2011/01/04/clinical.decision.support.systems.help.control.inappropriate.medical.imaging.study.suggests
[3] http://www.news-medical.net/news/20120730/GenomeQuests-genomic-decision-support-system-achieves-HIPAA-compliance.aspx
[4] http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2012/8/2/survey-finds-it-leaders-are-prioritizing-clinical-decision-support-tools.aspx
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