Posted: June 27th, 2015

Health and medicine

For the first question of this assignment I accessed St. Elizabeth’s medical center. It is a member of Steward Health Care. Based on the information I was able to get on the internet concerning St. Elizabeth’s, I would definitely visit the hospital if I needed the services. Firstly they offer a wide range of services ranging from cancer care, orthopedics, cardiovascular care, and women and infant’s health among others. Also according to hospital score the nurses at stewards give excellent care. On their hospital services page they offer have all services offered including hematology, robotic surgery, and a wound clinic. For me knowing that whatever kind of care I need would be immediately available would give me peace of mind if I were to visit the hospital. The hospital web page also has a doctor finder and one can also book appointments online which really reduces the stress and hassle sometimes involved in making an appointment.

Apart from considering a visit to the hospital as a patient I would also consider being an employee of the hospital. The clinic trials and research facility is an important area of increasing ones knowledge of different fields of interest. This would build my knowledge and expertise.

The second question concerns the organizations’ AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association) and ANIA (American Nursing Informatics Association). First off, informatics is a field that deals with biomedical knowledge for the purpose of research/inquiry, solving problems and making decisions for the betterment of people’s health. Both AMIA and ANIA are involved in the process of interdisciplinary research that relies on medical data for the sole purpose of advancing healthcare and providing better healthcare. Such organizations’ impact healthcare positively as it is through them that new and more efficient methods of medical procedures are adopted as well new medicines adopted. The AMIA for example has five domains which namely translational bioinformatics, clinical research, clinical, consumer health and public health informatics.

The benefits of this affects the consumers first hand as they are able to access advanced, scientifically tested and proven healthcare which is both preventive and curative and impacts directly on their well being. As for the health professionals the massive knowledge is indeed a huge benefit for them. Medical processes are now faster and more reliable and cover a wider range of diagnosis thanks to organizations like AMIA and ANIA.

A good example is the United States Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). The CDRH is responsible for the protection and promotion thereof of public health. CDRH would be interested in healthcare information technologies due to the kind of work it is involved in. to be able to offer good public health CDRH ensures that medical devices are of high quality and products used are safe radiating emitting products. It also tries to ensure that consumers and patients and those giving care to them are provided with science based information which is understandable. It is also responsible for innovation of medical devices. As outlined above the responsibility of the CDRH is largely dependent on research and clinical trials which are provided by organizations like AMIA and ANIA.

The last question concerns the impact of informatics on healthcare, clinical professionals and the consumer. Informatics has clearly become a sort of backbone for modern medicine as we see it. It provides an avenue for the consumer to be provided with information on medical issues and ensures better medical and public health for them as well through advanced medical practices, procedures and devices. For the clinical professionals it also equips them with better ways of dealing with diseases, medical problems and procedures. Generally informatics has changed the face of medicine and has improved healthcare to a great extent.

Work cited

Lighter, Donald E, and Douglas C. Fair. Quality Management in Health Care: Principles and Methods. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett, 2004. Print.