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Challenges and Opportunities -- The Growing
Importance of Information Technology in
Healthcare
Stephen M. Foxman, Esq.
Philadelphia
December, 2005
Major Technology Issues for Healthcare
Institutions

Computer systems with different functions operate
separately, and don’t share information

Data is spread throughout healthcare institution, in various
departments and in different computer systems

Mandatory compliance with new legal requirements, such
as security and privacy requirements of U.S. Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Management of Supplies and Equipment

Advanced information technology (IT) systems are
needed for ordering, inventory control, finding and
distributing supplies

Cost control and avoidance of theft and waste

Use of Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID)
and bar coding for locating and keeping track of
supplies and equipment

Business Process Improvement systems;
improvement of quality of delivery of services
EMR and Patient Information

Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
 Importance of access and accuracy of medical
history of patients
 Privacy issues regarding storage and access to
information
 Diagnosis, treatment and potentially detrimental
other information being accessed by patient or
others (e.g., sexually transmitted disease, genetic
disease or DNA disease susceptibility analysis
information)
Patient Information
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Clinical Information Systems for patient charting
Use of wireless personal digital assistant devices
(PDA) for access to and updating of EMR
Potential for patients to have personal card, RFID
device, implanted device containing blood type,
disease, and other EMR information
Treatment information to be generated and stored
for later reference in EMR
Tie in of EMR treatment and prescription
information to pharmacy for providing appropriate
medicines and dosages for patients
Prescriptions and Medications

Computerized generation of prescription to avoid
errors

Computerized generation of labels; drug ingestion or
use instructions; warnings

Computerized cross checking of prescription against
patient information on allergic reactions, drug
interactions, appropriate dosage levels
Management of Patient Treatment

Specialized information technology systems to
manage appropriate treatment tied into diagnostic
databases, patient personal information and
diagnosed condition

Use of IT systems to manage and avoid errors in
special care environments such as operating rooms,
emergency rooms, pediatric care and intensive care
wards

Use of IT systems to aid nurses in providing proper
treatment (Nursing Informatic Systems), monitoring
patients with sensory equipment for vital signs
Management of Patient Treatment
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Use of local robotic delivery systems to provide
equipment, medications, and nutrition
Wireless communication for doctors and nurses to
avoid pagers and delays in providing information
regarding patients and treatment
Use of distance diagnosis and treatment with high
speed digital communications links; transmission of
charts, monitoring information, x-rays and scans
Patient access to doctors and medical information
over Internet
Staff Development and Training

Use of Internet based training to maintain best
practices and skills for hospital or other healthcare
institutional staff
Billing and Collection Information
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Particular importance in US because of lack of
national healthcare delivery and insurance system
Computerized monitoring of use of proper
medications, medical equipment, treatment
procedures for cost control
Determination of proper codes for treatment and
billing for services – used by private insurers to make
payments to providers of care
Development of national databases for tracking
illnesses, treatment methods and effectiveness of
medications and treatments used
Medical Research

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Tracking of methodologies used, compliance with
government reporting and safety requirements
Specialized IT systems to track information and
provide reports in form necessary for government
approval of new drugs
Potential exposure to liability from electronic storage
of field reports and emails between pharmaceutical
company employees and researchers (e.g., recent
Vioxx case against Merck)