Peer one : Technology is integral to successful implementation in many projects, through either support or integration or both. Name at least one technology that could improve the implementation process and the outcomes of your EBP project. Do you plan to use this technology? If not, what are the barriers that prevent its use?

Non-adherence to medications is a widely recognized problem in healthcare. Patients nowadays are living longer and with multiple chronic health care conditions. These patients, however, require complex treatments and medication regimens to maintain a good state of health and functionality. Fortunately, technological advancements have made it less complicated for patients to successfully follow a medication schedule. Medication adherence tools are becoming more sophisticated and interactive and are now, more than ever, a valuable tool for the solution of this issue. One tool is a smart pill bottle cap that registers when the medication is removed and logs the event in an app (Arndt, 2018). Healthcare providers can then watch adherence in real-time, and contact patients whenever there is a concern with compliance. Another option is the use of a mobile app by the patient only for personal tracking purposes. These apps alert patients about when to take their medications and allow them to record their history of compliance. Other approaches include educational or coaching interventions primarily delivered via a web-based platform such as via email (Treskes, Velde, Schoones, & Schalij, 2018). Even simple text message reminders work for patients who do not take their medication because of forgetfulness.

Although all of these are great resources to improve medication adherence, some of them may not be affordable solutions for some patients. Also, most of these require the user to know how to manipulate electronic devices and may cause frustration to some elderly patients.

Reference:

Arndt, R. Z. (2018). Building trust through technology for medication adherence. Retrieved from https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20180526/…

Treskes, R. W., Velde, E. T., Schoones, J. W., & Schalij, M. J. (2018). Implementation of Smart Technology to Improve Medication Adherence in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: is it Effective? Expert Review of Medical Devices, 15(2), 119–126. doi: 10.1080/17434440.2018.1421456

Peer two: Over the past several years, the electronic health record has replaced what was once considered “the paper chart”. The use of the electronic health record technology was proposed to provide a more comprehensive view of a patient’s care. The type of information included in the electronic health record includes information on recent hospitalizations, patient allergies, medications, immunizations, medical histories, progress notes, and the results of laboratory and diagnostic testing (National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, 2019). One of the key features of the electronic health record is the capability of the health information to be shared between different healthcare providers and organizations (National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, 2019).

For my proposal, I am focusing on the use of opioid screening tools to identify those who may be at risk for opioid misuse. These screening tools may be completed on paper, or they may be completed on an electronic device such as an Ipad or tablet. Once these screening tools are completed, they can be easily uploaded or scanned into the electronic health record for patient documentation. As most organizations and providers do, my organization uses the electronic health record. Up until recently, the only providers and nurses who had access to the patient’s electronic health record were those who worked for our organization or our sister organizations. This means only my organization or sister organizations would be able to view the opioid screening tool results. About 6 weeks ago we were informed that our organization was extending the use of the electronic health record to include other outside providers and organizations. This would allow us the opportunity to see patient’s medical records when the patient was seen at other facilities and providers other than our own. This is a huge advancement for the care we provide our patients as we can now see what type of care was provided at other facilities including operative reports, medications, allergies, discharge notes, and other pertinent information.

As for my proposal, while my organization would have immediate access to the results of the opioid screening tools, other organizations who do not use the screening tools would still have the capability to view the results of the screening tools if their organization participated in the use of linking their electronic health record between providers and organizations outside their network. This could make my proposal more successful as providers from other emergency departments in other organizations could access and use the results from the opioid screening tools to make informed decisions regarding opioid prescriptions. The use of a linked electronic health record between organizations and providers is a huge step in providing continuity of care and it can improve patient outcomes.

National Coordinator of Health Information Technology. (2019). What is an electronic health record? Retrieved from https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-electronic-healt…

Peer three: Continuous technological developments in healthcare have saved countless lives and improved the quality of life even more. It becomes a new focus on the concept of information and knowledge. Technological development in clinical applications is the current trend in healthcare and it will continue to play a major role for years to come. It has enhanced nursing care, which in turn enhances the patient care quality and safety. Not only has technology changed experiences for patients and their families, but it also had a huge impact on the medical process and the practices of health care professionals (Banova, 2018). The biggest milestone for the health sector, in regards to using technology, is replacing paper records by Electronic Health Records (EHR). There are some benefits of using EHR in the healthcare industry, they are, the EHR has enhanced patient care, improved public health, and ease of workflow, low healthcare costs and is accessible. Medical records, medical billings, medical coding, recording patients’ updates, their medical history, diagnostic codes have become easy through EHR. The nursing profession is so unique in dealing with direct patient care, providing physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual needs. To do this patient education is a crucial step in nursing, and upgrading this education with technology is a need in modern practices.

Besides only using computers, printers, fax machines, and PowerPoint projectors, I am planning to use IPad too. As my capstone practicum site has an iPad, that is used by supervisors, doctors, therapists, the admission team and clinical liaisons, I can update the hospital team through my emails. For my project, I would use emails, which would contain project information, updates, and implementations process and seek feedback. I pad allows practitioners to complete tasks remotely. For example, physicians can use tablets to assess a patient’s EHR and can review medical histories and send follow-up emails and even complete prescriptions.

Banova, B. (2018). The impact of technology on healthcare. Retrieved from https://www.aimseducation.edu/blog/the-impact-of-t…