The Roles of Internet

in Health Care
Setting
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

The Internet is a tool

that has the potential to
greatly affect and
improve the quality of
healthcare.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

The Internet is a vehicle by which

healthcare organizations can
broaden the accessibility of
applications by users, facilitate
exchanges of information,
reduce costs, enhance revenue,
and provide better delivery and
quality of care to patients
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

The potential for the

improvement in the
delivery and quality of
care to patients, which
also leads to increased
patient satisfaction, is
one of the most
important implications
of the transition to these
technologies.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting
Computers are the excellent
means for storage of
patient related data. Big
hospitals employ computer
systems to maintain
patient records. It is
often necessary to
maintain detailed
records of the
medical history of patients.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Computers can keep track of

prescriptions and billing
information. They can be used to
store the information about the
medicines prescribed
to a patient as well
as those, which
cannot be prescribed
to him/her.
Computers enable
an efficient storage
of huge amounts of
medical data.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Medicine comprises vast

base of knowledge.
Computer storage can serve
as the best means of
housing this information.
Medical journals,
research and
diagnosis papers,
important medical
documents and
reference books
can best be stored in an
electronic format.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting
Many of the modern-day
medical equipment have small,
programmed computers. Many
of the medical appliances of
today work on pre-programmed
instructions. The circuitry and
logic in most of the medical
equipment is basically a
computer. The functioning of
hospital-bed beeping systems,
emergency alarm systems, X-
ray machines and several such
medical appliances is based on
computer logic.
 The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Computer software is used for

diagnosis of diseases. It can be
used for the examination of
internal organs of the body.
Advanced computer-based
systems are used to examine
delicate organs of the body. Some
of the complex surgeries can be
performed with the aid of
computers. The different types of
monitoring equipment in hospitals
are often based on computer
programming.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Tests are medical procedures where

specified components of the human
body are scanned. A test can be as
simple as a regular blood test or it can
be a complex CT scan. This process is
often referred to as a medical imagery.
In order to increase the precision of
such procedures, computers have been
adopted and integrated into the testing
equipment.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

The Internet, as a public

network, permits an open
flow of global communication
and information sharing.
Internet applications for
healthcare organizations are
numerous.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting
A practice web site
may assist in the
delivery of services
because it has the
ability to reach
increasing
numbers of
consumers
with relative
ease and little cost.
 The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

This continuous access can lead to

increased patient satisfaction and loyalty
because communications may become more
timely between physician and patient
(Sharma 2001). A practice web site allows
credible healthcare content to be provided
online and for information to be shared with
patients in a convenient format, which may
strengthen relationships with patients.
 The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Hospitals and other

healthcare organizations can
significantly improve quality of
care for patients by reducing
the frequency of medical
errors through use of the
Internet, e-mail, and other
technologies.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Electronic drug
prescriptions via Web-
based applications have
the potential to greatly
reduce this type of
errors.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Some administrators and provider

organizations are currently investigating
ways to use internal Web-based information
systems designed to report, track, and
analyze actual or potential medical errors
and adverse events. Many new Web-based
information systems focus on generating
automatic alerts to help physicians reduce
medication errors.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

The Internet is also being

used by hospitals and other
healthcare organizations to
guide the development of
best practices and effective
clinical decision making.
 The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

The sharing of, and easy

accessibility to, clinical and
care management protocols
between hospitals and
physicians can be used to
enhance the effectiveness,
efficiency, and appropriateness
of care provided.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Currently, one of the most

widely debated topics in the
healthcare field is the use of
electronic medical records,
which many administrators
and clinicians feel can
improve quality of care for
patients.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

The easy availability and

accessibility of patients'
comprehensive medical history may
have the potential to reduce life-
threatening medical errors, allow for
the provision of more appropriate
care, and improve communication
between physicians and patients
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Opportunities abound for improved quality of care

as the Internet and related technologies are
dramatically altering the traditional physician-
patient relationship. The Internet is a medium
for complementing traditional patient care and
can serve as a means to enhance the
physician-patient relationship. One primary
use of the Internet between physicians
and patients is communication via e-mail.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

E-mail can be utilized to provide information

such as lab test results, follow-up treatment
progress, clarification of advice given in an
office visit, direction to educational
materials or other resources
available on the Internet, reminders
for preventive care, and information
about newly identified side effects
of drugs.
The Roles of Internet in Health Care Setting

Communication via the Internet will

reduce the need for face-to-face
contact between physicians and their
patients, which will benefit those
patients who would rather remain
at home or are unable to travel
to receive care.
The Roles of Internet in
Health Care Setting
Intranet and Extranet
 Intranet
Intranets are information and communication
systems that use the World Wide Web but are
secured from the general public. They allow for
secure internal dissemination of information
within an organization. An Intranet allows
administrators and physicians to access
pertinent information in documents, such
as patient records, clinical reports, and
patient charts, conveniently and easily.
This convenience may enhance the
coordination and provision of timely and
appropriate care.
 Extranet

An Extranet, which involves use of

a shared network, connects a
healthcare organization to its
business partners and
facilitates seamless and
secure communication.
 Extranet

An Extranet can be utilized to improve the

quality of care in many ways, including
verifying patient eligibility, reviewing status
of claims, obtaining preauthorization
information, accessing formularies
online, and viewing inpatient census
data. These activities relate to both
administrative and clinical quality
processes.