Introduction
Information and communication technology (ICTs) include a set of effective tools to collect, store, process and exchange health related information. The information communication technology could improve safety, quality and cost effectiveness in health care services. Amongst the application of ICTs to the health sector is the automated system which is known as electronics health records, which is view as the backbone supporting the integration of various tools (example electronic technology and information management). These can help to improve the uptake of evidence in daily clinical practices could create a safety and more efficient health care system.
The development of the computer and evolution of the internet has a positive impact on the areas of information management, disease control, diagnosis, and patient management, easy evaluation of health care rendered to patient and teaching. Electronic health records management has greatly contributed to dissemination of timely information on consistent among health care provider. Again, the adoption of automated health records system in the keeping of patient’s information in the health care system care system focuses on computer automation to provide services for patient effective care. In an automated health information environment, software development is used to promote effective services. Adoption of electronic data processing in health care delivery system reduces error as well as ensuring that effective and efficient service delivery are carried out by the health team in the health care delivery system.
Health information technology provides a comprehension management of health care delivery across computerised system and secure exchange between health care consumers, health care providers, government insurance company and other relevant entities. Automated health information is generally increasing, viewed as the most promising tool for improving the overall quality, safety and efficiency of the health delivery system.
Automated information can improve in developing countries like Nigeria only if the health workers are trained and motivated in basic computing and information technology. Furthermore, all departments in health care institution should be equipped with good and functional facilities like computers and training will necessitate an assessment of baseline knowledge and perception of health workers towards improving quality health care delivery system through the automation of health information in Nigeria as a whole which is the main thrust of this study.
According to Gunton, (1993) Information and communication technology (ICT) could improve safely, quality and cost efficiency of health care services. Among the application of ICTs to the health sector is the automated system which is viewed as the backbone supporting the integration of various tools (example electronic presumption and information management). These can help to improve the uptake of evidence into clinical decision such evidence in daily clinical practices could engender a safe and more efficient health care system.
Myers, (2002), Edworthy, (2001), and Feliciana (2003), States that the development of the computer and evolution of the internet has had a positive impact on the area of information management, disease control, diagnosis, patient management and teaching.
According to Oyunfade, (2003), Oyibo (2003), Odusaya (2002), Bamgbala (2002), electronic health records management has greatly contributed to the dissemination of information among health care professionals.
According to Chandhry, Wang, Maglime, Morton and Skekelle (2006) Health information management technology provides a comprehensive management of health care delivery across the computerized system and secure exchange between consumers, providers, government, and quality entities and insurers. Automated health information is in general, increasing viewed as the most promising tool for improving the overall quality, safely, and efficiency of the health delivery system. Afuwon (2002), Wrote that Nigerian with a large population of approximately 140,000 knowledgeable and perception of health workers towards computer is still very low.
According to scholars, this is because most of health workers have little or no knowledge of computer and internet use by first clinical and nursing students in the university college hospital, Ibadan, it word cover that about 60% of the students had used computer and internet devices but only 425% of them could actually use a computer. Djuwon also stated that little is known about the knowledge and perception of health workers towards automated health information management.
Ogunyade, (2003) carried out another study in LUTH (Lagos State University Teaching Hospital). It was stated that 48% of selected 250 health works in the study have worked with automated health information system though not fully in use in LUTH, these studies show that utilization of computer is very low among Nigeria health workers as they mostly rely on manual methods of health information management.
Bermel, (2008), commented that clinical information aims to improve and facilitate of patients care by the intelligent application of technology and equally increases the effectiveness and efficiency of care as well as patients safely and reduce pressure on health workers.
Osedota (2009), Stated that the staff catches an average of eight potential medication errors a month due to imperfection associated with paper work.
However, with a good backup system for disaster recovery a computer based or automated information system is more reliable than the convention paper record the reason being that they can easily pull data out when needed. This could be beneficial instead of having piles of documentation which could be prone to being misplaced.
Mole, Fox and Napolitano (2015), Carried out a study on how important it is to have patient information confidentially hidden from people who should not be allowed to view them, it was also discovered that in a paper-based system, anyone could obtain the documentation such as the receptionist dealing with passing document onto the doctor, but if there was an automated system, it could be restricted and monitored automatically. This could also flay any abnormalities which may signal an authorized information access.
Jackey, Sharon and Tracy (2003), Automated health record is the use of electronic services for controlling and processing information. It is a machine that makes industries more and more automatic especially by means of electronic contract or self-moving machine on one which moves by machinery.
Burmmel, (2008), defined automated Health information as an evolving concept which involves systematic collection of health information about individual patient or population. It is a record in digital format that is capable of being across different health care facility setting by being embedded in network connected enterprise wide information system.
McWood (2005), stated that when automated health information is adopted in health care industries, there is substantial improvement in the patients, waiting time, strengthening good human relation among the patients and members of the health team and also provides effective monitoring and evaluation of health-care system.
The relevance of information technology to the health information management professional in the health care delivery system
In other to perform the complex functions required of information technology today, the health information management professional would use computers, Services, Data base management system and cryptography. The relevant of information technology in the health care delivery system cannot be over emphasized but the relevant is as follows;
Accuracy of results: Crucial decision base on computer calculation are more likely to be correct than those base human calculation; this is because the probability of errors in calculations by human beings is greater, computer also help in taking a decision when faces with two or more alternatives, they do not need another day to rework the data if any variable is altered.
Communication: Information technology has taking communication function into its fold; sending of E-mail as taking over and it is much faster and easier, patient’s data (folder) can be sent from the health information department to the medical department, Laboratory department etc with the help of information technology, communication has also become cheaper, quicker and more efficient.
Cost effectiveness: Information technology has helped to computerized health care delivery system to make them extremely cost effective; a single employee can perform all the data management chores that were formally been done by five (5) or more employees. Therefore, overhead cost comes down.
Globalization: Networking a crucial component of information technology; through networking, information can be share across from one hospital to another, in the case of inter-feral and across the world. The language barrier is no longer in existent as software that translate information to required languages is also a part of this form of networking; information technology has not only brought the world closer together but it has allowed the world’s economy to become a single interdependent system, this means that we can not only share information quickly and efficiently, but we can also bring down barrier linguistic and geographical boundaries.
Speed: Information technology helps in calculating faster than human being in the area of statistic for easy delivery of health care system; this means that more numbers can be crunched in moment. Therefore more work can be accomplished within the same number of working hours.
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