The Key Uses of Health Information Systems in Healthcare

Health information systems (HIS) ensure all relevant staff within or across healthcare organisations can access a common foundation of accurate patient information, including diagnoses, medical history, treatments and lab test results. Storing patient records securely and managing them effectively are essential for the smooth functioning of the broader healthcare industry, enabling healthcare professionals at various levels to coordinate their efforts to deliver quality care, improve clinical decision-making and promote operational efficiency.

Read on to discover the advantages and disadvantages of health information systems, so you can make the best choice for your medical practice.  

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What Are Health Information Systems?  

While each health information system is unique, its function is consistent across organisations: to securely and efficiently manage patient data.

The primary components of any HIS typically include:

• an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system to store and manage patient information
• a Patient Portal to provide patients with secure access to their medical records, as well to other features, like appointment-booking and medication collection notifications,
• Some form of data analysis, often integrating Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tools to help healthcare professionals leverage real-time patient data to guide treatment choices and improve patient engagement

Most HIS also include a Master Patient Index into their core structure, to centralise all patient information in a single location.

Additionally, many organisations install Practice Management Software to more strategically allocate personnel and track assets from the medical inventory.  These solutions often synergise with other management systems, especially for medical transportation and financial administration, since all these functions rely on a common pool of resources.

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Key Uses of Health Information Systems in Healthcare.  

The number of uses of health information systems continues to rise, with new software innovations being developed and integrated every year.
 

Patient Record Management  

Primarily, an HIS enables the efficient organisation, storage and retrieval of patient records. These standardly comprise medical histories, test results, diagnoses and treatments.

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Data Analysis and Reporting

HIS supports proactive public health policy, by gathering and interpreting data from a variety of sources within and among healthcare organisations. These high-level data analyses allow key public health decision-makers to identify and respond to trends before crises arise.

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Enhanced Patient Engagement  

Patient portals provide a virtual solution to the problem of patient passivity, encouraging engagement through user-friendly interfaces that make access to information convenient and meaningful.

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Improving Clinical Decision-Making  

A ready supply of up-to-date patient data, gathered in real-time through monitoring devices, equips patients and providers alike to make more informed decisions about treatment plans, and determine more accurate diagnoses.

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Advantages of Health Information Systems.  

The benefits of health information systems are many, including vast improvements in operational efficiency, superior patient care and compliance-assured privacy protections.

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Improved Efficiency and Accuracy  

A properly functioning HIS minimises the need for manual data entry, avoiding errors and streamlining workflows for more efficient, reliable operations.  

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Enhanced Patient Care  

Rapid access to accurate patient data vastly improves the quality and immediacy of care, improving patient outcomes.

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Better Data Security and Compliance  

HIS provide robust data protection measures which ensure the security of patient information, satisfying the latest regulatory requirements according to POPIA’s guidelines.

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Disadvantages of Health Information Systems.  

The disadvantages of EHR and other HIS solutions are few, but nonetheless substantial, and may present real barriers for implementation.

Anticipating and understanding these challenges can help organisations navigate installation and maintenance proactively to mitigate any potential undesirable impacts.

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Implementation Costs 

The significant upfront investment to develop or integrate HIS may be prohibitive for some organisations, financing both installation and onboarding tutorials before long-term gains can accumulate.

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Data Privacy Concerns

Despite advancements in encryption, firewall and other digital security technologies, the rise of cybercrime remains a credible threat to healthcare organisations around the world, where patient data is stolen and ransomed by anonymous attackers.

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Dependence on Technology

Similarly, the reliance on a single system does create a potential for negative impacts in the event of downtimes.  Should a unified digital infrastructure become compromised, though unlikely, critical healthcare processes would be destabilised.  

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Health Information Systems in South Africa.  

Throughout its colonial and apartheid history, South Africa’s health system addressed the needs of only a specific racial minority. Since 1994, efforts to expand and strengthen the health system have relied on the development of a robust HIS. Public healthcare in South Africa benefits the most immediately from HIS adoption, especially in underserved areas where medical needs are greatest and most urgent.  To this end, the government established District Health Management Informations Systems (DHMIS) in 2011, which has assisted in monitoring and evaluating the use of public health data.  The success of DHMIS has led to the development of National Indicator Data Set (NIDS) to guide future health programs, and helped generate eHealth products like the Stock Visibility System, which helps clinics and hospitals manage medical inventories.

In the private sector, HIS help to coordinate provider and funder organisations at various levels.  These include providers like hospitals, specialist practices and support services (e.g. pharmacology, physiotherapy, etc.), and funders like medical scheme administrators and their governance structures, and risk equalisation managers. In short, the management and transformation of both the public and private health sectors in South Africa depend on the continuous development of HIS solutions.

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Balancing the Benefits and Challenges of HIS in South Africa.

Health information systems (HIS) connect digital patient record management tools with a number of transformative applications for improving clinical decisions, analysing public health data, and activating patient engagement throughout the treatment process. But despite their sizable benefits, there remain both advantages and disadvantages to health information systems in South Africa. Among their prospects are improving patient care, reducing burdensome manual administration, and ensuring POPIA-compliant security measures.  

Meanwhile, steep initial investments and the potential for system-wide failures to jeopardise vital services, especially in an age of proliferating cyberattacks remain serious concerns for undecided healthcare organisations. Nevertheless, in the South African context especially, by centralising accurate patient data and reducing the administrative burden of managing medical organisations, HIS play a crucial role in delivery quality healthcare.

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Partner with JustSolve for Custom Health Information System Solutions  

With a decorated history in serving the medical industry’s digital transformation , JustSolve develops premium custom healthcare software for organisations of all sizes. Streamline your operations, optimise flow of information, and provide uncompromising patient care with cutting-edge healthcare technology tailored to meet your organisation’s unique software needs.

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Contact JustSolve today to explore what a custom HIS can do for you — and deliver the healthcare of the future.