Hospital information technology in home care.

The utilization of hospital information technology (HIT) as a tool for home care is a recent trend in health science. Subjects gaining benefits from this new endeavor include middle-aged individuals with serious chronic illness living at home. Published data on the utilization of health care information technology especially for home care in chronic illness patients have increased enormously in recent past. The common chronic illnesses reported in these studies were primarily on heart and lung diseases. Furthermore, health professionals have confirmed in these studies that HIT was beneficial in gaining better access to information regarding their patients and they were also able to save that information easily for future use. On the other hand, some health professional also observed that the use of HIT in home care is not suitable for everyone and that individuals cannot be replaced by HIT. On the whole it is clear that the use of HIT could complement communication in home care. The present review aims to shed light on these latest aspects of the health care information technology in home care.

Introduction

The advancements in health care information technology have resulted in the rapid discharge of the patients suffering from serious chronic illness in the recent past (1,2). Thus, it is crucial to have dedicated help and support provided at home in the form of homecare and that the patients remain connected with health providers use the help advanced health information platforms (software). This development has created an expanded need by individuals with serious chronic illnesses who are living at home for support and care by professionals (3).

Therefore, the high quality, efficient home care along with information communication systems is imperative (4). Thus, it is at present a great challenge to develop appropriate efficient means of communication with health practitioners for supporting people with serious chronic illnesses living at home. In addition, recent technological advances along with latest platform of health information technology in biomedicine have advanced the concept of patient empowerment, and provided patients with the tools and resources to play an active role in the delivery and receipt of health care service. The present review aims to discuss and highlight the latest status of health information systems especially in home care of the patients with serious chronic illness.

Chronic illness and its consequences

Chronic illness is a great problem for the affected patient and his/her family as quality of life of both suffers significantly (5). In addition, individuals living with chronic illness have been observed to feel mostly loneliness and isolation despite family living together (6). Recent studies have concluded that people with chronic illness residing at home have need of independence and control in their day to day lives, otherwise they often experience anxiety and fear (7). These days health care information systems are also primarily designed to fulfill the above needs of patients suffering from chronic illness and staying at home. In other words, a basic priority of people who are cared for at home is having support and resources available to facilitate their daily lives (8).

Hospital information technology (HIT) in healthcare

Developments in the field of HIT have provided new ways of providing efficient and secure healthcare to chronic disease patients especially in their homes. In other words, the utilization of HIT applications and software in health care, collectively, are referred to as e-Health (9). However, HIT is a broad term and has roles in variety of areas in our society including telecare, telemedicine, telehealth, telenursing and e-Health. A systematic review identified 51 definitions of e-Health in published materials (10).

Information and communication technology as a tool in home care

Several HIT applications have been tested and used in healthcare to support patients in different areas, e.g., among caregivers for people in hospices (11), among frail elderly individuals living at home (11–13), among children with multiple or critical illnesses and their families (14), among mothers during their infant's first years (15), among young people with diabetes (16), among those with leg wounds treated at home (17), among parents of preterm infants and among individuals with mental illnesses at home (18).

Several studies have been performed on the use of HIT applications by and with elderly individuals, internationally and nationally (11,13,19). It may be prejudicially assumed that age is a barrier to the use of HIT, but studies showed the opposite (11,19). Demiris et al (20) described how elderly individuals felt initial fear regarding the use of HIT, but this fear seemed to diminish after a while. Studies have shown that elderly individuals with chronic illnesses living at home are satisfied with the use of various HIT applications as part of their home care (21,22). Engström et al (23) have shown that HIT is useful for elderly, cognitively impaired individuals living in nursing homes to communicate with their families. The use of HIT applications may also lead to family members becoming more involved in the care of relatives with dementia (24). Family caregivers may also be assisted and supported by HIT, which reduces isolation, creates presence and provides easier access to care professionals (25). A review by Magnusson et al (13) showed the importance of employing user-friendly HIT applications in the care of older people with chronic illnesses living at home.

Johnston et al (26) have shown that the use of remote video technology in home healthcare settings with individuals living with chronic illnesses is effective, well received and enables quality of care to be maintained. According to Agrell et al (27), ill individuals living at home using HIT feel increased access to nurses and have positive views of its effects on their state of health. Simultaneously, they feel uncomfortable disclosing intimate information and perceive their social togetherness with nurses as being reduced. A review showed that patients using telecare at home preferred a combination of HIT and traditional health care delivery (28).

Advantages of HIT in home care

Advantages of telecare considered by health professionals include that it is time efficient and avoids the need for travel. Avoidance of travel is also a benefit for ill individuals who need care (29,30). A recent systematic review (31) of the effects of e-Health's use with patients with chronic illnesses showed that the cost-effectiveness, quality of life and patient satisfaction are rarely investigated. It is important to study the role of home telehealth in improving accessibility and communication for both staff and patients. Such a study may be useful in determining the impacts, benefits and limitations of developing feasible solutions for home telehealth (32).

Recent changes in health care have led more individuals with serious chronic illnesses to live in their own homes. This has led to increased care/nursing care at home. Health care professionals are involved in development of HIT platforms with full zeal to make it possible for individuals with serious chronic illnesses to live at home with complete support and security from their nursing staff depending on their needs. Under above circumstances, HIT applications help to enhance communication between nurses and individuals with serious chronic illnesses living at home. The prime aims of these HIT applications are to increase accessibility, security and safety for people with serious chronic illnesses living in their own homes. Increased knowledge concerning this issue could highlight opportunities to improve and change home care for individuals with serious chronic illnesses in ways that respond to these individuals' needs.

Nurse's view of HIT

The nurses have shown positive and negative responses to the use of HIT in chronic illness patient care especially at home. The prime positive aspects of the health information technology is the ease of sharing of patient computerized data on laptops with other medical staff with full security and regardless of location. Additionally, HIT platforms are successful in reducing stress, as well as travel time. This in turn helps in enhancing accessibility, which contributes towards improved security for ill individuals living at home. On the other hand, negative aspects say that the use of HIT may lead nurses to lose holistic views of patients' situations. Some nurses are of the view that there is a possibility that nurses would not be needed in the future, as a lot of information would be available on the Internet. In addition, equipment for HIT may be regarded as an encroachment on the home or a threat to patient's autonomy. However, it is now evident that individuals could not be replaced by HIT at all as the use of HIT platforms could only complement traditional nursing care.

Conclusion

The present review provides additional understanding of the needs of individuals with serious chronic illnesses living at home and their use of HIT to support communication with nurses. It can be concluded that HIT is an improved version of communication between patient and medial staff, which has security, ease of access, and adaptability to patient needs. However, it is clear that it cannon replace nurses as it is complementary facility to enhance communication barriers. Further research is required to make this technology even more up to date for serious illness especially in home care environment.