The Mobile Revolution

Technology is an amazing thing. Back in the 90’s, I remember that my dad had a cell phone which was the size of a brick. He would only keep it in the car, because it was too bulky to carry around. In the early 2000’s, I got my first cell phone, which was a 3rd-hand Nokia 3210. It had a green and black screen (like an original Gameboy). The only game I had on it was Snake. When I got into college, I got an iPod touch, which was my first introduction to mobile apps. I thought back then, “why would you need that? I have my computer for applications, my iPod is for music, not games, and all this other stuff.” It’s been about 7 years since then and boy was I wrong.

Hello, Hello?

Communication, the exchange of information is a powerful tool. As I have previously discussed in other entries, sharing of health information between different health institutions can help improve the speed and quality of healthcare in the country. Telehealth is a general term for using telecommunications technology in delivering health-related services. The concept is not that new. Using this definition, any phone call or text message from one health worker, asking for the opinion of another in health care management can be considered telehealth. However, there are electronic health systems that have been created that rely on telecommunications. The National Telehealth Center, based in U.P. Manila already has telehealth systems being put into use under their belt. Both CHITS and RxBox, which I have previously mentioned, are examples of telehealth systems that the NTC developed.

This is The Law

With the last post being about the policies and practices of hospitals in the country on data privacy and security, this one is on what the law says about it. Republic Act 10173, also known as The Data Privacy Act, is a law created to deal with the privacy of personal information in electronic systems, including health data. For this week, our class in HI 201 had a debate based on the question: Is the Data Privacy act adequate to protect confidential health information?

For Your Eyes Only

The health worker and the individual have a relationship built around trust. The patient provides information that can be very sensitive about themselves for the health worker to make decisions on their management. In turn, the health worker has the duty to keep this information confidential.

You Decide!

As a healthcare worker, you have to make a lot of important decisions. After all, these decisions affect the health of many individuals. Before, healthcare providers used what they learned from their apprenticeship and experience to make healthcare decisions. This evolved into the creation of clinical practice guidelines, documents that give guiding decisions and criteria for diagnosis and management in specific topics of health. At the present age of evidence-based medicine, modern guidelines use multiple clinical studies as basis for clinical guidelines. 

Interop Co-op

Interoperability - according to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), it is “the ability of different information technology systems and software applications to communicate, exchange data, and use the information that has been exchanged.” Practically, it is the “ability of health information systems to work together within and across organizational boundaries in order to advance the effective delivery of healthcare for individuals and communities.”

It’s Personal

When we go to a health center or hospital, the health care personnel have to ask us a lot of information. What’s your name? How old are you? What’s the reason you consulted today? Do you have any other illnesses? Are you taking any medicine? Do you smoke? Does any members of your family have a similar illness? All these things are important for them to determine if you’re well or not, and if you are sick, what that sickness could possibly be and how they can help to diagnose or treat it.