USING eHEALTH IN THE
COMMUNITY
Week 9
The major goal of community health nursing is to preserve the
health of the community. This is best achieve by focusing on:
Health promotion and health maintenance of:
1. individuals,
2. families,
3. groups within the community.
Using eHealth in the Community
1. Universal health care and ICT
Making health care accessible to all remains a great challenge.
Lack of financial health care coverage leads to high out-of-pocket
expenses.
Mass migration of healthcare professionals leaves the remote and rural
areas of the country with limited access to specialized care.
The achepelagic distribution of the country makes health care delivery
even more challenging.
Con’t of UHC..
The UHC (Kalusugan Pangkalahatan) , a health care reform agenda of DOH,
AO #2010-0036
One of the aims of KP is to attain efficiency by using IT in all aspects of
health care.
Use of health information to establish a modern information system that
shall provide evidence for policy and program development and support for
immediate and efficient provision of health care of province-wide health
systems.
UHC to improve: health care access; quality; efficiency; patient’s safety and
satisfaction; for reducing cost and enabling policy makers, providers,
individuals, and communities to make the best possible decisions.
Con’t of using eHealth..
2. Electronic Media Record (EMR)-comprehensive patient records
that are stored and accessed from a computer or server.
Workflow in health centers is basically the same.
Each patient record is usually used more frequently.
CHC (community health centers) make healthcare services available to
families enabling the community health worker to observe familial
predispositions to certain diseases and provide appropriate health
promotion and prevention measures.
Con’t of Using eHealth
Ideally, a person can utilize health center services from womb to
tomb.
If patient encounter is documented properly and patient recording
system is set up with accuracy and efficiency.
The CHN should be aware of health patterns and health indicators
within their catchment area. Vital statistics indicators: mortality,
morbidity.
Con’t of Use of eHealth
3. Telemedicine – (WHO definition) the delivery of health care services, where
distance is a critical factor, by all health care professionals using ICT for:
the exchange of valid information for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of
disease and injuries, research and evaluation and for the continuing education of
health care providers , all in the interest of advancing health of individuals and their
communities.
4 elements specific to Telemedicine:
1. purpose is to give clinical support
2. intended to overcome geographical barriers, connecting users who are not in the
same physical location
3. Involves use of various types of ICT
4. Goal is to improve health outcomes
The goal of patient receiving the best care as soon as possible despite an
unfavorable location or other adverse circumstances can be reached thru
telemedine.
4. eLearning - the use of electronic tools to aid in teaching.
Health education which is essential in health promotion and maintenance
can be facilitated by ICT.
This can be done synchronously, asynchronously, or a combination of
both. E.g instruction vidoes, information textblast to social network groups and
interactive simulations. It permits access to reliable information. Useful in
correcting misconcepttion about health.
Con’t of Using eHealth
Can also be used to educate fellow health professionals. Continuing
education can be frequently availed with less time, effort and
expense.
e.g online and virtual seminars thru teleconferences and multiuser
virtual environments.