Good morning, everyone. I’m excited to be here today to talk to you about the importance of health care information technology (HIT) and the role of the new health care IT department at St. Augustine’s Hospital.

The impact of ARRA, HITECH, and HIPAA on HIT

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 provided billions of dollars in funding to support the adoption and use of HIT. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which was part of the ARRA, further incentivized the adoption of HIT by providing financial rewards to hospitals and other healthcare organizations that met certain criteria. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that protects the privacy and security of health information.

These three laws have had a major impact on the implementation and use of HIT. They have helped to increase the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), which have been shown to improve the quality of care and reduce costs. They have also helped to strengthen the privacy and security of health information.

Threats to HIT

There are a number of threats to the implementation and use of HIT. These include:

• Lack of funding: The cost of implementing and using HIT can be a barrier for many healthcare organizations.
• Lack of technical expertise: Many healthcare organizations do not have the technical expertise to implement and use HIT effectively.
• Lack of user acceptance: Some healthcare professionals may be reluctant to adopt HIT, due to concerns about privacy, security, or usability.
• Lack of interoperability: Different HIT systems often cannot communicate with each other, which can make it difficult to share patient information.
• Security breaches: HIT systems are vulnerable to security breaches, which can lead to the unauthorized disclosure of patient information.

Overcoming the threats to HIT

There are a number of ways to overcome the threats to HIT. These include:

• Providing financial incentives: Governments and other organizations can provide financial incentives to healthcare organizations that adopt and use HIT.
• Offering training and support: Healthcare organizations can offer training and support to their staff to help them learn how to use HIT effectively.
• Addressing privacy and security concerns: Healthcare organizations can take steps to address privacy and security concerns, such as encrypting patient data and implementing strong access controls.
• Promoting interoperability: Healthcare organizations can work together to develop standards that will allow different HIT systems to communicate with each other.
• Investing in security: Healthcare organizations can invest in security measures to protect their HIT systems from unauthorized access.

The importance of credentialing

Professional credentialing is the process of verifying the qualifications of a healthcare professional. It is important for HIT professionals because it helps to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their jobs effectively.

There are a number of different areas of professional credentialing for health care professionals in IT. These include:

• Certified Health Information Administrator (CHIA): This certification is for healthcare professionals who manage and administer health information systems.
• Certified Health Information Technology Specialist (CHIT): This certification is for healthcare professionals who develop, implement, and support health information systems.
• Certified Healthcare Privacy and Security Officer (CHPSO): This certification is for healthcare professionals who are responsible for protecting the privacy and security of health information.

How credentialing helps in achieving quality care

Credentialing helps to achieve quality care by ensuring that HIT professionals have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their jobs effectively. It also helps to ensure that HIT systems are used safely and securely.

The benefits of having a health care IT department

There are a number of benefits to having a health care IT department. These include:

• Improved quality of care: HIT can help to improve the quality of care by providing healthcare professionals with access to patient information in real time.
• Reduced costs: HIT can help to reduce costs by streamlining administrative processes and improving efficiency.
• Increased patient satisfaction: HIT can help to increase patient satisfaction by making it easier for patients to access their health information and communicate with their healthcare providers.
• Improved safety: HIT can help to improve safety by reducing medication errors and other patient safety risks.

Conclusion

I hope this presentation has given you a better understanding of the importance of HIT and the role of the new health care IT department at St. Augustine’s Hospital. I encourage you to volunteer to work with me on this important initiative. Thank you for your time.