Patient-Centric System Analysis

Patient-centric care practices are becoming the foundation of the current healthcare system. However, there is work and research to be done before a fully integrated and patient-centric system is in place throughout the healthcare system. Murphy (2011) has taken a closer look at the patient-centric care system, and what must be done before the patient truly becomes the center of the healthcare universe. Patient-centric care makes the patient and their family members a significant part of the care team, which may help to remove unneeded and unwanted services (Murphy, 2011). Murphy (2011) determines four areas within the healthcare system that can be improved to increase patient involvement in their care: eHealth, primary care, hospital care, and health information exchange.

Within the eHealth sector the patient can create a profile that allows them to schedule appointments, store important medical paperwork online, create and update medication and allergy lists, and store relevant medical history (Murphy, 2011). All of this information can then be easily accessed during medical emergencies, and during regular office visits. This creates the evidence-based care that clinicians continuously struggle to provide (Murphy, 2011).

Primary care should be the first point of contact with the healthcare system for many individuals. The primary care physicians, however, are not as patient-centric as they should be. There was a Commonwealth Fund project that determined 11 patient-centric care practices, with only 22% of the physicians’ offices being in the high range (6-11 practices adopted) of patient-centric practices met (Murphy, 2011). This could easily change if more physician offices adopted more automation within the office.

Hospit...

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...to be more involved with their care and be able to understand the care that is being provided to them because they can help update medical histories, insurance information, and medications through portals from their homes. Allowing the patient to be in control of their own health and the care they are receiving.

References

Tan, J., & Payton, F. C. (2010). Adaptive health management information systems (3rd ed.).

Sadbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Murphy, J. (2011). Patient as a center of the health care universe: A closer look at patient-centered care. Nursing Economics, 29(1), 35-37.

Singh, Y. & Chauhan, A. (2009). Neural networks in data mining. Journal of Theoretical and

Applied Information Technology, 5(2), 37-42.

Carpenter, D. (2007). Visions of health care’s future: Bigger, more patient-focused systems?. Hospitals & Health Networks, 81(5), 4-7.