Assessment 3: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Essay

Assessment 3: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Essay

Assessment 3: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Essay

Patients present themselves in health care settings with different conditions. Routinely, health care professionals diagnose patients and recommend patient-centered treatments based on the conditions’ severity. For better outcomes, health care professionals should be motivated to interact with patients with unique needs and explore their experiences and challenges in detail. Such interactions allow nurses to understand health and health care delivery from a broader perspective. Internet gaming addicts are such a population. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of technology, care coordination, and community resources when providing care to internet gaming addicts.

Impact of Health Care Technology

As discussed in assessment 2, internet gaming addiction is a multidimensional problem with far-reaching consequences on care quality, patient safety, and health care costs. Internet gaming addiction increases vulnerability to diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and mental health disorders (Örnek & Gündoğmuş, 2022; von der Heiden et al., 2019). It also impedes recovery from other diseases due to poor eating, lack of concentration, and social interaction problems associated with internet gaming addiction. Depending on the severity of the condition, some patients require inpatient care, but others can cope with the problem via outpatient care. Different technologies can help optimize health outcomes when dispensing care to this population.

Before seeking medical assistance, many patients usually try everything possible to restore their health, particularly through non-medication interventions. Close interaction with internet gaming addicts revealed that most try controlling addiction using smartphone apps. A suitable example is AppDetox, which helps internet addicts to calm down their mobile app usage. Some games can also be blocked for a specific time through AppDetox. It is highly reliable since it reminds users to take a break and stop heavy usage. However, the addictive effect makes many patients violate their rules. Given this, more help is needed to help them cope with the condition and adopt more productive behaviors.

Besides using smartphone apps for behavior control, patients can also use them as a health resource for communication, support, and motivation. As mentioned in assessment 2, recovery is better when patients get social support from past victims and everyday connections with colleagues. Smartphone apps like WhatsApp can be used to connect patients through chat groups. Nurses can be members of such groups and use the platforms to communicate, send health advice, and link patients to appropriate resources.

It is advisable for patients receiving outpatient care to maintain close contact with health care professionals as they receive medical information and health education and collaborate in monitoring progress towards recovery. As a result, embracing the whole idea of telehealth technology to optimize health outcomes is essential. Joos et al. (2019) defined telehealth as facilitating health and health-related services through digital communication technologies, including live videos and mobile health. Through telehealth, the target group can benefit from timely medical care tips, patient education, and self-care information without visiting the health care setting. Remote patient monitoring usually dominates other telehealth services.

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The main reason for adopting telehealth is to benefit from its synchronous and synchronous use. When using telehealth synchronously, nurses and other health care professionals communicate with patients in real-time via appropriate technologies such as telephones. A similar connection is vital for internet gaming addicts to follow treatment and health care advice as expected and seek assistance immediately when a problem arises. Asynchronous use of telehealth implies recording appropriate data and messages to share with health care professionals later. Such sharing can happen during an appointment, and health care professionals advise patients on the data they need to collect through regular communication via computer or telephone.

Besides telehealth, patient portals are a valuable technology resource for internet gaming addicts. Dendere et al. (2019) described patient portals as websites for personal health care, allowing patients to interact and communicate with different providers. Inpatient and outpatient care can equally be optimized through patient portals. The technology helps patients track their visits, prescriptions, and test results. They also provide a unique platform for patients to email their health care providers as they ask relevant questions and update health status information as advised.

The other important technology is electronic health records (EHRs). Internet gaming addiction affects patients’ physical, mental, and social health. To provide comprehensive care, nurses should have quick access to patients’ health records and share them with colleagues as situations oblige. Since multiple health care providers are involved in the care plan, EHRs allow nurses to share health information quickly to make shared decisions. Data accessible via EHRs include medical and treatment histories, treatment plans, test results, and unique information such as allergies. The same information can be shared across organizations if a patient is referred to a different facility for advanced or specialized care.

Health care technologies have different advantages and disadvantages, which nurses should be aware of before recommending them for use. Abolfotouh et al. (2019) found that smartphones are a valuable tool for providing quick access to health care providers and improving communication and coordination. They also offer access to information and are highly reliable during emergencies. Despite these benefits, smartphones require internet access, which is not available everywhere. They can also pose health risks such as eyesight problems.

Telehealth and EHRs also have significant advantages and drawbacks. A leading advantage of telehealth is cost savings by reducing physical visits to health care facilities (Joos et al., 2019). Besides remote monitoring of patients, telehealth enables health care professionals to reach people with mobility limitations. However, not all services can be offered via telehealth. The security of data transmitted is also a concern, which can risk patient safety. Sharma et al. (2018) described EHRs as valuable tools for increasing patient participation in the health process. It is the same case with patient portals since they allow patients to take more control of their health. Electronic information sharing through EHRs improves care coordination leading to better patient outcomes (Sharma et al., 2018). However, privacy and security issues increase with the increased use of technology in health care delivery. Inaccurate information can also lead to medication errors.

Evidence regarding technology use is consistent with personal experiences in the nursing practice. Technologies play a vital role in care coordination, reaching patients, and storing essential health care data. Quick service delivery, accuracy, and efficiency, among other beneficial outcomes, cannot be achieved without technologies in care. However, health care professionals must intensify their efforts to cope with barriers associated with technology use. A leading barrier in technology use is security and privacy problems, typical when using EHRs and telehealth (Keshta & Odeh, 2021). Many technologies are also costly since they need updates and maintenance besides purchasing. Lack of computer knowledge and internet access limits telehealth/telemedicine utilization among patients in rural areas (Quinton et al., 2021). As a result, health care providers should combine technologies with other approaches to cope with such barriers.

Care Coordination and Utilization of Community Resources

Health problems with co-occurring conditions require a team approach. Different health care professionals and specialists should coordinate to synchronize patient care delivery. A similar approach is needed to help internet gaming addicts. Mental health professionals should work together with nurses and social health workers to improve health outcomes. In a coordinated practice, patients easily access a broad range of health care services from multiple providers (Khullar & Chokshi, 2018). Coordinated care is also associated with excellent communication and effective care transitions. Khullar and Chokshi (2018) further found care coordination instrumental in lowering costs by increasing access to quality and specialty care. In a coordinated practice, nurses would communicate with mental health experts to ensure holistic assessment. Social health workers and community health nurses can also be included in care coordination to enhance understanding regarding the connection between internet gaming addiction and social determinants of health. Community health nurses can also help connect patients seeking recovery from internet addiction with the appropriate community resources.

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Several community resources are available for people struggling with internet gaming addiction. Suitable examples include community health centers and rehabilitation centers. Zhang et al. (2019) recommended cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for internet addicts to help them erode obsessive thought patterns. CBT can be provided at community health centers. The other important community resource is support groups. They are valuable resources for emotional, moral, and psychological support since patients come together and share experiences as they encourage each other.

Evidence on care coordination and utilization of community resources is consistent with what happens in everyday practice. Generally, care coordination leads to quality care, more patient satisfaction, and less costly procedures. It encourages shared decision-making and a holistic approach to patients’ problems to provide the most appropriate, patient-centered care possible. However, some barriers hamper care coordination and effective use of community resources. A leading barrier is resistance or underuse of technology in care coordination. Inadequate resources dealing with internet gaming addiction is another barrier to comprehensive care.

Nursing Practice Standards and Government Policies

Due to the sensitivity of patient care, multiple practice standards and government policies guide health care providers on health care technology, care coordination, and community resources. The basic standard is to provide ethical practice adherent to ethical principles, such as beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and accountability. In this case, nurses must be fair when distributing care and provide services that benefit patients and protect them from harm.

Government policies also influence nursing practice significantly. On technology and care coordination, the most relevant policies are regulation on security, privacy, and information sharing. For instance, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) obliges health care professionals to protect patients’ health information and preserves the ownership of information to the patient (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018). Data can only be disclosed via a patient’s consent. Data access should also be quick as possible. In response, the Interoperability and Patient Access final rule obliges health care professionals to allow patients access information when they need it and in a way they can use it the best (CMS.gov, 2021). Such policies show that information sharing through technologies is highly regulated, affecting care coordination.

Nursing ethics will inform my approach to addressing internet gaming addiction through technology, care coordination, and community resources in various ways. Firstly, I must ensure that all the decisions seek to benefit patients and protect them from harm. Secondly, security, privacy, and confidentiality must be prioritized when sharing critical patient information. Besides being secure, technologies used should have high interoperability to allow quick and convenient information sharing between health care providers.

Conclusion

Internet gaming addiction is a severe health problem affecting the physical and psychological functioning of individuals. Most patients with the problem have other co-occurring disorders making its control challenging and costly. Nurses should coordinate with other health care professionals to help this unique as their needs oblige. Technologies such as smartphones, telehealth, and EHRs should be used to coordinate care, communication, and monitor patients. To avoid ethical malpractices, care coordinators must be guided by practice standards such as ethical practice and government policies on security and information sharing.

References

Abolfotouh, M. A., BaniMustafa, A., Salam, M., Al-Assiri, M., Aldebasi, B., & Bushnak, I. (2019). Use of smartphone and perception towards the usefulness and practicality of its medical applications among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4523-1

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/hipaa.html#:~:text=The%20Health%20Insurance%20Portability%20and,the%20patient’s%20consent%20or%20knowledge.

CMS.gov. (2021). Policies and technology for interoperability and burden reduction. https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Interoperability/index#:~:text=or%20fact%20sheet.-,CMS%20Interoperability%20and%20Patient%20Access%20Final%20Rule,they%20can%20best%20use%20it.

Dendere, R., Slade, C., Burton-Jones, A., Sullivan, C., Staib, A., & Janda, M. (2019). Patient portals facilitating engagement with inpatient electronic medical records: A systematic review. Journal of medical Internet research, 21(4), e12779. https://doi.org/10.2196/12779

Joos, I., Wolf, D., & Nelson, R. (2019). Introduction to computers for healthcare professionals. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Keshta, I., & Odeh, A. (2021). Security and privacy of electronic health records: Concerns and challenges. Egyptian Informatics Journal, 22(2), 177-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eij.2020.07.003

Khullar, D., & Chokshi, D. A. (2018). Can better care coordination lower health care costs?. JAMA Network Open, 1(7), e184295-e184295. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.4295

Örnek, B. Y., & Gündoğmuş, İ. (2022). The effects of smartphone and internet gaming addiction on eating attitudes among university students. Psychiatry Investigation, 19(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2021.0230

Quinton, J. K., Ong, M. K., Vangala, S., Tetleton-Burns, A., Webb, A., Sarkisian, C., … & Pirtle, C. J. (2021). The association of broadband internet access and telemedicine utilization in rural Western Tennessee: An observational study. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06746-0

Sharma, N., O’Hare, K., O’Connor, K. G., Nehal, U., & Okumura, M. J. (2018). Care coordination and comprehensive electronic health records are associated with increased transition planning activities. Academic Pediatrics, 18(1), 111-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2017.04.005

von der Heiden, J. M., Braun, B., Müller, K. W., & Egloff, B. (2019). The association between video gaming and psychological functioning. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1731. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01731

Zhang, J., Zhang, Y., & Xu, F. (2019). Does cognitive-behavioral therapy reduce internet addiction? Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 98(38), p e17283. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000017283

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In a 5-7 page written assessment, determine how health care technology, coordination of care, and community resources can be applied to address the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined. In addition, plan to spend approximately 2 direct practicum hours exploring these aspects of the problem with the patient, family, or group you’ve chosen to work with and, if desired, consulting with subject matter and industry experts. Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form. Report on your experiences during the second 2 hours of your practicum.
Instructions
Complete this assessment in two parts.
Part 1
Determine how health care technology, the coordination of care, and the use of community resources can be applied to address the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined. Plan to spend at least 2 practicum hours exploring these aspects of the problem with the patient, family, or group. During this time, you may also consult with subject matter and industry experts of your choice. Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form. Use the Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 3 [PDF] provided for this assessment to guide your work and interpersonal interactions.
Part 2
Report on your experiences during the second 2 hours of your practicum.
• Whom did you meet with?
o What did you learn from them?
• Comment on the evidence-based practice (EBP) documents or websites you reviewed.
o What did you learn from that review?
• Share the process and experience of exploring the effect of the problem on the quality of care, patient safety, and costs to the system and individual.
o Did your plan to address the problem change, based upon your experiences?
o What surprised you, or was of particular interest to you, and why?
CORE ELMS
Update the total number of hours on the NURS-FPX4900 Volunteer Experience Form in CORE ELMS.
Requirements
The assessment requirements, outlined below, correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, note the additional requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.
• Analyze the impact of health care technology on the patient, family, or population problem.
o Cite evidence from the literature that addresses the advantages and disadvantages of specific technologies, including research studies that present opposing views.
o Determine whether the evidence is consistent with technology use you see in your nursing practice.
o Identify potential barriers and costs associated with the use of specific technologies and how those technologies are applied within the context of this problem.
• Explain how care coordination and the utilization of community resources can be used to address the patient, family, or population problem.
o Cite evidence from the literature that addresses the benefits of care coordination and the utilization of community resources, including research studies that present opposing views.
o Determine whether the evidence is consistent with how you see care coordination and community resources used in your nursing practice.
o Identify barriers to the use of care coordination and community resources in the context of this problem.
• Analyze state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies associated with health care technology, care coordination, and community resources and document the practicum hours spent with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.
o Explain how these standards or policies will guide your actions in applying technology, care coordination, and community resources to address care quality, patient safety, and costs to the system and individual.
o Describe the effects of local, state, and federal policies or legislation on your nursing scope of practice, within the context of technology, care coordination, and community resources.
o Explain how nursing ethics will inform your approach to addressing the problem through the use of applied technology, care coordination, and community resources.
o Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.
• Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
• Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.
Additional Requirements
• Format: Format your paper using APA style. APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] is provided to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:
o A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.