HSCI710 Essay Health Innovation

Name

Liberty University

December 16, 2022 

Health innovation

Healthcare management methods are changing because of innovations that are emerging quickly in the field of health information technology. The development of policies must keep pace with the evolving advances and scientific findings. Numerous unexpected effects are produced by this disparity, including increased financial strain on patients and providers (Greenberg,2016). We suggest that to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based innovations into this healthcare delivery system, policy makers should collaborate with technologists to find opportunities for collaboration.

One positive effect is the ability to collaboratively work with technologists to accelerate the adoption of novel ideas for improvement. Government officials, regulators, healthcare providers, and patients all have a role in ensuring that the appropriate management strategies are brought into the system expeditiously. Currently, many complex technical issues or concerns can be resolved locally between providers or other stakeholders with the support of information technology experts. For novel ideas to become a part of each agency’s work environment and policies, there must be a formalized collaboration process that ensures the timely exchange of resources and expertise. At an institutional level, interagency relationships will only be successful if they take hold across all agencies operating in each jurisdiction.

The negative effect is the lack of opportunity for technologists to translate their expertise into meaningful contributions to the policy debate because of the current healthcare system’s resistance to changes. Technologists suffer from an image that they are not “top-down” change makers and that they consider themselves more closely aligned with patients than with policymakers. Technologists should be included in the planning process at all healthcare delivery levels, which needs to happen with sufficient frequency. To improve collaboration, technologists should provide technical assistance and training to healthcare professionals, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders.

Workforce development is preparing for and managing changes to the healthcare workforce promptly. Correspondingly, innovation identifies opportunities for change, implements those changes, and incorporates new ideas into the current healthcare management structure (Mina,2018). Educational institutions can serve as a resource during periods of rapid development. Innovative work environments will be more attractive if they provide a means for collaboration between end users and technologists. Suppose educational institutions must be made aware of their role in workforce development. In that case, they will need more support to provide adequate support to students seeking to become a part of the rapidly evolving health information technology field.

One positive effect is the opportunity to set up a formalized collaboration policy between educational institutions and private-sector healthcare agencies. The sudden changes in healthcare information technology profoundly affect the educational system’s ability to prepare students adequately for the work environment when they enter the workforce.

The negative effect of innovations in health information technology and workforce development is a general need for more understanding of the connection between the two and a lack of funding for training (Burns,2022). The educational system needs to be sufficiently funded to provide all students with an opportunity to receive health information technology training, contributing to a shortage of qualified healthcare workers.

Leadership is the art of influencing people to accomplish a common goal. Leaders inspire others to accept an organization’s strategic direction and goals by creating a vision for them to participate in. Leadership is about developing people’s ability to make decisions, support those decisions, and make growth plans. The Health Information Technology Leadership Model is a comprehensive approach that involves all stakeholders in the design process. Healthcare leadership must supply the right amount of information technology research and development funding, ensure that policies are transparently framed with clear leadership expectations, produce an environment conducive to innovation within each healthcare organization, and provide oversight over issues that threaten patient safety or increase costs. From the Bible ‘Matthew 20:25-28’ (NIV) read by Jesus. ‘But Jesus called them to him and said, still referring to the Twelve, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.’ This quote tells us that leaders should lead by example and serve others, not themselves. The concept of leadership is closely linked with the concept of innovation or change management (Ritchie,2018). Sometimes, leaders may resist innovation or changes due to their values or biases.

A positive effect is developing collaborative partnerships and forming an innovative culture within healthcare agencies. A collaborative partnership allows for a change in the leadership and management structure between administration, technologists, and clinicians. When a collaborative partnership is established, communication and trust are encouraged to improve decision-making within the agency.

Healthcare technology’s role in leadership development is to provide appropriate roles for technologists that allow them to assist administrators in facilitating innovation, driving change, and promoting collaboration among all stakeholders (Einspruch,2020). Technologists must be included as full partners in the leadership model if they are to contribute what they know to improve the current state of healthcare management.

One negative effect is a loss of public faith and trust in healthcare management due to poor leadership. Healthcare leadership must be actively engaged to ensure that the public view their organization as efficient and transparent.

Conclusion

Information technology provides organizations with a means for improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and overall quality of the healthcare system (Brawley,2016). Although health information technology does not have to be complex, it does require effective communication among all stakeholders before any changes can be implemented properly. Change leaders should consider information technology’s role in implementing change management initiatives when designing strategies to improve healthcare delivery. Technologists can act as change leaders by providing appropriate technology solutions and collaborating with policymakers on innovative policies that will improve healthcare delivery. 

References

Greenberg, M. R. (2016). The diffusion of public health innovations. American Journal of Public Health, 96(2), 209-210.

Consoli, D., & Mina, A. (2019). An evolutionary perspective on health innovation systems. Journal of evolutionary economics, 19(2), 297-319.

Burns, L. R., & Burns, L. R. (Eds.). (2022). The business of healthcare innovation.

Cambridge University Press.

Fleiszer, A. R., Semenic, S. E., Ritchie, J. A., Richer, M. C., & Denis, J. L. (2018). The sustainability of healthcare innovations: a concept analysis. Journal of advanced nursing, 71(7), 1484-1498.

Omachonu, V. K., & Einspruch, N. G. (2020). Innovation in healthcare delivery systems:

a conceptual framework. The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal, 15(1), 1-20.

Rejeski, W. J., & Brawley, L. R. (2016). Functional health: innovations in research on physical activity with older adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 38(1), 93-99.