The Increase in Health Information Systems Affect Medical Tourism - Research Paper Example

How does the increase in Health Information Systems/technology affect medical tourism? 1056738 Background Medical tourism would be perceived as the travel procedures that people undertake in pursuit of treatment from other countries. It is noted that the past saw the trend involve majority of the people from third world countries towards the developed countries which would be perceived as developed and advanced over medical perspectives. There is however an emerging trend in the modern economies, which see people travelling from developed countries to seek medication from the developing countries as influenced by cost implications with perceived low costs from these developing countries. Besides, legalization of some medical procedures may not be within some countries hence necessitating such travels in order to get such treatments from the nations that the procedures are allowed by law. Among the leading medical procedures that people undertake medical tourism for are surgeries, dental and fertility complications as well as genetic disorders. However, one feature that must be acknowledged is the impact of changing times and especially as illustrated through technological advancement, which has absolute effects on the general concept of medical tourism. It would be perceived that change in health information technology and systems would have absolute effects on international and domestic heath care accreditation, financial ramifications, risks, medical assessments and on morality and ethics in the discipline. This paper however acknowledges that much of the effects are just postulated and hence the need to have a research study to verify such associated effects. This therefore explains the main theme under analysis in this paper, which is related to the growing trend in domestic and international medical tourism as espoused through the question; how does the increase in health information systems/technology effect medical tourism? Problem statement The effects of advancement in technology and information system are evidently visible in literary all aspects of human living with the medical discipline not being left out. Technological advancement has revolutionized the means through which medical procedures are done both locally and internationally with improved efficiency than was previously. However, there are definite implications on use of technology in medical procedures, which are associated with risks, costs, morals and ethical dimensions as well as the legal frameworks in observation. There are however relatively little literature on research studies that explains the implications of increased health information systems and technology on medical tourism. There is therefore the gap that exists in literature on the theme and this would challenge the understanding of implication of adopting technological advancement in such a field as the medical field with particular attention to medical tourism. Thesis statement This study will focus on predefined rational in understanding how advancement in technology and information systems affect the medical field and more so the medical tourism as a trend that is gaining significance in modern day through reviewing existing literature in the theme. Can we establish an empirical significant relation between the increase in Health Information Systems/technology and the effect on medical tourism? Study objectives Evaluate the effects of health reforms towards medical information systems and the medical tourism. Establish the link between effects and types advancement in medical technology and general medical tourism. Postulate on future trends on medical tourism on accreditation and the effects on risks, financial ramifications as well as on ethics and rights of patients. Research questions a. How does the increase in Health Information Systems and technology effect medical tourism? b. How do health reforms affect medical tourism especially through effects on health information systems? Hypothesis i. Advancement in technology as seen through improved health information systems increase medical tourism all together. Limitations of the study Among other shortcomings, this study may suffer limitation of time for a quantitative research analysis as well as lack of adequate literature for review as this field is relatively new in research studies. Literature review In the U, medical tourism is increasingly gaining attention with discoveries of high quality treatments, better customers’ services as well as relatively lowered costs of medication in overseas destinations. In fact according to a report by Williams and Seus (2007), costs savings within the US to such people who participate in the medical tourism range in significance between 60% and 90% with many of the patients travelling overseas for such medications as orthopedic procedures, cardiac procedures and ‘serious’ surgeries. Besides, cosmetic as well as dental surgeries are taking a significant implication on the medical tourism as is perceived within the US. Medical reforms are then seen to influence on the health plans adopted within work places, with particular plans being formulated and implemented to facilitate on patients travel and logistics while undertaking such medical travels. Besides, many of the emerging countries such as India, Dubai, Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia among others are embracing the form of tourism (medical) as seen through the strategic development plans being crafted and enforced with substantial amounts of resources being dedicated to such courses. In fact, according to the report by Williams and Seus, the US take the lead in health reforms especially as shown through the recent introduction of Medicaid and legal formulations such as the ACA (affordable health care act) which emphasize on affordable and effective medical insurance covers to all within the country. Besides, more reforms are being formulated among which are the introduction of information technology within the health care in the country among others which serve to pinpoint the limitations of the systems in operation currently. However, outsourcing of medical services may not be taking a lead in policy and medical reforms as are currently being pursued within the US (Williams & Seus, 2007). In 2007, the predictions about medical tourism in the US were together with that the health insurers within the country would adopt covers that would designed for medical tourism. Small employees as well as the mini-medical planners within the sector would be more suited to revolutionize the medical sector alongside the effects of the medical tourism. Opposition towards the emerging trend in outsourcing medical services through medical tourism may not be as undesirable as otherwise would be perceived due to secondary effects, as health care costs within the country would not be directly influenced. The past trend saw majority of patients moving towards the west for medication although this is increasingly changing with an equal population of the westerners adopting the medical travel towards the developing economies. However, much information on the outcomes from such procedures as are sought elsewhere, the experiences as well as individual perceptions are lacking from the literature as we have today. Nevertheless adoption of advanced technology and especially through internet and associated information system application have provided effective tools to be used in capturing, storing as well as in sharing of this information between countries and individual persons. According at a research by Ozan-Rafferty et al (2014), the main factors that dictate the decision by patients to outsource the medical services across borders are together with lack of options of treatments within one’s country as well as cost implications. Cost factors indirectly touches on a critical issue of medical insurance as is influencing much reforms within US on medical field. For instance, many foreigners would be attracted to Turkey for medical attention because of lower costs, responsiveness and expertise as well as individual interests. By use of non-intrusive method of personal experiences, the study provided a qualitative insight into the theme of medical tourism and this explains the reliability of the findings (Ozan-Rafferty et al, 2014). In analyzing the global scene in medical tourism, Nwachukwu and the team (2010) undertook a study on impacts of electronic system of medical records. The study notes that the EMR (electronic medical record systems) create interactive systems between health organizations as well as other networks within countries. Reforms in medical systems by adoption of EMR as well as EHR (electronic health records) has the capacity to increase efficiencies in reforming medical systems especially as applies to medical tourisms. Standardized information systems can be used across nations to coordinate efforts of medical tourism between the difference countries. On the other hand, Agrawal (2014) reasons that as the medical tourism are on growth trend technological growth model and sustainability should be adopted. State of the art tools and facilities are the basic feature that characterizes effectiveness in medical tourism in the modern day. However, there is urgency n incorporating human social cultural moral and ethical aspects as morality comes in handy with observing particular medical procedures while within a domestic social context as well as in a foreign context. Interactions with international patients are prerequisite to the positive outcome on administered medical procedures. All parties involved depend on interactions and collaborative efforts in order to realize the intended outcome from the medical tourism. Specific assessments and patient rights must therefore be incorporated within medical reforms in order to have the systems in medical industry streamlined. Methodology This study adopts a qualitative deductive methodology in analyzing the data presented through the literature reviewed for testing of the hypothesis guiding the study and effectively answering the questions posed for this study. Literature from four studies has been used in this study and sampling has been done depending on the content and thematic coverage. Analysis and discussion As alluded to from the methodology section, the analysis to used here is qualitative in nature and only relies of the available information from the literature reviewed. The literature shows that improved information system applied within the medical field has direct influence on medical tourism through increased interaction and information sharing. Medical planners and individual employers are having direct influence in policy design and implementation especially on medical insurance coverage to patients who travel across nations for medical procedures. The ease of sharing information between health systems cross-nations and by individual patients is associated with increased medical tourism. Besides, this is enabling countries design and implements favorable policy frameworks, which enable such countries like the US to be objective in implementing health reforms as seen through Medicaid, and the affordable care meant to influence medical insurance coverage to all. These findings from the literature supports the hypothesis guiding this study in that Advancement in technology as seen through improved health information systems increase medical tourism. Conclusions and recommendations Despite the limitation in use of relatively little literature in the study, the study justifiably answers the study questions as well as supports the hypothesis developed. Medical tourism has also been seen as being an old practice across many nations, dynamics that are being experienced are associated with technological advancement and hence the modern day medical tourism is being practiced from and to any nation. Improved information systems in medical field have the capacity to revolutionize completely the discipline of medical tourism and hence should be a welcome in the modern society. This study however recommends that a future study should be conducted empirically in order to develop quantitative support to the findings on association of information systems and support (or otherwise) of medical tourism. References Read More