Computer technology in medical practice and its impact on the delivery of health care

Abstract

The complexity of medical care is increasing rapidly, with a vast array of information required to be managed. Information technology (IT; computer systems to manage such information) is now accepted as the solution to this complexity and other knowledge management issues. It is also hailed as the solution to the medical systems hyperinflation, through the economic efficiencies it promises. However, IT has its own drawbacks, with substantial concern about possible inappropriate access to information and difficulty in software design, which hinder the ability to achieve its primary purpose, namely to facilitate the medical care of patients in the health-care system, including from the perspective of the caregiver. The implementation of such extraordinarily expensive systems on an enormous scale is yet to be proven beneficial in substantial ways. However, the successful implementation of such systems is a necessity for modern medicine. The legal and regulatory framework for such IT systems is also struggling to maintain pace with the evolution of technology.