Reference no: EM133397538

Questions

1. Define health technology policy.

2. What are some key terms in health information technology? List and define two.

3. What organizations safeguard health policies? List at least two organizations and a policy they safeguard.

4. Provide a brief description of the U.S. Food Drug Administration's (FDA's) role in health policy.

Tracey Estrada

?Health technology is defined as "medical and surgical devices and procedures, medical equipment, and diagnostic test" (McLaughlin & McLaughlin, 2014). Health information technology (HIT), on the other hand, refers to those such as electronic health records (EHR) and computerized provider order entry (CPOE) and plays a significant part in the contemporary development of healthcare and health. Information management is essential to the delivery of healthcare. Computerized health information systems have significantly impacted healthcare for information storing, processing, and electronic exchange (McLaughlin & McLaughlin, 2014).

EHRs is a database that stores all information necessary to provide a comprehensive record of a patient's medical history, including prior diagnoses, treatments, radiology tests, lab tests, etc., that becomes the medical record. The information contained in the EHR can be transmitted electronically through the health information network (HIN), which is a computer network that links doctor's offices, hospitals, and other locations where medical data is created or used to enable the safe transmission of electronic data to guarantee that providers have access to history and physical (H&P) data to provide care to patients (McLaughlin & McLaughlin, 2014).

The HHS Office administers Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the Office of Civil Rights. The HIPAA Security Rule requires three types of safeguards. One is the technical safeguard; it describes who is protected by the HIPAA privacy laws and what measures it must take to guarantee that electronically protected health information is adequately protected. A second safeguard is that of administration. Protection under HIPPA includes rules applying to administrative transactions, health care claims, and coordination of benefits (HealthIT.gov, n.d.).

The FDA is an agency within the HHS. The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by monitoring the safety and efficacy of all medications, biological products (such as blood, vaccinations, and biologics), medical devices, and animal pharmaceuticals and feed. It also assures that radiation-emitting cosmetics, medical devices, and consumer goods are safe. The FDA ensures that they contribute to bettering health outcomes by employing tight policies and processes through monitoring for safety and efficacy.