Discussion: Technology and Cost Containment
NURS 8100 Week 5: Economic and Technological Influences on Policy
NURS 8100 Discussion: Technology and Cost Containment
Discussion: Technology and Cost Containment
In response to continually rising health care costs, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) provision was created to promote the meaningful use of health care information technology through numerous incentive programs for health care providers. By enhancing data collection, streamlining electronic medical records, and increasing transparency, it is believed that significant cost savings can be realized as well as other positive outcomes. What are some of the tradeoffs involved in this type of policy?
To prepare for Discussion: Technology and Cost Containment:
- Reflect on the challenges of containing health care costs in the U.S. presented in the Learning Resources and discussed by Dr. Kominski and Dr. Zelman in the media.
- Consider how information technology may be used to address health care issues related to cost.
- Examine the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) provision and its goals.
By Day 3 of Discussion: Technology and Cost Containment
Post a cohesive response that addresses the following:
- Briefly summarize a significant challenge to containing health care costs.
- How do policy makers envision technology could be utilized to address this challenge (above)? Provide at least one example to support your response.
- Do you agree or disagree with the policy makers? Describe why you agree or disagree and include one or more insights from this analysis that relate to the question of how information technology could, or could not, help contain costs while supporting health care reform initiatives.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.
By Day 6 of Discussion: Technology and Cost Containment
Respond to at least two of your colleagues in one or more of the following ways:
- Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, evidence or research.
- Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.
- Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own research in the Walden Library.
- Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.
- Make a suggestion based on additional evidence drawn from readings or after synthesizing multiple postings.
- Expand on your colleagues’ postings by providing additional insights or contrasting perspectives based on readings and evidence.
Note: Please see the Syllabus and Discussion Rubric for formal Discussion question posting and response evaluation criteria.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you learned and/or any insights you gained as a result of the comments made by your colleagues.
Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and any additional sources.
