When most people think of information technology (IT) specialists they think of the stereotypical image of  bespectacled video-game fanatics working in the basements of large corporations, hard to get a hold of and nearly impossible to have a normal conversation with. But in today's technologically-advancing world, having IT training can give almost any kind of professional specialist an edge in their careers. IT can come in handy in some areas of industry that are less likely to come to mind than web design companies, telecommunications businesses and software engineering.

The health sciences is one industry where any ability to improve the functioning of its specialists is critically useful When it comes to saving lives, curing illness and healing physical injury, we should be sparing no expense and reserving no new technology from helping out our doctors, nurses and healthcare specialists. This is why many schools are putting more and more of an emphasis on computer training and information technology.

The internet is an excellent resource not only for people, but for hospitals researching new equipment and medicines, doctors sharing the results of their studies, and nurses looking to widen the scope of their skills. It is a living encyclopedia subjected only to the critical improvement of the peer-review system, where new findings and discoveries are constantly updated and disseminated.

Hospital information systems and database management systems are great ways to improve the efficiency of a hospital, which only serves to give the patients the best treatments and care. These integrated systems are used to manage not only the medical records, but also the administrative, financial, legal and inventory aspects of a hospital's day-to-day operations.

Telemedicine, as a form of mobile computing, has improved the way we can administer health care over distances. Not only can it help save lives when there is no immediate proximity to certain facilities or clinics in times of emergency, but it is also a wonderful tool for the transmission of patient information such as medical records, x-ray imaging, and case studies used for comparative treatments.

There have been many software programs created just for the sake of the healthcare industries which have become integral parts of nursing programs. Two such programs are:

- PointClickCare, which uses an integrated approach to electronic health records to help manage the long-term health care, in their words, for “the complete lifecycle if resident care. From pre-admission to discharge.” This helps the flow of clinical, billing and administrative information.

- Meditech, which uses a system of having a patient's electronic health record follow them “from the physician's office, to the hospital, to her home-base care, and to any other place she receives health services.” This allows for quick and easy access used by doctors with a smartphone or computer.

If you are considering attending a school of nursing, make sure to get the best education by ensuring your program uses technology to its fullest capacity. Just as if you were considering getting any medical help, you'd want one with the technological edge.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on nursing school and other health science programs.




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