Hidden Dangers of Using Technology in Healthcare to be Aware of for Future Development

by Rachael Alexander

The development of technology has changed healthcare for the better over the years with each new invention from the stethoscope in 1816 and the x-ray in 1895 to CT and MRI scans in the 1970s. Arguably the technological implementation of the electronic health record (EHR) has had the greatest impact on healthcare. As of 2021, 78%, which is nearly 4 in 5 office-based physicians and 96% of all non-federal acute care hospitals have adopted a certified EHR. This marks substantial 10-year progress since 2011 when 28% of hospitals and 34% of physicians had adopted an EHR (HealthIT.gov, 2022).

Top 5 Ways EHRs have Dramatically Improved HealthCare

1. Improved Patient Care: Easier for healthcare providers to access patients’ medical histories, test results and other important data allowing them to provide more informed and efficient individualized care.
2. Increased efficiency saving on costs: Reduces the amount of time healthcare providers spend on filling out paperwork and searching for patient records.
3. Patient Safety: EHRs can have built in alerts to prevent errors and adverse advents such as medication administration, allergies, and drug interactions.
4. Better data collection and management creating Research opportunities and greater accuracy of outcomes: Big data can be easily searched and analyzed to identify patterns and trends that may not be apparent in individual records that can be used to improve healthcare practices and inform public health policies.
5. Improved Communication and Increased Patient Engagement: Easier for providers to communicate with each other to share patient information and coordinate care. EHRs have also made it easier for patients to access their own medical records and communicate with their healthcare providers empowering them to manage their own healthcare.

E-Health and the Smartphone

E-health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the transfer of health resources and health care by electronic means, which encompasses the delivery of health information, for health professionals and health consumers, through the Internet and telecommunications, but also the use of information technology (IT) and e-commerce in health systems management and to the improvement of public health services” (2016). As of 2021, 97% of Americans have a mobile phone which allows them to participate in E-health (AIMS education, 2022). The development of telehealth and healthcare system patient mobile apps provides easy access and communication with one’s healthcare provider quickly and without the long wait times of phone calls or waiting rooms. Fitness and diet apps, vital sign and chronic disease self- monitoring apps let patients literally “take their health into their own hands” making apparent this paradigm shift from reactive problem solving medicine to preventative and precision medicine (Moerenhout et. al, 2017).

Hidden Dangers

Although this paradigm shift of heavy use of technology in medical practice has changed healthcare primarily for the better, it doesn’t come without some drawbacks that we must take into consideration as technology development in healthcare is fast outpacing the ability of users to keep up with all the changes. With machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) currently being used online as chatbots or reading medical images to assist doctors in making medical diagnoses, and providing algorithms to decide healthcare practices based on electronic data and more, these alterations in healthcare delivery can become a liability if not kept in check and the dangers mitigated.

Disadvantages of Technology Use in Healthcare

1. Interpersonal communication: Digital screens can reduce face-to-face interactions between healthcare professionals and patients which can negatively affect the relationship and patient satisfaction.
2. Cost: Implementing and maintaining technology can be expensive, which can make it difficult for some healthcare organizations to adopt and also increase overall healthcare costs to purchase expensive equipment.
3. Privacy and Security: EHRs create a vulnerability for digital data security breaches such as hacking- personal identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized access to protected health information (PHI).
4. Technical Difficulties: Infallibility of technology where system downtimes, lack of power or internet access can affect patient care. Technical issues with digital tools can be a barrier to access for patients not comfortable with the technology.
5. Dependence: Overreliance on technology can create a risk for healthcare providers to become too dependent on it, potentially leading to errors and overlooking important aspects of care like a thorough physical examination of the patient instead of relying solely on electronic data or algorithms with the potential to make incorrect diagnoses.
6. Potential for Errors: While technology can reduce errors, it can also introduce new errors, such as incorrect data entry, misinterpretation of data or incorrect use of medical devices that could cause harm to a patient.
7. Learning Curve: Technology often requires healthcare providers to learn new skills and adapt to new systems which can be challenging and time consuming.
8. Digital Divide: The use of technology in healthcare may not be accessible to all patients, particularly those in low-income or rural areas, expanding the digital divide and worsening social determinants of health.

While technology has brought many improvements to healthcare, these dangers must be considered as we continue to apply new technology into practice and weigh the benefits versus the potential risks. Appropriate measures must be implemented to minimize the above disadvantages associated with technology use in healthcare, especially for all healthcare providers to beware of overdependence upon the technology that they don’t know how to provide safe and quality healthcare to patients without it when there are downtimes. Awareness of these hidden dangers of technology use in healthcare can open up the way for technology to continue to support and benefit both medical providers and patients by detecting and addressing any issues early on.  Click here for further discussion of the impact of advantages and disadvantages of technology use in healthcare.

References

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            https://aimseducation.edu/blog/the-impact-of-technology-on-healthcare

Carroll, W. (July, 2018). Artificial Intelligence, Nurses and the quadruple aim. Online Journal of

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Davenport, T., & Kalakota, R. (2019). The potential for artificial intelligence in healthcare. Future

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Saber Healthcare Group. (2020, August 14). Technology in healthcare.

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