Technology-Care Coordination and Community Resources Considerations

Technology-Care Coordination and Community Resources Considerations

Part One

The Impact of Healthcare Technology on Care Coordination for Patients with Type Two Diabetes

Type two diabetes is a chronic disease associated with lifestyle factors. The world population is increasing, and people with type two diabetes have also increased. As the population increases, people adopt sedentary lifestyles such as smoking, eating sugary foods, and avoiding physical exercises, increasing the risk of type two diabetes. Increased cases of diabetes are a burden to people and the healthcare system. The condition has increased mortality rates, morbidity, and the cost of healthcare. The ever-increasing burden and problem of type two diabetes has resulted in the need for new technologies to address the problem effectively and efficiently.

The latest technologies in type two diabetes fall under information systems, technologies for self-monitoring, technologies for delivering insulin, technologies that reduce information processing, and technologies that focus on patient education (Rehman et al., 2017). These new technologies coordinate care management between type 2 diabetes patients and healthcare professionals, which improve quality of care, improve patient outcomes, increase safety, and reduce healthcare costs for the patient. Patients with type 2 diabetes present with multiple signs and symptoms that differ from patient to patient. The patients also have other infections, such as hypertension, that affect them. The technologies address multiple issues in diabetes accurately and improve interdisciplinary team collaboration in caring for diabetic patients (Rehman et al., 2017). Ideally, the technologies improve health outcomes, and therefore they should be ethically acceptable, affordable, and accessible.

Technologies for type 2 Diabetes

Technologies dealing with type 2 diabetes revolve around self-monitoring, collecting data, administering insulin, and linking healthcare professionals. Mobile health is one of the advancements in health that has improved the health outcome of diabetic patients (Rehman et al., 2017). MHealth in diabetes involves using smartphones and computers to address issues related to diabetes (Kitsiou et al., 2017). Through MHealth, relevant data used in the diagnosis of diabetes is obtained (Rehman et al., 2017). There is also tracking of the diseases and providing timely data useful in the management of diabetes (Rehman et al., 2017). In terms of self-monitoring, there are self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) technologies where relevant data is collected from the patient, evaluated, and used to develop better treatment options and plans for the patient (Hannon et al., 2018).

The M-health technologies and the SMBG are beneficial in managing type two diabetes both to the patient and the healthcare professionals. Through the technologies, patients can access a lot of information on diabetes, which helps manage their conditions (Kitsiou et al., 2017). The technologies are also accurate and record previous data, which is used for evaluation. The technologies also ensure that patients manage themselves instead of relying on few healthcare professionals available (Hannon et al., 2018). Using M-health and SMBG in type 2 diabetes solved interdisciplinary coordination issues (Rehman et al., 2017). The technologies have encouraged patient management while in their homes, reducing hospital visits and readmission. The technologies have also solved the burden of racial discrimination and medical errors, improving the quality of care given to diabetes patients. On the side of the patient, healthcare costs such as visiting hospitals and being monitored by professionals, are reduced.

The M-health and SMBG technologies have some disadvantages in healthcare. The technologies limit nurse-patient interaction. It is hard for nurses to develop their skills and provide quality care when the technologies are used. Nurses provide quality care to patients when they are in contact with them since they can gather objective and subjective data during the assessment. The other disadvantage of the technologies is the high cost of initiating, using, and maintaining them. Hardware and software are required for successful implementation. IT professionals also need to be employed to maintain the systems. Medical professionals and patients should be educated on how to use the technologies which may be expensive (Kitsiou et al., 2017). M-health technologies may also raise patient privacy and confidentiality concerns since a breach of data may occur.

Costs and barriers related to the use of the technologies

There are some barriers and cost issues encountered when using the technologies in managing patients with type 2 diabetes. M-health and SMBG involve the use of smartphones to record and send data. Most patients are required to have applications that help them to record and monitor their blood glucose levels. The use of the application and the new technologies is new and maybe complex for most patients and some healthcare professionals. The complexity of the systems, software, and procedure may lead to resistance, where patients and medical professionals may resist the technologies (Kitsiou et al., 2017). The other barrier that may lead to resistance is the perception among healthcare professionals that the technologies reduce the quality of care since they reduce interaction with diabetes patients. Training and education of medical professionals and patients on how to use the technologies may be expensive. The cost of buying equipment, software and hiring professionals to install the technologies may also be too high. The emergence of many companies providing the technologies for managing diabetes brings confusion, which is the best version of M-health or SMBG technology, hence a barrier.

Care Coordination and the Utilization of Community Resources

Type two diabetes is a lifestyle disease and therefore is affected by resources in the community. Social and economic factors in the community affect diabetic patients; hence, proper utilization of community resources is essential in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes (McLendon, Wood & Stanley, 2019). There should be proper coordination and utilization of resources such as food, hospitals, and exercise fields (Moin et al., 2020). There should be proper infrastructure, such as roads, to ensure accessibility and delivery of services to diabetic patients and people in the community. Family and home-based care are essential in addressing diabetes (McLendon, Wood & Stanley, 2019). There should be a collaboration between community leaders, community members, and healthcare providers (Moin et al., 2020). A good relationship between community members, leaders, and medics helps mobilize and properly utilize the resources required to address the burden of type 2 diabetes in the community.

Healthcare professionals should take advantage of community meetings, events, and welfare groups to pass health messages about type 2 diabetes. During community events, meetings, and welfare group meetings, community members can be educated on modifying their diet, performing physical activities, stopping smoking, avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol, dealing with stress, and adhering to medication, among other issues related to diabetes (McLendon, Wood & Stanley, 2019). Churches, schools, homes, hospitals, and markets can be used to deliver health messages on diabetes (McLendon, Wood & Stanley, 2019). Ideally, care coordination and proper utilization of community resources lead to better health outcomes in the community.

Barriers Associated with Care Coordination and Community Resources

Inadequate funds or finance is one barrier that hinders care coordination and utilization of community resources in preventing and managing diabetes. Enough funds are required to hire, pay and motivate healthcare professionals in the community (McLendon, Wood & Stanley, 2019). Money is also required in traveling to reach community members in their homes. Mobilization of relevant resources required for the education and management of diabetes is also expensive. Medications are expensive to buy and distribute to people with diabetes (Moin et al., 2020). Therefore, inadequate funds are the major barrier to care coordination and utilization of community resources (Moin et al., 2020). The other barrier is the language barrier. Health professionals may not understand the language of community members, which may lead to misunderstanding hence affecting coordination. Cultural beliefs and practices in the community may also hinder care coordination (McLendon, Wood & Stanley, 2019). Community members may have cultural beliefs and practices that promote diabetes, such as eating foods with fats and not going to hospitals when sick. Other factors that may hinder care coordination are harsh weather, poor infrastructure, and physical barriers like mountains.

State Board Nursing Practice Standards and or Organizational or Governmental Policies

The state board, nursing practice standards, and government policies provide guidelines and standards related to the use of technologies in healthcare and care coordination and community resources. New healthcare technologies deployed, such as the use of computers and smartphones in the management of diabetes, should follow the laid down standards in healthcare. The technology should meet the standards related to ethical standards, educational standards, research principles, and leadership principles (Beck et al., 2017). Nursing standards require that the technologies should adhere to nursing ethics by being safe or doing no harm to the patient, being confidential and ensuring better patient outcomes.

While interacting with community members to improve care coordination and utilizing community resources in managing diabetes, nurses are still guided by the nursing standards. The nurses should be qualified, licensed and observe nursing ethical principles. Doing justice, doing no harm ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of diabetic patients in the community improves care coordination (Beck et al., 2017). Government laws, especially healthcare laws, should be observed as nurses interact with community members to provide information on diabetes and improve coordination. Implementation of educational policies such as mandatory health subjects like biology in schools and health education in schools improves health outcomes related to diabetes and other conditions (Beck et al., 2017). Laws on interaction and access to certain resources in the community ensure peaceful interaction of nurses, leaders, and community members, improving care coordination and community resources in managing diabetes.

Part two

During the two practicum hours, I met with a diabetic patient named Paul, who is 62 years. I also met an expert in diabetes by the name of Dr. Bill Albert. During the interaction with Mr. Paul, I learned that a sedentary lifestyle is the major risk factor for type two diabetes. People are busy in communities, and therefore care should be brought to their homes. I also learned that people find it hard to go to hospitals unless when their condition worsens. Therefore, there is a need to come up with a technology that manages diabetic patients in their homes. In the meeting with Dr. Bill Alberts, I learned that diabetic patient could monitor their conditions and send relevant data to healthcare professionals. I also learned that care coordination and proper utilization of community resources improve health outcomes. Modifying and using community resources is the best way of preventing and managing diabetes.

I reviewed the American Diabetes Association website https://www.diabetes.org/, which gave some evidence-based practices for managing diabetes. I learned from the website that the best way of managing diabetes is trying to address all the risk factors. The focus should be on modifying diet, performing exercises, and adhering to medication, among other factors. Education on diabetes through diabetic programs is essential in managing the condition. Therefore people should seek diabetic education programs.

Diabetes incidences are increasing, and people are suffering from the condition. People are not able to perform their daily activities. It is also costly to manage diabetes hence a burden to people. The quality of care for patients is poor, and therefore need for better modalities to address the burden of diabetes. The plan to address the problem change was based on my experiences, where I realized some information was not taught to the patient. What surprised me is that most patients and healthcare professionals are not aware of MHealth technologies. This is because there is an increased use of smartphones and computers in health, but most patients and medics cannot use them due to the complexity of the technologies, yet they are important.

References

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2019). Health information technology research: 2018 year in review. Retrieved from https://digital.ahrq.gov/2018-year-review

Beck, J., Greenwood, D. A., Blanton, L., Bollinger, S. T., Butcher, M. K., Condon, J. E., … & Wang, J. (2018). 2017 National standards for diabetes self-management education and support. The Diabetes Educator, 44(1), 35-50.

Hannon, T. S., Yazel‐Smith, L. G., Hatton, A. S., Stanton, J. L., Moser, E. A., Li, X., & Carroll, A. E. (2018). Advancing diabetes management in adolescents: comparative effectiveness of mobile self‐monitoring blood glucose technology and family‐centered goal setting. Pediatric diabetes, 19(4), 776-781. https://doi.org/10.1111/pedi.12648

Health IT Buzz. (n.d.). Consumer engagement. https://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/category/consumer

HealthIT.gov. (2020). National health IT priorities for research: A policy and development agenda. https://www.healthit.gov/topic/scientific-initiatives/national-health-it-priorities-research-policy-anddevelopment-agenda https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.12601

Khanna, G. (2020). AHRQ advances new frontiers in digital healthcare. https://www.ahrq.gov/news/blog/ahrqviews/digital-healthcare.html

Kitsiou, S., Paré, G., Jaana, M., & Gerber, B. (2017). Effectiveness of mHealth interventions for patients with diabetes: an overview of systematic reviews. PloS one, 12(3), e0173160. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173160

McLendon, S. F., Wood, F. G., & Stanley, N. (2019). Enhancing diabetes care through care coordination, telemedicine, and education: Evaluation of a rural pilot program. Public Health Nursing, 36(3), 310-320.

Moin, T., Harwood, J. M., Mangione, C. M., Jackson, N., Ho, S., Ettner, S. L., & Duru, O. K. (2020). Trends in costs of care and utilization for medicaid patients with diabetes in Accountable Care Communities. Medical care, 58, S40-S45. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001318

Pazinski, S., Karras, P., Caban, T. Z., & Chaney, K. (2020). Mapping the path forward in health IT. https://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/health-it/mapping-the-path-forward-in-health-it

Rehman, H., Kamal, A. K., Sayani, S., Morris, P. B., Merchant, A. T., & Virani, S. S. (2017). Using mobile health (mHealth) technology in the management of diabetes mellitus physical inactivity, and smoking. Current atherosclerosis reports, 19(4), 16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-017-0650-5

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Technology-Care Coordination and Community Resources Considerations

In a 5-7 page written assessment, determine how health care technology, coordination of care, and community
resources can be applied to address the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined. In addition, plan to spend approximately 2 direct practicum hours exploring these aspects of the problem with the patient, family, or group you’ve chosen to work with and, if desired, consulting with subject matter and industry experts. Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form. Report on your experiences during the second 2 hours of your practicum.

Introduction

As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, you’ll be positioned to maximize the use of technology to achieve positive
patient outcomes and improve organizational effectiveness. Providing holistic coordination of patient care across the entire health care continuum and leveraging community resource services can lead both to positive patient
outcomes and to organizational improvements.

Preparation
In this assessment, you’ll determine how health care technology, coordination of care, and community resources can be applied to address the health problem you’ve defined. Plan to spend at least 2 direct practicum hours working with the same patient, family, or group. During this time, you may also choose to consult with subject matter and industry experts.
To prepare for the assessment:

• Review the assessment instructions and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be
  asked to complete and how it will be assessed.
• Conduct sufficient research of the scholarly and professional literature to inform your assessment and meet scholarly expectations for supporting evidence.
• Review the Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 3 [PDF], which guides conducting this portion
  of your practicum.

Note: Remember that you can submit all, or a portion of, your draft assessment to Smarthinking for feedback,
before you submit the final version. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.

Instructions

Complete this assessment in two parts.
Part 1
Determine how health care technology, the coordination of care, and the use of community resources can be
applied to address the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined. Plan to spend at least 2 practicum
hours exploring these aspects of the problem with the patient, family, or group. During this time, you may also
consult with subject matter and industry experts of your choice. Document the time spent (your practicum hours with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form. Use the Practicum Focus Sheet:
Assessment 3 [PDF] provided for this assessment to guide your work and interpersonal interactions.
Part 2
Report on your experiences during the second 2 hours of your practicum.
Whom did you meet with?
What did you learn from them?
Comment on the evidence-based practice (EBP) documents or websites you reviewed.
What did you learn from that review?
Share the process and experience of exploring the effect of the problem on the quality of care, patient safety,
and costs to the system and individual.
Did your plan to address the problem change, based upon your experiences?
What surprised you, or was of particular interest to you, and why?

CORE ELMS

Update the total number of hours on the NURS-FPX4900 Volunteer Experience Form in CORE ELMS.

Requirements
The assessment requirements, outlined below, correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, note the additional requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.
Analyze the impact of health care technology on the patient, family, or population problem.
Cite evidence from the literature that addresses the advantages and disadvantages of specific technologies, including research studies that present opposing views.
Determine whether the evidence is consistent with technology use you see in your nursing practice.
Identify potential barriers and costs associated with the use of specific technologies and how those technologies are applied within the context of this problem.
Explain how care coordination and the utilization of community resources can be used to address the patient,
family or population problems.
Cite evidence from the literature that addresses the benefits of care coordination and the utilization of community resources, including research studies that present opposing views.
Determine whether the evidence is consistent with how you see care coordination and community resources used in your nursing practice.
Identify barriers to the use of care coordination and community resources in the context of this
problem.
Analyze state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies associated with health care technology, care coordination, and community resources and document the practicum hours spent with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.
Explain how these standards or policies will guide your actions in applying technology, care coordination, and community resources to address care quality, patient safety, and costs to the system
and individual.
Describe the effects of local, state, and federal policies or legislation on your nursing scope of practice, within the context of technology, care coordination, and community resources.
Explain how nursing ethics will inform your approach to addressing the problem through the use of applied technology, care coordination, and community resources.
Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms
Volunteer Experience Form.
Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.
Additional Requirements
Format: Format your paper using APA style. Use the APA Style Paper Template. An APA Style Paper Tutorial
is also provided to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:

• A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.
• A running head on all pages.
• Appropriate section headings.

Length: Your paper should be approximately 5–7 pages in length, not including the reference page.
Supporting evidence: Cite at least five sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your central
ideas. Resources should be no more than five years old. Provide in-text citations and references in APA format.
Proofreading: Proofread your paper before you submit it to minimize errors that could distract readers and
make it more difficult for them to focus on its substance.

Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies
through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:
Competency 4: Apply health information and patient care technology to improve patient and systems
outcomes.
Analyze the impact of health care technology on a patient, family, or population problem.
Competency 5: Analyze the impact of health policy on quality and cost of care.
Analyze state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies
associated with health technology, care coordination, and community resources and document the
practicum hours spent with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.
Competency 6: Collaborate interprofessionally to improve patient and population outcomes.
Explain how care coordination and the utilization of community resources can be used to address a
patient, family, or population problem.
Competency 8: Integrate professional standards and values into practice.
Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and
credible evidence.
Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.