Significance of Health Information Technology (HIT) in Context to COVID-19 Pandemic: Potential Roles and Challenges

摘要

Health information technology (HIT) refers to the concept of applying cloud-based services, internet, connected network, etc. in healthcare. It mainly utilizes electronic health records, information, and data related to the patients for providing the treatment and services in a more effective and advanced manner. This study attempts to propose roles and applications and identify the impact of the concept of HIT on serving the patients during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic period. This paper also assesses the significant impact of HIT in the healthcare sector during the COVID-19 crisis. The medical decision support, e-sign-off tools, bar-coding approach, advanced medicine dispensing, e-patient portals, etc. are numerous data-sharing and network system-based HIT services. It has many capabilities to shift the working culture of medical facilities while serving and treating patients with a higher care level and impressive satisfaction, especially so during this COVID-19 pandemic. Interoperability and tele-healthcare have also become practicable with the proposed HIT approach.