Respond to the post bellow, offering additional/alternative ideas regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations shared.  Initial Post There  is no doubt that the use of technology is increasing all around us. The  health care field is no different. Technology now plays a major role in  the health care profession. It is almost guaranteed to continue to  develop at a rapid rate (Horn, 2017). From electronic heath records to  patient portals, I have utilized technology since becoming a nurse,  increasing significantly over the last decade. However, at my most  current place of employment, we do not use much technology at all. In  fact, much of technology is prohibited as I work in a prison. After  relying on technology so heavily, it has been a major adjustment to  return to the era of very limited technology use. In fact, the only  technology we utilize is telehealth.              Telehealth is the “delivery of  health care services, where distance is  a critical factor, by all healthcare professionals using information  and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for  diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injuries, research  and evaluation, and for the continuing education of health care  providers, all in the interest of advancing the health of individuals  and their communities” (Koivunen, & Saranto, 2018). This method of  health care delivery is seen as a means in which to improve  communication and enhance patient-centered care (Cipriano, 2011; Virji,  Yarnall, Krause, Pollak, Scannell, Gradison, & Ostbye, 2006). As  with all technology, there are both facilitators and barriers present  with the use of telehealth. According  to the study conducted by Koivunen & Saranto (2018), nurses’ skills  in telehealth application were seen as a facilitator to telehealth  utilization. However, the same study identified some barriers present.  Some of those barriers included nursing’s discomfort with the equipment  utilized with telehealth as well as lack of basic computer skills  present amongst nurses (Koivunen, & Saranto, 2018). In addition,  negative attitudes along with lack of support and training were  identified barriers (Koivunen, & Saranto, 2018). It is obvious that  the change from traditional face-to-face nursing practice to telehealth  requires much support for its users. There is certainly a learning curve  with any new technology with experience and attitudes playing a major  role in the successful implementation. However, if the proper steps are  taken, telehealth can be a  cost-effective way to address health care needs and has been shown to  improve clinical indicators (Shulver, Killington, & Crotty, 2016).               In addition to the barriers present, there is also negative attitudes  by some clinicians in regards to telehealth. While some health care  providers believe that telehealth could offer enhanced and expanded  services to many, other clinicians voiced reserv ...

1. Respond to the post bellow, offering additional/alternative ideas
regarding opportunities and risks related to the observations
shared.
Initial Post
There is no doubt that the use of technology is increasing all
around us. The health care field is no different. Technology
now plays a major role in the health care profession. It is
almost guaranteed to continue to develop at a rapid rate (Horn,
2017). From electronic heath records to patient portals, I have
utilized technology since becoming a nurse, increasing
significantly over the last decade. However, at my most current
place of employment, we do not use much technology at all. In
fact, much of technology is prohibited as I work in a prison.
After relying on technology so heavily, it has been a major
adjustment to return to the era of very limited technology use.
In fact, the only technology we utilize is telehealth.
Telehealth is the “delivery of health care services,
where distance is a critical factor, by all healthcare
professionals using information and communication
technologies for the exchange of valid information for
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease and injuries,
research and evaluation, and for the continuing education of
health care providers, all in the interest of advancing the health
of individuals and their communities” (Koivunen, & Saranto,
2018). This method of health care delivery is seen as a means
in which to improve communication and enhance patient-

2. centered care (Cipriano, 2011; Virji, Yarnall, Krause, Pollak,
Scannell, Gradison, & Ostbye, 2006). As with all technology,
there are both facilitators and barriers present with the use of
telehealth.
According to the study conducted by Koivunen & Saranto
(2018), nurses’ skills in telehealth application were seen as a
facilitator to telehealth utilization. However, the same study
identified some barriers present. Some of those barriers
included nursing’s discomfort with the equipment utilized with
telehealth as well as lack of basic computer skills present
amongst nurses (Koivunen, & Saranto, 2018). In addition,
negative attitudes along with lack of support and training were
identified barriers (Koivunen, & Saranto, 2018). It is obvious
that the change from traditional face-to-face nursing practice to
telehealth requires much support for its users. There is
certainly a learning curve with any new technology with
experience and attitudes playing a major role in the successful
implementation. However, if the proper steps are taken,
telehealth can be a cost-effective way to address health care
needs and has been shown to improve clinical indicators
(Shulver, Killington, & Crotty, 2016).
In addition to the barriers present, there is also
negative attitudes by some clinicians in regards to telehealth.
While some health care providers believe that telehealth could
offer enhanced and expanded services to many, other clinicians
voiced reservations about the potential safety and suitability of
this service (Shulver et al., 2016). However, in the case of rural
patients, many can agree that a service is better than no
service. According to Shulver et al. (2016), clinicians agreed
that any perceived risks associated with telehealth could be
alleviated by having a person “on the ground” with the patient
during telehealth conferences. This is exactly how telehealth is
utilized at my current place of employment. The inmates are
seen by a distance provider as the nurse remains in the room

3. with the patient to perform any assessments requested and
provide information from records as needed.
Telehealth is only one of many promising trends in health care
that offer many benefits. Other up-and-coming health
technology trends include artificial intelligence, Internet of
Medical Things (IoMT), blockchains, and virtual/augmented
reality. These trends have many benefits to offer. For example,
artificial intelligence is now capable of diagnosing skin cancer
more accurately and more efficiently than a board-certified
dermatologist (Rigby, 2019). But, as previously mentioned, all
technology can bring added risks. Such use of technology has
the potential to threaten patient safety, preference, and privacy
(Rigby, 2019). Informed consent remains of utmost importance,
as with any medical procedure, when utilizing technology in
providing health care to patients. All the risks associated with
the technology must remain transparent to the patient.
Technology has already advanced quickly all around us
and its use in health care is no exception. By utilizing
technology, the practice of medicine is revolutionized,
transforming the patients’ experiences and the providers’ daily
routines. These up-and-coming health care trends are aimed at
preventative care while enhancing patient experiences, lowered
expenses, and big data processing. Cutting-edge technology is
being utilized by many providers to assist their patients. We
can only expect the current trend to continue with more
amazing discoveries to come.
References
Cipriano P. (2011). The future of nursing and health IT: the
quality elixir.
Nursing Economics, 29
(5), 286–90. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221868226_The_Futur

4. e_of_Nursing_and_Health_IT_The_Quality_Elixir
Horn, H. (2017). Predicting the Future of Healthcare
Technology.
Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology
,
51
(3), 203. Retrieved from https://doi-
org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.2345/0899-8205-51.3.203
Koivunen, M., & Saranto, K. (2018). Nursing professionals’
experiences of the facilitators and barriers to the use of
telehealth applications: a systematic review of qualitative
studies.
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences
,
32
(1), 24–44. Retrieved from
https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1111/scs.12445
Rigby, M.J. (2019). Ethical Dimensions of Using Artificial
Intelligence in Health Care.
AMA Journal of Ethics
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org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1001/amajethics.2019.121
Shulver, W., Killington, M., & Crotty, M. (2016). “Massive
potential” or “safety risk”? Health worker views on telehealth
in the care of older people and implications for successful
normalization.
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st.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=27733195&site=e
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Virji, A., Yarnall, K., Krause, K., Pollak, K., Scannell, M.,
Gradison, M., & Ostbye ,T. (2006). Use of email in a family
practice setting: opportunities and challenges in patient- and
physician-initiated communication.
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