Module 5

Blog Posting: Module 5
Visit the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality at http://www.ahrq.gov/. What, if any relationship do you see between the information available on this webpage and regulatory, accreditation, and reimbursement issues and healthcare information system use and design? Post your ethical considerations as a message in your blog.

From previous classes I have heard of and visited the AHRQ website but never had the time to delve into what the website has to offer. Before starting I wanted to find out what this agency’s mission was. AHRQ is a division of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mission of the AHRQ is to improve the healthcare of our nation and empower citizens to make informed decisions regarding care (AHRQ, n.d). The AHRQ also funds studies that may improve patient care, investigate bourgeoning decision-support technologies, telemedicine, and electronic medical records (Hebda & Czar, 2009).
The home page is overwhelming. I did not know where to begin, so I started to search for any regulatory information. It took a bit of searching but finally found a cache of regulatory legislation addressing E-prescriptions, federal policies, the use of health information technology, as well as proposals for Patient Safety Organizations. Even considering my somewhat limited researching abilities, it appears that an endless supply of regulations related to healthcare could be found here.
Information regarding accreditation is also plentiful. I was able to locate the accreditation status for any of the Utah hospitals and clinics. There were also PDF files that would help the public and healthcare providers alike to understand what is involved in the accreditation process. In all there was 957 links related to accreditation.
In scrutinizing information related to reimbursement I wasn’t disappointed. Evidence based practice research has been assembled on a number of different topics that include, but is not limited to, pay for performance, decision support systems and many other topics. There is also a link to the National Guideline Clearinghouse which may guide a practitioner to utilize the most appropriate care.
In healthcare today the government has been emphasizing the need for healthcare information systems. The AHRQ website provides information and links related to liability and use of these systems in practice. Grants have also been awarded by the AHRQ to support the utilization of these programs. The health IT link is especially helpful. Links to telemedicine, e-prescribing, rural health, and electronic medical record systems supplied an endless amount of information.
I think it would be unethical to NOT use the information that is so easily accessible. As healthcare providers we should be utilizing every resource available to provide safe and effective patient care. This would also be an excellent resource for patients who are computer savvy. The information is so abundant it would be a shame not to share this reliable and accurate resource. Practitioners should not fear informing patients of reputable on-line information sources.

Resources
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). AHRQ. Retrieved July 28, 2009, from http://www.ahrq.gov

Hebda, T., & Czar, P. (2009). Handbook of informatics for nurses and healthcare professionals (4th Edition ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.