Overview
This lecture explains the main uses of computers in hospitals, covering types of computers found in healthcare settings, their ten key applications, and how they support medical professionals and patient care.
Types of Computers Used in Hospitals
- Desktop computers manage patient records, schedules, and billing.
- Laptops allow mobility for doctors and nurses to access and update data across departments.
- Tablets provide bedside access to patient information for quick data entry and retrieval.
- Servers store and share large volumes of hospital data, including test results and records.
- Workstations display and analyze detailed medical images like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs.
- Medical equipment computers are embedded in devices like heart monitors and MRI machines.
10 Major Uses of Computers in Hospitals
- Computers maintain organized, secure, and accessible patient information for efficient care.
- Patient monitoring systems track vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure in real time.
- Medical research is facilitated through access to vast databases and scientific literature.
- Inventory control is streamlined, helping track medicines and supplies to prevent shortages.
- Computers aid surgeons in precision-driven surgical procedures and complex treatments.
- Medical equipment and imaging rely on computers for tests like MRIs, CT scans, and blood tests.
- Real-time computer communication improves coordination among busy healthcare staff.
- Telemedicine enables remote diagnosis and care, crucial during calamities or for distant patients.
- Automated customer services, often using AI, handle payments, queries, and complaints.
- Online payment systems make hospital bill settlements faster and reduce error rates.
Clinical and Nursing Applications
- Computers manage electronic health records (EHRs) for easy updating and retrieval.
- Diagnostic support systems assist in interpreting scans and test results.
- Scheduling tools organize staff shifts, patient appointments, and workload.
- Medication management systems track prescriptions and administration for patient safety.
- Computers provide access to medical literature for continuous learning and staff training.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Electronic Health Records (EHRs) — Digital storage of patient information for seamless access and updates.
- Telemedicine — Delivering healthcare remotely through technology, without physical presence of patient or doctor.
- Medical Imaging — Using computers to create and analyze images from diagnostic equipment like X-ray and MRI.
- Inventory Control — Computer-managed tracking of hospital supplies and medicines.
- Patient Monitoring System — Computer systems that continuously track patient vital signs in real time.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Complete the "Learning by Doing" exercises: choose correct answers and mark true/false statements.
- Review definitions and examples of computer applications in healthcare for further study.