Healthcare Informatics and Medical Technology

St. Petersburg College

Medical Technology – Perceptions?

1. Widespread IgnoranceThis lack of understanding may promote fear or intimidation

2. False IdentificationsGenetic Engineering = Cloning? (The Island)

3. Irrational ResistanceInvalid Opinions, Fallacies, Incorrect Information

4. Professional Inquisitions Professional Consultation, Credible Research & Exploration

5. Selective AcceptanceWe may accept technology if there is a proven benefit

Why Now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7J_ereCiTo&feature=related

Emerging Medical Technologies

Pharmacogenomics: Designing medications based on an individual’s DNA

Monoclonal Antibody Technology: Replicating “pure” antibodies in human tissue to eradicate disease

Healthcare Informatics: Using electronic data to store, acquire, and deliver information to

maximize patient health and safety

What and How?

The “technologies” you will use: PDA’s

Tablet PC’s

Hospital Specific Data Systems

Diagnostic Imaging Systems

Patient Verification Systems – Bioinformatics

“How” you will use them:

Healthcare Informatics

Why should you be concerned?

Medical errors are killing more people in the U.S. than breast cancer, AIDS, and motor vehicle accidents.

The lack of immediate access to patient information is the source of 1/5 of the aforementioned errors.

Health care is expected to account for 20% of expended funds in the U.S. ($1 of every $5).

Health insurance costs are expected to increase at a rate of 6.4% annually

Spending on health care will continue to outpace the economy $4 Trillion by 2016

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - 2007

Healthcare Informatics @ St. Petersburg College

Two Programs:

A.S. Healthcare Informatics – 67 hrs

Certificate in Healthcare Informatics – 18 hrs

Classroom:

Online (excluding Applied Courses)

8 week courses

Dual Enrollment

Our Future in Health Care?

“The goal of science is not to open the door to everlasting wisdom, but to set a limit to everlasting error” - Galileo