Health Care Technological Forces

Health Care Technological Forces

 

The need for healthcare organizations to adapt and constantly research for improvements is driven by technological evolution in the healthcare industry. Because of the availability or lack of adequate technological capabilities, an organization’s strategies may change. An organization that performs lab tests, medical imaging tests, and other diagnostic radiology services such as X-rays and nuclear medicine testing is known as an outpatient diagnostic center. Technological forces are important in strategic management because they produce problem-solving inventions (Hunger, Wheelen, Hoffman & Bamford, 2015). A healthcare organization can use advanced technology to provide quality care at a lower cost, maintain patient loyalty, and improve performance.

Research and development activities, technological incentives, automation, and the rate of technological change are all technological forces that may have an impact on an outpatient diagnostic center. Current trends in information technology influence change in the strategic management of an organization. For example, the growing need to improve patient care may persuade the organization to implement an electronic health record and billing system. The use of EHR technology facilitates the sharing of patient information and reduces treatment delays and test duplication (Ginter, Duncan & Swayne, 2013). Similarly, the system reduces medical error incidences by improving the accuracy of medical record dissemination. Technology has an impact on strategic management decision-making. The need to adapt quickly to changes, cut costs, and redefine the organization’s values may lead to the organization outsourcing information technology.

 

 

 

References

 

Ginter, P. M., Duncan, W. J., and Swayne, L. E. (2013)healthcare organizations’ strategic management. Jossey-Bass/Wiley, San Francisco, CA.

 

Hunger, J. D., Wheelen, T. L., Hoffman, A. N., and Bamford, C. E. (2015) Business Policy and Strategic Management (14th ed.). Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ.