In: Operations Management
What are some examples of training and professional development programs within the health care sphere that have accommodated for various levels of technology readiness?
Please find my answer below:
Hospital training programs are will be effective with best practices only. New technology is being integrated into all levels of health care organizations and in all industries across the globe. Hence it is vital for all the staff specially healthcare workforce to learn it and implement it.
The healthcare workforce must be trained and educated how to use the new technology that administers care, counsel and empower patients and the technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the healthcare system. But, any new technology comes with its own drawbacks and work, hence workforce must be trained well to learn and adapt to it.
Below are some examples related to healthcare sphere:
Scanning equipments: These are new equipments which need technological skills to operate at its best efficiency. Training programs should be conducted to the workforce who will be using these equipments in the hospital. Training programs must include the process of using the equipment and all the errors there might occur and trouble shooting procedures. Employees must be taught these in detail
Monitoring systems: The vital signs of a patient were monitored manually in the past which was then converted to mechanical equipments, but now technology have made these tasks easy. However, the staff should be aware how to use these systems. All the data reading on these systems, interpretation and analysis should be made aware to the workforce. Healthcare is an industry dealing with lives and hence accuracy and efficient reading of data is very important. Frequent training programs inorder to ensure all the staff are well versed with the system needs to be done.
Minimal invasive surgery: Healthcare industry can not get away from surgeries and and there also technology have taken a big portion of their manual work. Minimally invasive robotic surgeries are performed by surgeons across the globe. But, many of the institutions and universities do not teach students about these new changes. This needs to be changed otherwise the Medical professionals getting pumped into the market are less skilled and not efficient . The patients will be the ultimate sufferers of these issues. As soon as an induction takes place in a hospital, the staff (Doctor, nurse) should be given a detailed training about these robotic machines.
A big change in the healthcare sphere is the introduction of smart watches that tracks our physical activities and also gives the data about our vital signs like the heart rate etc.. Use of these devices have become so common that everyone is able to track their basic health report right from home. So, as patients are so technologically advanced, the healthcare professionals have to be well versed in this area too.
Training programs can be personalized to each hospital based on the technology systems they use. As mentioned in the beginning, training alone would not make the healthcare workforce experts but also best practices in their everyday professional life. This makes the training and development programs vital to extends even after the training program have ended.