How does technology influence the efficacy, safety, and quality of medical care

How does technology influence the efficacy, safety, and quality of medical care?  Please address each factor.

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It is believed the internet, telehealth, and new clinical information technology will begin to change the strategies and market structure in health care.

How would this effect the health care institutions?  Why?

Do you believe this would be a positive change?  Explain.

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Adverse events in hospitalized patients increase patient morbidity and mortality and are costly to individuals, hospitals, and society. A report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) identified the top 100 healthcare research priorities for the nation; leading the list is research aimed at improving patient safety and the quality of care (IOM, 2009). Yet, despite an increased focus on patient safety since the release of the IOM report To Err is Human there has been minimal improvement in patient safety (IOM, 2012; Leape, et al., 2009; Wachter, 2010a, 2010b). Perhaps most disturbing are findings from a recent large, landmark study which indicate that, despite national attention and substantial resource allocation, there has been no reduction in the rate of preventable adverse inpatient events over the last several years (Landrigan et al., 2010). In fact, the rate of preventable harm to patients has remained relatively stable at 40.2 adverse events per 1,000 patient days (Landrigan et al., 2010). These sustained rates of inpatient adverse events are detrimental to individuals, hospitals, and society, costing our healthcare system more than 4.4 billion dollars per year (Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), 2010a).

Tolerance with this status quo is waning. Payers, regulators, insurers and consumers are demanding the delivery of safe healthcare with positive outcomes. Consumer concern became evident in a seminal 2006 national survey of public perspectives on ways to improve healthcare in which 42 percent of respondents reported experiencing inefficient, poorly coordinated or unsafe care in the prior two years (Schoen, How, Weinbaum, Craig & Davis, 2006). Concern remained evident in a 2011 international survey