The medical industry has experienced overwhelming advances over the last 50 years, and now even further steps are being taken to help optimize patient care. By turning to computer software, the use of health information technology is changing the landscape of patient and doctor relationships

One of the key goals of using this technology is the reduction of medical errors. Information about a patient’s on going health history would get stored in readable form, which would prevent medical mistakes due to a former physician’s poor hand writing. Quick and timely access to a patient’s health history documents would allow a doctor to pursue the necessary treatments or medications needed for a patient. These documents are maintained as part of a patient’s personal health record. The record would also contain any information about family health which could prove pertinent for future medical situations.

While the personal health records would be updated by an individual who is tracking their health status, the availability of these records in electronic file form, and their ability to be accessed by doctors is another aspect of the benefits of this technology. These records would allow doctors to not only be able to review a patient’s medical history, but would give them the ability to interconnect with any laboratories or other hospitals that the patient may have visited in the past. All tests performed on a patient, any blood work, or any regular treatments would be noted in these patient e-files, allowing the doctor to have a clear picture of every piece of pertinent information. This will help decrease the need for repetitive testing, expedite the treatment and most importantly allow doctors to communicate with any other health facilities on behalf of the patient.

The two overall goals of health information technology is to enhance the patient’s treatment and decrease medical errors. In a lot of situations, medical errors occur due to medications prescribed to a patient that may end up having a negative effect. Electronic prescribing notes of any drug interactions that may be harmful, allows the doctor to determine which medications are covered by the patient’s insurance, and allows for clear and accurate information being presented about the patient’s reactions to past administrations of certain medications.

All of these aspects should help to drastically reduce physician errors, enhance patient care, and therefore improve the populations overall state of health.

The society of today is one that struggles to find its balance when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. We are bombarded on a daily basis with the newest and best products on the market all designed to help us achieve maximum health. But for many who have traveled this road many a time, the answer is simple; a healthy lifestyle begins and ends with a nutritious diet rich in whole foods. But while we may know the types of food we should be eating – fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains – we are now faced with another choice – that of organic food.

Organic food is grown and raised by a group of committed organic farmers working within strictly enforced government guidelines. Produce that is grown organically is done so without the use of pesticides or chemical additives. Chemicals and pesticides are, however, used on traditional farms. And while not much thought is given to additives when we encounter fruits and vegetables in the grocery store, the truth is that insufficient research has been done regarding the long term effects of these chemicals on the human body.

The same holds true for agricultural and dairy farming practices. While agricultural and dairy farmers traditionally feed their livestock supplements and hormones to speed their growth and milk production, organic farmers do just the opposite. Animals are given only organic feed and are not subjected to chemicals or hormones of any kind.

Organic food has benefits that extend to the environment as well. Organic farming means that the ground is not subjected to chemical or pesticide run-off. Organic farmers are strongly committed to the environment and their product is only considered certified organic food if they adhere to strict government regulations.