Assignment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Assignment - Research Paper Example Privacy, security, ethical and legal challenges associated with the use of Smartphones and social media in the healthcare industry are significant. Based on the scenario presented, this paper examines some of the key benefits and costs of using Smartphones and social media by healthcare professionals. There are many applications on Smartphones that can be used by both patients and clinicians to improve the services offered. First, patient health records can be stored electronically, allowing for easy access using Smartphones. Such records allow clinicians to track the health performance of patients, and at the same time allow for easy sharing of such information. Just as illustrated in the present case, electronic records can easily be shared through social media. This may allow healthcare providers to share information relating to patients in order to enhance the service of care provided. Secondly, social media and Smartphones are an important source of information for healthcare providers. With the large volumes of information on the internet, having a smartphone allows a physician to access different forms of information that help to enhance his/her knowledge in a given field. For example, physicians are able to conduct researches online, thereby making the process of acquiring knowledge easy, fast and cost effective (Soyer, 2012). Social media allows physicians to share knowledge on a given subject. Through social media, online communities of healthcare professionals can be created, and these act as rich sources of information and knowledge. Thirdly, Smartphones have been used in the healthcare sector as reference tools. Considering that the provision of care is an information intensive activity, physicians use these devices to look for information in order to make the relevant decisions at the point of care (Sarasohn-Kahn, 2010). For example, the Epocrates is one example of an online company that provides such information to