KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Thousands of the brightest minds in the world are all in Kansas City from 21 different countries to talk health.
Cerner is bringing together more than 10,000 experts who work in health care for a five-day conference to learn about key issues affecting health care. The conference began last Saturday and runs through Wednesday.
Everyone has probably gone into the doctor's office and had to fill out forms for updated information or a health chart. Cerner helps those clinics and hospitals move those files to an automated system. At their hosted health conference, they are showing companies how to advance forward using technology.
Information technology is considered the future in the health care system, as many in the health care field use less paper work and use more technology.
New technology has changed health care, including departments like billing and patient information. Advancement includes things like a small monitor that a patient can wear on their neck. When the doctor or nurse walks in the room, the patient's medical information and history pops up on a TV screen.
"We went to completely electronic. We do not have a patient chart in our hospital," said John Britton of Fisher-Titus Medical Center. "Everything is electronic."
Replacing clip boards and paper forms with computer files instantly displayed is a change that Cerner consultants say will take time at some facilities.
"We've had one way of doing things, and now we are moving to a new way of doing this," Cerner consultant Carlton Abner said. "But once they see how it will improve efficiency and health quality, people will start coming on board. It will just take sometime to kind of grasp that."
Moving to an automated system requires a lot of trained information technology employees, something Cerner says they are always in need of in their company. Currently the company has more than 100 IT positions available in 24 countries.
"There's a shortage of qualified IT people," Abner said. "We are looking at a process of going from one way of doing things to the new way of doing things."
Some patients are hesitant about automated storage of their personal health information. Cerner representatives said privacy laws still apply and systems are backed up to prevent crashes and keep the system secure.
"I find that a lot of people trust it now," Britton said. "Sort of like the banking system online now, more people use it and its the same technology."
Click here for more information on how to apply for IT jobs.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
