Sandra Lewis  

Re: Topic 5 DQ 2
The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), (PH, 2019). Their aim is to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies through breastfeeding and immediate skin-to-skin bonding. Through successful implementation of the integration of technology BFHI has the power to help transform the way breastfeeding care and educations are delivered. Health Information Technology (HIT) is used to record, analyze, and share patient health data. HIT is also able to utilize personal health tools including smart devices and apps to help educate and inform the healthcare team as well as the mothers. This technology is able to remind mothers when to feed, help set schedules, reinforce education on diapering and hunger cues, assist in education on fussy babies, proper diets for breastfeeding mothers and help to keep logs on last feeding, length of time spent on breast and remind busy mothers which breast was last fed on. The purpose of HIT is to provide better care for patients and help achieve health equity. HIT supports recording of the patients data to improve healthcare delivery and allow for analysis of this information for both healthcare practitioners and government agencies, (OMRS, 2019). By implementing this data can assist the healthcare team on identifying issues that the mother may need support on. HIT such as IPads and virtual reality training with real case scenarios will also allow for policies and procedure to be quickly identified along with sources of EBPs that can help to facilitate the implementation of BFHI.Open MRS, (2019). The Importance of Health Information Technology in Developing Areas. Retrieved from https://openmrs.org/2017/07/the-importance-of-health-information-technology-in-developing-areas/Prisma Health, (2019). Baby Friendly Hospital. Retrieved from https://www.palmettohealth.org/medical-services/womens-services/birthplace/baby-friendly-hospital