Improving the delivery of coordinated and individualized care.

Pharmatech comprises systems for the automated use and coordination of clinical information, medical devices, care paths, and pharmacologic agents into specific prescription and care-delivery processes tailored to meet individual patient needs. In ESRD, future suites of applications to run on hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis machines, external computers and devices both in-center and in the home setting offer the potential to further automate billing and inventory, improve documentation, reduce medical errors, and decrease costs. On a clinical basis, these systems will aid nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and physicians in performing and overseeing a wide range of clinical activities that constitute 21st-century medicine. Future innovations may allow Pharmatech systems to learn by achieving defined outcomes. These developments offer the potential to provide customized ESRD care by integrating standard practices with individual patient characteristics and patient-specific needs. The development of Pharmatech represents one of the next advances in healthcare technology and will become an important component in the delivery of 21st-century medicine. Adoption of information technology (IT) has been prioritized by the federal government, and is a key component of US healthcare policy. The United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is currently funding the development and implementation of a wide array of health IT applications. This extensive funding combined with rapid technologic advances will continue to drive Pharmatech development and the widespread implementation of medical IT in the coming decade.