A discussion and analysis of health information systems
Interoperability refers to the idea that the health information system will ensure the communication use and exchange of data using different systems as well as software applications. In this regard, individuals using the systems should understand the data presented. An advantage of using the health information system in terms of interoperability relates to the idea that the two organizations can ensure the efficiency of clinical care by sharing information related to a particular patient group, consequently leading to the improvement of patient outcomes through the application of appropriate interventions. The two organizations can reconfigure their resources to ensure the reduction of the threats of uncertainty from the environment by gaining access to management expertise (Tan & Payton, 2010). The other advantage is the idea that the two organizations have to learn about each other’s compatibility. From the derived information, they can determine the best fit between their working cultures as well as styles. For this reason, it will be possible for the two organizations to improve their systems to meet the needs of individual patients or particular patient groups.
The disadvantages of using the health information systems emanates from the provision that the physicians might encounter a considerable number of challenges while using the systems. In this case, the physicians have to parse apart C-CDA files from different ambulatory EMRs, put them back together nicely and pre-fetch it within the short duration (Tan & Payton, 2010). This challenge is characteristic of the usability provision of the system, since clinicians have to spend a substantial amount of time to enter information, which can affect the delivery of emergency care. From a scalability point of view, costs are considered a huge factor since the costs increase with the duplicative efforts that might emanate from the one-to-one connections of the two organizations. This provision constitutes the other disadvantage of using the merged system.
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However, the system would assist in enhancing point-of care documentation, which leads to the optimization of patient care. In this regard, patient interventions would be determined by the point-of care documentation, which is essential for assessing the patient’s response to administered interventions. For this reason, the care provider will be in a better position to make vital decisions regarding patient care depending on the recorded information. On the other hand, the system will be essential for promoting the quality and delivery of nursing care from the point of view that it will enable the interdisciplinary teams to take care of issues that characterize particular patient groups. the multidisciplinary teams would use the shared information between the two organizations of comparable size to determine the most appropriate interventions to admit to the different patient groups.
How the system will benefit the organization
One of the ways through which the QI data collected can lead to measurable improvement in healthcare services as well as the health status of a targeted group would be through making changes to the elemental system targeted for improvement. In this regard, the care team can analyze the collected data needed for performance improvement to make the desired changes. Secondly, the data collected can be used to determine the QI model that can assist the improvement team to focus on the changes that they might have previously proved to be effective. For this reason, the team can use previous data to provide guidance that can assist in approaching the desired change.
To ensure data storage integrity, it will be essential to take note of the HITECH and HIPAA security standards. These standards call for the protection of the confidentiality, availability, as well as the integrity of patient information that is transmitted by covered organizations (Tan & Payton, 2010). For this reason, maintaining the integrity of the data collected will require the implementation of physical, technical, and administrative procedures for the covered entities within the system. Conversely, the regulations demand that it would be vital to back up patient data frequently. Additionally, implementing safeguards that would ensure the continuity of the recovery mode would be vital, which requires input from the technical team. for this reason, the technical team will be responsible for setting up measures needed for ensuring the efficiency needed for the backup provisions, consequently setting up systems that would assist in the recovery process. Conversely, to ensure the privacy of patient data, the eligible caregivers will be the only personnel provided with the passwords that would enable them to access patient information.
A description of how adopting a system will improve organizational efficiency and productivity
By standardizing the documentation process, it will be possible to streamline the coding and billing process. In spite of the idea that standardizing the documentation process will assist in ensuring the provision of higher quality healthcare for the patients, it will ensure that the organization is more coordinated in the provision of efficient care. Conversely, adopting the system will assist in the promotion of preventative medicine of the healthcare services, which ensures the reduction of waste as well as other redundant tests.
The system will also improve efficiency by promoting work-life balance. In this case, the healthcare providers will be in a better position to prioritize their work, which means that they would improve their relationships and manage the stressful situations they might be encountering. This provision ensures that they enhance their productivity. On the other hand, the system will reduce inventory as well as storage, which means that the redeployment of human and capital resources needed to move data would be non-existent. The elimination of unnecessary movement will enhance the flow of information about the patients, consequently improving organizational efficiency.
Essential stakeholder roles
The four stakeholders involved in the implementation of the system are inclusive of the implementation manager, the physician leaders, nurse lead and the billing staff leader. The implementation manager is responsible for overseeing the entire implementation process. In this regard, the individual occupying this position should have a project management background that will assist him or her to ensure that the merger is successful. The physician champion is responsible for ensuring that the usability would be friendly for the clinicians using the system. This responsibility is also applicable to the nurse lead, since the individual holding the position should be able to determine the most effective way through which the nurses would use the new system. The billing staff leader sets up the mechanisms needed to control the billing process used by the two organizations.
On the other hand, the two organizations are considered as stakeholders in the merger since they are the primary providers of the healthcare services. For this reason, their role does not only include the provision of the needed finances, but they are also responsible for sharing information that would assist in the reduction of asymmetric patterns for distributing information among the two organizations (Tan & Payton, 2010). Since the two organizations will be having the same amounts of information, they are likely to focus on the improvement of the quality of care provided as well as the patient outcomes.
An evaluation of the success of the implementation of a system by incorporating two professional organizational standards
When undertaking the process of implementing the health information system, it would be essential to consider the aspect of intervention as the most important agenda. For this reason, the initial element to consider is attached to the need to commit adequate resources that would ensure that the venture is transformative. In this case, the planning activity involves the development of the most appropriate infrastructure that will support the system, which should be followed by the training of the staff memners. The training is vital for ensuring that the users are well versed with the new technology, which will be essential for understanding the system capabilities. Conversely, it would be vital to set up a mechanism that will ensure the continuous evaluation and maintenance of the system since the provisions are integral to the successful implementation process.
Since the system presents a paradigm shift in healthcare delivery systems, some of the organizations that have to take the fundamental roles are inclusive of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the third party payors. The third party payors are inclusive of government agencies and the insurance companies. The vital role of an organization such as the WHO emanates from the provision that they set fundamental roles utilized in setting strategic decisions regarding healthcare information systems. On the other hand, the third-party payors are invoved in the daily transactions of a considerable amount of information pertaining to healthcare provisions (Tan & Payton, 2010). These professional organizations would assist in thwarting possible challenges that might arise in the implementation of the merger between the two organizations.
Reference
Tan, J., & Payton, F. (2010). Adaptive Health and Information Management Systems (3rd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
