What are the most important functionalities of the EHR that need to be implemented at the practice?
Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems applications serve multiple functions in the medical practices. Essentially, the primary function is to help improve the mode of the storage of the data related to patients (Cohen et al., 2018). To this end, the entity shifts from traditional patient data storage systems to new digital-bases systems of information storage using computer based applications. The process makes it easier and more accessible to the health care service provider. The subsequent discussions will focus on the main areas of application in the functionalities paradigm that EHR systems are applied in the health care systems. First, as Gold et al., (2017) asserts, EHR systems help in the data storage of the health patient information. This functionality involves the entry of the fundamental elements of their information during the treatment phase of the patient. As such E.H.R. serves as archival databases where all forms of information about the patient are stored for present and future reference (Gold et al., 2017). E.H.R. also serves in the result management of the patient’s conditions where the health care service providers can track both the past and current medical results of the patients towards making informed decisions regarding their treatment plans. Arguably, these systems helps to store key information regarding the tests of the patients conducted over time; thereby showing the medical service providers of the specific conditions that the patients suffers from and to what degree.
E.H.R. systems also are fundamental to the communication and connectivity aspect of the whole medical practice network systems. To explain, the network systems enhances communication and connects different departments of the hospital regarding the health needs and services offered to their patients (Guo et al., 2017). For example, the billing department through E.H.R. systems promptly communicates with the other departments on the nature of services offered that are important for accurate billing. Similarly, the laboratory sections transmit the results of the patient’s tests via the network with great efficiency using the E.H.R. systems.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Other important functionalities of the E.H.R. is population health management processes where the institution accurately monitors the progress of the health needs of the population that they serve by analyzing the patient data to identify key trends that are very essential to the whole process. For this reason, they are in a position to anticipate key medical needs that may emerge as a result of notable patterns based on the history of the patient information.
Is it possible for any existing Practice Management Systems to be integrated with the EHR?
The designs of the E.H.R. systems have greatly evolved in the recent years and their capacity to effectively integrate existing Practice Management Systems has greatly been amplified. As such, the PMSs can be incorporates in the EHR systems when the design frameworks of the latter prior to creation assesses the particular ways that they may accommodate the former. Practice Management Systems help to manage the daily operations of the medical care practice operations and as such, their role is central to the way that EHR systems successfully help towards improved service delivery for patients (Petrides et al., 2017). The design frameworks of EHR systems have thus included features that include integration of the PMS systems such as billing and other important administration protocols that form part of the main EHR system.
Identify any two critical challenges in implementing the EHR.
The implementation of EHR systems albeit the important roles that they play towards improving the medical care practice delivery systems, has various challenges that affect the nature of the way that they are delivered. According to a research by Barrett (2017), the main challenges that private medical practices face when implementing the EHR systems include employees’ resistance towards application of the new systems, and the cost of the implementation of the system. These two challenges have the biggest impact on the particular ways that the hospitals implement the EHR systems. As such, if they are no existing frameworks that helps towards the mitigating the risks that they pose, it becomes hard for the accurate implementation of the frameworks because they may interfere with the actual installation and utility of the whole program setting (Barrett, 2017). To this end, it is of fundamental importance that the practice, prior to implementation undertakes such measures that help towards addressing the employee resistance through training and capacity development workshops and adequate financing models that play a very important role in the successful implementation of the E.H.R. networks. To this end, while they may pose significant risk, with the correct measures, the medical care practices may undertake accurate procedural frameworks that may help towards the successful implementation of the processes as the above discussions indicate.
Identify any four critical advantages the EHR would provide to the practice.
The EHR systems, once correctly implemented, offer the medical care practices a myriad of advantages that may helps towards increased optimum efficiency for the health care organization. According to Shickel et al., (2018) the advantages are rather extensive including ease of access to the patient data records, efficiency of the operations and communications between departments, advanced security of the confidential patient information and accurate updates of patient data. First, the increased ease of the patient data helps improve the capacity of the medical care practice to offer holistic care for the patients because the health care service providers are able to refer to all crucial patient information real-time (Petrides et al., 2017). Also, EHR systems increase the efficiency of the operations within the organization through effective organization of the patient information including appointments, medical tests and nature of the services that they require. More so, the EHR security features helps to protect the patient data information to very high levels. These are very fundamental to the way that the hospital meets the various privacy standards that guide the health care system.
5. How would you manage the project planning and implementation of this EHR?
Explain the technology security considerations and how HIPAA governs its implementation.
For the project planning paradigm, it is very important that the health care organization to carefully plan the implementation process of the EHR project including the financial aspect of the whole process. To begin with, the project would begin with conducting a feasibility test to determine the most suitable EHR system that the medical care practice would need by identifying the needs of the whole project. Thereafter, engage the current workforce on the EHR project collecting their views and proposals for the project. This would be very important towards helping mitigate any employee resistance that may emerge later during the implementation phase. Through training and development, the employees are in a position to ensure that there is very limited resistance and that the competency gaps in the use of the whole process are closed (Wilson & Khansa, 2018). Next, effective project management practices require that the financial aspect of the whole project is accurately determined before the start of the project. This is to ensure that the whole paradigm of the EHR project receives adequate financing before any actual procedural actions towards implementation of the project are undertaken.
The financial aspect is of great importance to the whole project because it is the means through which the organization actualizes the key elements of the project. In the absence of effective planning for the budgetary allocations of the project, it is impossible for accurate realization of the project. Lastly, it would require that the implementation process features a project management council composed of various department heads and key members of the EHR design team to ensure that every step along the way, the project team adheres to the existing HIPPAA rules and regulations that guide the whole process. Key technology considerations that must be made in the project planning phase include the skills and competency levels of the employees, the sustainability of the EHR system and the capacity of the existing network server systems of the organization to handle the new EHR systems. As such, in the absence of these three aspects of the organization, it becomes impossible for the organization to effectively implement the project. The technological considerations are the actual backbone that determines whether even after the successful implementation, it will help to serve its purpose with optimum efficiency; thus they must form a very important element of the planning process.
Discuss strategies for disaster recovery and include discussion on storage media options
The E.H.R system is a part of the main network systems that most of the organizations use to store the patient data information. Therefore, it is of great importance to incorporate the emergency project protocols to for recovery of important information in case of system failures (Shepard, 2017). The importance of these strat6egies is to ensure that the information is safe even if the systems fails or suffers and attack. To this end, the EHR systems will use the following strategies. First, it will feature a “Cold Back Up” system that will help to greatly improve the way that the whole organization network duplicates the information into back up storage devices. Under this strategy, the information backup systems are stored in very different locations as per the provisions of the disaster recovery strategic plan. This helps to ensures that in case of a catastrophic event, the organization retrieves the information safely.
The otEHR strategy that will help to effectively help disaster recovery is the creation of warm backups that includes the creations of new systems that include features of the original systems and are easily accessible in case of failures. Finally, hot backup, which entails the creation of a duplicate system that receives all the data and updates of patient data real time and in case of a disaster replaces the original system until full restorations. These three strategies are the most effective approaches that help towards improved data recovery approaches for the medical care practice.
Evaluate cloud computing considerations, to include cloud-hosted versus local installation
Cloud-computing technologies offer more secure and reliable hosting services at a more reasonable cost than local installations. As such the EHR system for medical care practices should consider using the cloud-host services for maximum efficiency. The recent changes to the whole systems have greatly transformed the way that these organizations operate and attain optimum efficiency. Local installations are best for large hospital organization with adequate resources and handling very bulky data for patients (Wilson & Khansa, 2018). More so, the sophistication levels of cloud-based computing are far more less than those of the local installations. In light of this observation, for the EHR installation for this project, the cloud-hosting services is a more formidable solution compared to the local installation. More importantly, cloud-computation is the future of network hosting services and therefore better suited for the EHR systems than the local installations.
Make a recommendation on the type of EHR system this practice should adopt and support your decision using data.
After a careful review of the existing EHR systems, the Kareo Clinical EHR is the best suited for the organization because it offers a very comprehensive tools networks that features the fundamental aspect of the organizational management aspects such as Billing, PMS and EHR systems, Data analytics ("Best EMR & EHR software 2019 reviews, free demo and pricing," n.d.). What’s more, it is a cloud-based system that applies to a wide array of medical practices including family based practices. The cost of running and installing the system is also very affordable for the organization making it a very effective option. It has an upscale functionality paradigm that makes it a very effective approach that will play an important role in the way that the whole system helps to increase the operations of the medical care practice.
References
Barrett, A. K. (2017). Electronic health record (EHR) organizational change: Explaining resistance through profession, organizational experience, and EHR communication quality. Health Communication , 33 (4), 496-506. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2016.1278506
Best EMR & EHR software 2019 reviews, free demo and pricing . (n.d.). Best EMR & EHR Software 2020 Reviews, Free Demo And Pricing. https://www.emrsystems.net/eclinicalworks-emr-software/
Cohen, D. J., Dorr, D. A., Knierim, K., DuBard, C. A., Hemler, J. R., Hall, J. D., Marino, M., Solberg, L. I., McConnell, K. J., Nichols, L. M., Nease, D. E., Edwards, S. T., Wu, W. Y., Pham-Singer, H., Kho, A. N., Phillips Jr., R. L., Rasmussen, L. V., Duffy, F. D., & Balasubramanian, B. A. (2018). Primary care practices’ abilities and challenges in using electronic health record data for quality improvement. Health Affairs , 37 (4), 635-643. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1254
Gesulga, J. M., Berjame, A., Moquiala, K. S., & Galido, A. (2017). Barriers to electronic health record system implementation and information systems resources: A structured review. Procedia Computer Science , 124 , 544-551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.12.188
Gold, R., Cottrell, E., Bunce, A., Middendorf, M., Hollombe, C., Cowburn, S., Mahr, P., & Melgar, G. (2017). Developing electronic health record (EHR) strategies related to health center patients' social determinants of health. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine , 30 (4), 428-447. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2017.04.170046
Guo, U., Chen, L., & Mehta, P. H. (2017). Electronic health record innovations: Helping physicians – One less click at a time. Health Information Management Journal , 46 (3), 140-144. https://doi.org/10.1177/1833358316689481
Petrides, A. K., Bixho, I., Goonan, E. M., Bates, D. W., Shaykevich, S., Lipsitz, S. R., Landman, A. B., Tanasijevic, M. J., & Melanson, S. E. (2017). The benefits and challenges of an interfaced electronic health record and laboratory information system: Effects on laboratory processes. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine , 141 (3), 410-417. https://doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2016-0146-oa
Shepard, A. (2017). Disaster recovery and the electronic health record. Nursing Administration Quarterly , 41 (2), 187-189. https://doi.org/10.1097/naq.0000000000000213
Shickel, B., Tighe, P. J., Bihorac, A., & Rashidi, P. (2018). Deep EHR: A survey of recent advances in deep learning techniques for electronic health record (EHR) analysis. IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics , 22 (5), 1589-1604. https://doi.org/10.1109/jbhi.2017.2767063
Wilson, K., & Khansa, L. (2018). Migrating to electronic health record systems: A comparative study between the United States and the United Kingdom. Health Policy , 122 (11), 1232-1239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthpol.2018.08.013
