Informatics Needs Assessment
Dawn Harvey
HCS 482
March 2, 2015
Diane Delucia

Informatics Needs Assessment
Needs assessment is the first step in the information systems life cycle. The informatics needs assessment is an essential step in the selection and implementation of an Electronic Health Record. The following paper will address the purpose of a needs assessment and some factors that need to be considered in the needs assessment. Data that needs to be collected and where it can be accessed, along with who you would consult and why, will be discussed. By the conclusion of this paper, the reader will understand the importance of implementing an appropriate needs assessment to provide relevant information to upper management.
Purpose
The purpose of a needs assessment is to “determine the gap between the organization’s current state and the overall needs of the organization” (Hebda & Czar, 2013 p. 155). This step involves putting together the data and information important to the facilities goal (Sewell & Thede, 2013 p. 331). A needs assessment is an excellent tool for a facility to determine how to move from where they are to where they want to be.
Factors to consider Several factors need to be considered when conducting a needs assessment. Identify the current state of issues and determine those that need improvement to reach facility goals. Understand why these issues exist by finding out why the current program falls short in delivering the preferred outcome. Resources such as; money, people, technology, poor design or implementation of policies and procedures, inadequate training, and staff turnover are factors that cause many issues. Determine what issues require immediate attention and prioritize them from most important to least important (Stevens & Gillam, 1998 p. 1449).

Type of data
The collection of data and