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Informatics Needs Assessment

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Informatics Needs Assessment
Marisa Mox
HSN/375
February 6, 2016
Suzanne Spradley

Informatics Needs Assessment The informatics needs assessment is an essential first step in the selection and implementation of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) for a healthcare workplace. This paper will address the purpose of a needs assessment and factors that need to be considered in the needs assessment. Additionally, this paper will explore the types of data that need to be collected and how and where that data can be accessed. This paper will also describe who should be consulted and the rationale why. Finally, this paper will include how the information from the needs assessment could be organized and presented to upper management. 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). Specifically an informatics needs assessment will assist in selecting the electronic health record that will fit the needs of the organization. This involves putting together the data and information important to the organizations goal (Sewell & Thede, 2013). 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. Several factors need to be considered when conducting a needs assessment. It is important to determine who has identified the need for an electronic record and to get their input. Did the request or interest come from the medical unit staff, administration, outside vendors, etc.? The next factor is to identify the type of health record that is in current use. Is there an electronic health record in place or not? Depending on whether there is no EHR or one that is felt to be inferior, it is important to understand the issues that cause people to want change to determine what

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