...Healthcare Information Systems Management Name Institution Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Health Records In the modern world, every sector aspires to adopt computerization. The health sector is not an exemption and I would state that the health sector has made tremendous steps to adopt the electronic health records (Gungor, 2011). Electronic health records has some advantages and disadvantages as explained below. The Benefits of Electronic Health Records Reduction in Human Errors It is eminent that the electronic medical records have played a very vital role in reducing the chances of human errors in maintaining the health records. The health records that are created by electronic data are in electronic form. They are not stored in the files as it was the case with the old record keeping methods. There is less handling of electronic health records as compared to the manual health records (Gungor, 2011). This eliminates the chances of human error which occur when incompetent persons handle health records. Errors of misplaced files are eliminated. Safety and Security Electronic medical records provide a safe and secure way of storing information. Medical records are very essential and have to be stored safely. Electronic medical records can be duplicated easily and stored in computer systems (Gungor, 2011). This is unlike the paper files which can easily get lost, or damaged by natural disasters or even stolen...
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...Readiness for Change With an ever-increasing population and the rising cost of medical care, the healthcare industry is in need of innovated ways to provide quality health care while containing cost. Technological advances offer one-such solution to cost containment, though, adoption of Information Technology (IT) in the health care industry remains low despite overwhelming evidence that the use of electronic medical records (EMR) has improved staff efficiency, increased preventative care measures, and decreased medical errors thus lowering healthcare cost (Childs, 2009). Even in an environment that is rich with evidence-based innovations, diffusion of successful electronic medical records remains a problem in the healthcare industry. This paper will explore the implementation of transitioning to an EMR in a specific facility. Implementation of an Electronic Medical Record The change initiative in this scenario is implementation of an EMR. In 2004, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology was developed as a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law, the goal of this act was to create new jobs and spur economic activity and invest in long-term growth (U.S. Government, 2012). The Act had a plan to achieve goals by providing $787 billion that would offer tax cuts and benefits for many working families, fund entitlement programs, such as unemployment benefits, and...
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...large to improve their quality of life. Companies that embrace corporate social responsibility look after people and the environment along with good financial results. These companies do not wait until the government imposes particular rule or laws. They look ahead and determine for themselves which environmental and social measures they are able or willing to take. They choose those measures which fit in with their own vision and business strategy. But they also take account of what the outside world asks of them. They developed an identity that is based on finding a responsible balance between people ‘social well-being’, planet ‘ecological quality’and profit ’economic prosperity’(Epstein, 2008). Although every company must consider for itself how best to incorporate social responsibility into its business model, it may be instructive to look at one company’s efforts to incorporate these triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) into its strategic thinking and business planning. Global Health Communities (GHC) is a non-profit healthcare system which service millions people across Chicago metropolitan area. GHC is committed to provide the best health needs to the family members in their communities. Currently, the Global Health Communities consists of 13...
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...HCS 483 B. Crocker July 18, 2012 Introduction Adopting electronic health information systems is never easy for a company when deciding the right time to do so. Companies are realizing now more than ever that electronic health records are imperative when creating strong relationships between patients and healthcare providers. In the history of storing information, healthcare facilities stored only paper files and in only one location. As technology becomes a larger part of the healthcare industry, many providers have made the transition. Health care information systems come such as electronic health records (EHR) and management software. EHRs save a patient's health history. EHRs also contains some of the same information about a patient as a regular medical chart. Scanners and printers also play a role in EHR because of the amount of data that is being transmitted into and from a digital format. Management software allows organization to set appointments and referrals, but does not organize specific information. Selecting and acquiring an information system for any health care organization starts with why the organization is considering it in the first place and where to start. All health information systems consist of the software hardware. Health information technology (HIT) software is utilized on computers by medical staff. Data is often stored and managed off site by the HIT provider. Organizations should consider opportunities, problems and needs by analyzing and...
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...Future Trends in Health Care Future Trends in Health Care The use of a telemedicine can be incorporated in any electronic health record system, with the proper applications patient can be seen face-to-face or in person with a documented assessment or evaluation being conducted simultaneously. The important use of telemedicine is to increase productivity however, many health care professionals can evaluate just as many patient via EHR as they can in person without the use of an EHR. According to the Journal of American Medicine Association, “the role of telemedicine in medical practice is yet to be defined. Even now, it ranges from simple teleconference (a means of communication) to remote surgery (a new modality).” (JAMA, 1995) The EHR (Electronic Health Record) is an electronic record of a patient’s health information that can be generated by one or more departments in the health care delivery system. The health record includes patient address, phone numbers, religion, ethnicity, history and physical, lab tests, lab results and progress notes of their medical information over a period of time. “The EHR has the ability to generate a complete record of a clinical patient encounter-as well as supporting other care-related activities directly or indirectly via interface- including evidence-based decision support, quality management, and outcomes reporting.” (HIMSS, 2009) The EHR main goals should be to help guide the health professional to...
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...Organizational Transition to Electronic Health Records Terry Badey- McClelland Capella University Omega Home Health Agency Omega Home Health Agency (OHHA) was established in 2010, to provide care services for disable and elderly adults in their homes in North Carolina. The organization is the second largest home health agency in the state of North Carolina. The agency is licensed by the North Carolina Division of Facility Services, as a home health care provider. Omega Home Health offer a variety of services, such as, in-home health care, mental health services, group homes, respite and adult day care. Our objective is to assist clients in maintaining their health, safety, as well as their well-being, which allows them to remain at home, through the professional and quality care provided by our agency. Our vision is to transform home health through innovative ideas and missions that embody a holistic environment for our clients. Omega Home Health Agency partners with Carolina’s Medical Center. Omega Home Health Agency’s employees are Physicians, clinicians, licensed Registered Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, Medical Technicians, Dieticians, Registered Health Information Administrators, Registered Health Information technicians, licensed Counselors, Qualified Professionals, and Behavioral Technicians. Omega Home Health operates seven facilities throughout North Carolina, with facilities in Statesville, Hickory, Charlotte, Huntersville, Mooresville, Lincolnton, and...
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...Change and Innovation Latonya Grays HCA/250 April 1, 2013 Jadyne Christensen Change and Innovation There is a lot to think about when managing change in a work place, especially given the scenario being that there is a major health care organization that has decided to use electronic medical records. The main issue would be that the employees in the organization are resistant to change, particularly changes that deal with technology. Other important things to think about would be strategies to manage change and innovation, the resistance between the employees and organizational change, and how human resources can play a role in managing change. Some strategies to manage change and innovation might be to not force the change upon people, but to make the change as real and natural as possible. You do not want to force change upon people, who tends to cause more problems and or issues in the long run. Another thing that you could do is ask yourself questions that might help you understand your decisions on why this change has been made, and understanding that better might help you with adapting to your new surroundings, and jobs, and in general as just being a patient and understanding protocol. A lot of times employees resist organizational change because, change is a big thing already and to add onto it this change may have to do with your job, or even your well being as a patient getting used to the changes. In most cases the employee is not...
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...organization Organizational culture Analysis Analysis tools used to perform assessment Assessment needs to contain measurement and benchmarks Tables and graphs to demonstrate findings Risk Analysis Identify risks or challenges will be identified as results of organizational assessment Can project be undertaken within boundaries of state and federal regulation? Are there any potential stark or anti-kickback concerns Are there resources available to undertake project Problem Statement Measurable goals and objectives Resources Budget Project Timeline Communication Key Stakeholders Strategies for implementing change with in organization Strategies for monitoring project Risks or challenges that anticipate how to overcome risks Measures used to evaluate project success What does success look like? Methods used to conduct evaluation of project Timeline for evaluating project Ensure project’s continued success Part 1 Topic Research & Selection As researching to find new healthcare trends for the past few years have provided some interesting topics. After doing this research it was discovered that the area hospital in Kingman, Arizona had just implemented a new feature. That new feature is the Patient portal. This will help patients to schedule appointments, refill medication, view lab results and to communicate with their physicians. Part 2 Literature review One question is being asked is, “Are patient portals secure, are there security issues within...
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...effective state possible. Of course, this is a very difficult goal to achieve when dealing with the unpredictability of day-to-day operations at a hospital, but measures can and should be taken to limit as much waste as possible and maximize efficiency of resources used. While new ways to implement more ideas and concepts of Operations Management into the healthcare industry are constantly being researched, there are aspects and tasks that are performed in a Hospital that can be considered the operations of a hospital. The goal of this paper is to explain some of these operations of a hospital. Regulatory Reporting One way in which hospitals utilize regulatory reporting, is through reporting to the FDA or to a manufacturer when a medical device has caused harm, illness, or potentially even death as an adverse effect to one of the hospital’s patients. If a death has occurred at the hospital due to a malfunction of a device, both the FDA and manufacturer of the defective device must...
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...Healthcare Systems Karen D Thomas May 27, 2012 Professor Forbes HSA 315 Describe the systems development life cycle as it pertains to both the development of a custom application and the selection of proprietary systems. The systems development life cycle is the process of planning, selecting, implementing, and evaluating a health care information system. These four stages have several tasks within each one. The main focus of planning and analysis is the organization’s strategy. In this phase, problems are identified and selected as opportunities for improvement. The organization at this stage has to determine whether a new system is really needed, and if so if it is financially possible at the current time. Once it has been determined that a new system is needed, the needs and requirements of the users must be taken into account. This is a time consuming, but very necessary process. By specifying what is needed, the company should be able to get a system that specifically helps them meet their goals. The second stage is design, and in this phase all options are considered. In system design, alternative solutions to problems are considered, a cost benefit analysis is performed, a system chosen, and negotiations with the vendor are completed. Once this stage is completed, the third stage, implementation, begins. The implementation phase involves allocation of resources to complete tasks. These tasks include workflow, installation of the system, testing, staff training...
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...Electronic health records (also known as ‘e-notes’, EMR or EHR) have commonly replaced the conventional paper records used in medical facilities. EHRs are a longitudinal electronic record of patient health information generated by one or more encounters in any care delivery setting. Included in this information are patient demographics, progress notes, problems, medications, vital signs, past medical history, immunizations, laboratory data, and radiology reports”. Some of the basic benefits associated with EHRs include being able to easily access computerized records and the elimination of poor penmanship, which has historically plagued the handwritten medical chart. This technology can offer a more consistent method for open communication among physicians, nurses, labs and other clinical staff without relying on handwritten notes stored in a single-location, electronic health records can help with the time it takes to treat someone. Electronic health records have provided a solution to a range of health care procedures, have offered cost savings and benefits, and still have greater potential for improvement through future efforts. It is evident that the EHRs have shortcomings that are commonly noted and targeted, but they have solved many more problems inherent in previous systems, they are the ideal path for development and improvement for patients and healthcare providers. Electronic health records have allowed healthcare organizations to provide quality care all of its...
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...Improving Quality of Care Ottawa University Abstract Assessing and improving quality health care in the United States is a high priority in this day and age of health care. As health care providers we have an obligation to serve as leaders and visionaries and actively demonstrate and document the advances to patient-centered care. Many agencies and organizations have developed initiatives to advance patient care through quality improvement measures and patient safety programs. Evaluating quality health care is important for consumer, providers and society. Developing a quality measure of health care is an important objective for organizations that value health care quality. Improving Quality of Care The continuing growth of technology in healthcare is ground breaking at this time. With the advancements in technology and health care, there has become a rift between providers and patients. Patients want the best quality care from the health care system. Despite this justifiably positive view that, overall, quality of care is high in this country, many factors point to the fact that the quality of care is declining. It is believed that patient-physician relationships are not as strong as they once were, causing distrust and uncertainty. The health care field is ever changing and health care providers need to stay current on those changes, both now and in the future. Quality patient care will greatly remain impacted from the health care provider shortages and in return...
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...If I were given the opportunity to set up and design a medical office, I would strive to create an environment that is suitable for average suburban families of any income level, providing comfort and convenience. I would first locate a multi office facility where most of our patients’ care could be done in one place. Ideally, there would be various specialties, a pharmacy, radiology and imaging, and lab services available. This would provide convenient accessibility for patients requiring dual care, specialties, or medication following their initial visit with us. When you enter this office you will be peacefully enveloped into pale sage, light brown and neutral tones, creating a sense of warmth and comfort. You could hang your coat or dry your umbrella by the door (Wells, 2005). Beautiful canvases with scenic views from around the U.S. would provide an insight to the magnificence our country still holds, and silk trees creating small accents and a sense of harmony throughout the room (Harrison, 2010, p.4). There would be a severance of sorts within the waiting area. In the area closest to the door would be a reading nook, for those seeking quiet and privacy while they wait. They would have four oversized arm-chairs to relax in, magazines, newspapers, educational materials, and slightly lower lighting. The center of the room would be the main waiting area, with large, cloth, arm free chairs, non-restricting and giving individuals a sense of personal space. Ten of the chairs...
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...Automated Discovery of Patient-Specific Clinician Information Needs Using Clinical Information System Log Files Elizabeth S. Chen, MPhil and James J. Cimino, MD Author information ► Copyright and License information ► This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Go to: Abstract Knowledge about users and their information needs can contribute to better user interface design and organization of information in clinical information systems. This can lead to quicker access to desired information, which may facilitate the decision-making process. Qualitative methods such as interviews, observations and surveys have been commonly used to gain an understanding of clinician information needs. We introduce clinical information system (CIS) log analysis as a method for identifying patient-specific information needs and CIS log mining as an automated technique for discovering such needs in CIS log files. We have applied this method to WebCIS (Web-based Clinical Information System) log files to discover patterns of usage. The results can be used to guide design and development of relevant clinical information systems. This paper discusses the motivation behind the development of this method, describes CIS log analysis and mining, presents preliminary results and summarizes how the results can be applied. Go to: INTRODUCTION The availability of clinical information to the clinician at the point of care is essential to the health care process. Inability to locate needed information...
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...connectivity and component function. Emerging models include “freefloating” personal medical records largely independent of the office-based physician, systems with compatible and intertwined physician and consumer relationships using an application services provider office practice system, and systems that connect patients and providers through e-mail, office triage, prescription refills, scheduling, and so on. This article discusses these and other combinations of technology that significantly overcome the barriers involved and that may be woven together to provide solutions uniquely suited to various competitive situations. KEYWORDS • Consumerism • Patient-provider relationship • Data ownership • Application service providers • Time and cost savings The Internet has created both opportunities and threats that providers of all stripes must eventually confront to remain viable businesses in the new economy. Although business-to-business (B2B) innovations offer great hope in reducing costs and providing other efficiencies, electronically connecting with patients is a particularly challenging frontier where technical hurdles are generally exceeded by political, legal, workflow, and other barriers. However, the rise of consumerism compels a response—one focused on the needs and demands of the patient. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT®, vol. 15, no. 1, Spring 2001 © Healthcare Information Management Systems Society and...
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