Week 3 Discussion

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University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley *

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6340

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Mechanical Engineering

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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Week 3 Discussion Please read "Case 5: Selecting an EHR for dermatology practice" on page 480-481 of the textbook and discuss either question 2 or question 3 at the end of the case. You only need to pick one of the two questions to discuss and please include the question number in your post. You can comment on any posts, not limited to those discussing the same question as you did. How might you conduct an EHR-readiness assessment for this practice? What factors will be important to consider? Why? There are many important factors to conduct and consider for the EHR-readiness assessment. First, computer requirements. Electronic Health Record means everything will be conducted in computers, the requirements for computers in both software and hardware as well as internet connection are important. Second, EHR system training. All healthcare providers such as doctors, nurses, and other staffs should receive EHR training before using it. They need to have the skills to use the systems in order to facilitate EHR system. Third, cost requirements. I mentioned computer requirements and EHR system training before, and both factors require financial support. For paper-based health record, it is easy to conduct, basically you do not need to spend any money because the price of papers is cheap and everyone can write, however, purchasing computers and software and proving training are extensive, also, you cannot guarantee everyone knows how to use computer and/or specific software. security and privacy considerations. The assessment should evaluate whether they have the absolute security and privacy standard procedures, and policies ensure to meet the requirements of an EHR system. It is important to make sure that patients’ information and health records are protected, and the access to HER system should be well controlled and monitored.

Before converting paper-based health record to an EHR, the owners need to think about if the EHR system will benefit their facilities by getting and providing patients health record effectively and efficiently and facilitate more correct and fast diagnosis. Also, the owners should consider what they need to do for EHR system, including computer requirements, proper staff training, privacy and secure policies and regulations, and so on. The way I would conduct an EHR-readiness assessment for this practice is by creating an implementation team that will facilitate the process. Two of the main people I would be incorporating would be a project manager and an IT professional. As a team, we would be offering in-depth training for my staff. An idea I would like to use is to create mock patients in the system so my staff can practice. The goal in this is to in a way mimic the workflow and once EHR is up and running my staff will be comfortable with the navigation and be able to find resources whenever a patient needs specific information. Factors that would be considered would be the firm understanding of clinical workflow, data collection, documentation, and optimized operation of EHR. Aside from taking time to further prepare my staff, ensuring that the EHR system is working as it should be is vital to further assist with productivity. An IT professional would be prepared to assist in any way possible in providing tech support and in monitoring system functions. According to an article, “Having data that is incomplete, missing or misleading, open or incomplete patient orders, procedures and policies that are ineffective, failure to follow up abnormal test results, confusing one patient with another, reliance upon inaccurate or incomplete patient data…” My staff would also be trained in proper communication and coordination of their activities to ensure information does not get lost or leads to patient harm. Once everything is set to go, I would then establish a go-live date. Optimal performance upon implementation would be the end goal. Workflow analysis: It is important to understand the practice's workflow and how an EHR system will integrate with it. The assessment should consider how EHR implementation will affect the practice's workflow, including changes in patient check-in, documentation, billing, and scheduling. Hardware and software requirements: The practice should assess whether their current hardware and software infrastructure is sufficient to support an EHR system. This includes determining whether the practice has adequate internet connectivity, server capacity, and backup and disaster recovery systems Staff training: The assessment should evaluate whether the practice's staff has the necessary technical skills to use an EHR system effectively. The assessment should also consider the amount of training required to bring staff up to speed on the new system, and whether additional training will be necessary as the practice evolves.

Privacy and security requirements: The practice should evaluate whether they have the necessary privacy and security policies and procedures in place to meet the requirements of an EHR system. This includes ensuring that patient information is secure and protected, and that access to the system is properly controlled. Financial considerations: The practice should evaluate the costs associated with implementing and maintaining an EHR system. This includes the cost of software and hardware, staff training, ongoing maintenance and support, and any associated costs such as upgrades and add-ons. Legal and regulatory compliance: The practice should ensure that their EHR system is compliant with all legal and regulatory requirements, including HIPAA and other healthcare privacy and security laws. Overall, an EHR-readiness assessment should consider the practice's workflow, hardware and software requirements, staff training, privacy and security requirements, financial considerations, and legal and regulatory compliance. By evaluating these factors, the practice can determine whether they are ready to implement an EHR system and identify any areas that may require additional planning or resources.

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