Introduction to Healthcare Technology and Information Systems

AHIMA

What areas of healthcare has the use of health information systems impacted?

• Patient care

• Finance and reimbursement

• Public health and epidemiology

• Research

• Education

• Patient safety

• Quality of patient care

• Access to information

• Privacy and security

How have information systems impacted patient care positively?

• Patient engagement in healthcare

• Patient safety

• Creation of evidence-based medicine

Health Information Exchange (HIE)

the exchange of health information electronically between providers and others with the same level of interoperability

Interoperability

the ability of different information technology systems and software applications to communicate; to exchange data accurately, effectively, and consistently; and to use the information that has been changed. In other words, it allows healthcare providers access to patient information located in ISs of other healthcare organizations, even if they have another vendor’s IS

Information System Strategic Planning

is the process of aligning an organization's information technology strategy with its business goals, ensuring that IT investments support overall objectives and enhance efficiency in healthcare delivery.

Needs Assessment

evaluates the need for the various ISs under consideration. Should include a comparison of costs to benefits received.

What steps are included in the planning and analysis phase?

1. Planning

2. Organizing the project

3. Defining scope of project

4. Systems analysis

What can cause an IS to fail?

Selecting software that does not have the functionality needed by the healthcare organization

Lack of organizational structure of the project

Lack of planning (related to technology)

Lack of planning for change management

Poor training of users

Lack of end user involvement

Feasibility Study

conducted by the healthcare organization to determine if a proposed information system is an appropriate option to meet the objectives of the healthcare organization

Tangible benefits

easy to quantify in dollars and include eliminating duplicate tests, no longer having to purchase health record file folders, and not microfilming paper records

Intangible benefits

cannot be quantified monetarily. An example of an intangible benefit would be improved quality of care

SMART Methodology

A strategy for writing goals - stands for:

Specific,

Measurable,

Attainable,

Relevant, and

Time-based.

Project Management

a formal set of principles and procedures that help control the activities associated with implementing a usually large undertaking to achieve a specific goal

Project Team

a collection of individuals representing various disciplines such as billing, clinician, administration, or information technology, assigned to work on a project

Change Management

the formal process of introducing change, getting it adopted, and diffusing it throughout the healthcare organization.

Project

a plan and course of action that will address a specific objective, made up of a series of activities and tasks with defined start and stop dates.

Specific goal

tells you the what, who, where, when, which, and why

Measurable goal

provides something that you can use to compare the actual outcome to the goal to determine if it has been met

Attainable goal

one that you have the skills and resources to accomplish

Relevant goal

while challenging, can be accomplished given the time and other factors

Time based goal

provides a deadline to meet

Why is the project team important?

they are responsible for ensuring that the system implementation plan is carried out according to the project manager’s specifications

Support for the IS can be shown by:

Attending meetings

talking about the IS’s benefits to the health organization and the employees

What does change management involve?

reducing fear of change for employees and preparing them for what is to come.

Project Team

individuals that successfully implement the IS, works with the project manager to implement and manage the project, meets periodically, based on project needs, to discuss progress of the project and any issues that arise.

Who are the major participants of the project management team?

IS project steering committee, the project team, the user task force, the vendor, the project manager, and possibly one or more consultants.

Information Systems Project Steering Committee

responsible for every IS acquisition project in the healthcare organization. ensures that the strategic IS is being efficiently and effectively implemented and that the project stays on target

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

generally at the executive level and is responsible for all information resource management functions at the healthcare organization

Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO)

acts as a liaison between physicians and the information technology staff. Responsible for the ISs used by physicians.

Chief Analytics Officer

utilizes information to make business decisions.

User Task Force

a group of users, who will ultimately be using the IS, who test the IS and perform other project-related tasks for which the committee receives feedback