Health Information Technology Needs Analysis
Health Information Technology Needs Analysis
Complete a Vila Health interactive simulation in which you will gather information about the IT needs of various departments within the hospital. Then, construct a matrix of hospital department IT needs and write a 3-4 paragraph summary of your analysis findings.
Introduction
Note: The assessments in this course will build upon the work you have completed in the previous assessments. Therefore, complete the assessments in the order in which they are presented.
It is important for today’s health care manager to have an understanding of the characteristics of the health information systems within a health care setting. Health care information management systems can vary greatly across different settings. However, they are often divided into two categories in a typical health care delivery setting: clinical or administrative. Both categories serve an important role in the health care organization, and administrators must understand the functions of each and how they work to support one another.
This assessment provides an opportunity for you to analyze and identify the IT needs of various hospital departments.
Overview and Preparation
Note: Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.
The following resources are required to complete the assessment:
Vila Health: Health Information Technology Needs Analysis.
This multimedia simulation will enable you to gather the information you will need for your needs analysis.
IT Needs Matrix [DOCX].
Use this template to list the IT needs of the various hospital departments and summarize your findings.
In this assessment, you will assume the role of a mid-level manager. You have been asked to analyze the health information technology (IT) needs for the Independence Medical Center (IMC), a rural referral hospital located in Waterloo, IA.
Complete the Vila Health: Health Information Technology Needs Analysis interactive simulation. Gather information about the IT needs of various departments within the hospital that will support a needs assessment.
Requirements
Identify the IT needs of the various hospital departments, using the IT Needs Matrix. Then, analyze the information you have collected and summarize your findings.
Note: Remember that you can submit all—or a portion of—your draft needs matrix and analysis to Smarthinking for feedback, before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.
Supporting Evidence
It is not necessary to cite the Vila Health media simulation as the source of your information. However, if you reference other source materials, be sure to cite them correctly, using APA style.
IT Needs Matrix and Analysis
Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Be sure that your needs matrix addresses each point, at a minimum. You may also want to read the Health Information Technology Needs Analysis Scoring Guide to better understand how each criterion will be assessed.
Describe the components of a typical HIM system.
Choose a typical system in a setting you are familiar with.
Consider the clinical and administrative aspects of the system.
What evidence do you have that supports your description?
Describe the challenges and best practices related to choosing and implementing health information systems.
Describe two or three challenges.
Consider ways to ensure that systems are able to communicate with other needed systems, such as national databases and information-sharing programs.
What evidence do you have to support your assertions and conclusions?
Identify the clinical and administrative IT needs of the various departments.
Consider the impact of this information on strategic decisions about health information systems.
Explain how the IT needs of each department are, or are not, being met.
Base your assessment on your analysis of specific departmental IT needs.
Summarize the findings from your needs assessment, related to current IT system functionality, commonalities, and differences.
Analyze system functionality, commonalities, and differences.
Consider how different end users look at the system.
What are the implications of your analysis and possible next steps for the organization?
Identify potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs.
Extrapolate from what you already know about current system functionality and how well departmental needs are presently being met.
What evidence do you have that can support this forecast?
Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting.
Express your main points and conclusions coherently.
Proofread your writing to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your analysis.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
Competency 1: Identify the characteristics and functionality of information and management systems used in health care, including those components most relevant for health care administrators.
Describe the components of a typical HIM system.
Identify the challenges and best practices related to choosing and implementing health information systems.
Identify the clinical and administrative IT needs of various hospital departments.
Explain how department IT needs are, or are not, being met.
Summarize the findings from one’s needs assessment, related to current IT system functionality, commonalities, and differences.
Competency 4: Forecast future organizational needs and/or applications of technology based on evolving business trends.
Identify potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs.
Competency 6: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style, consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.
Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting.
The resources provided here are suggested and provide helpful information about topics relevant to the assessment. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment; however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The MHA Program Library Guide can help direct your research.
The following articles provide useful insight into various health care technologies that may help you when considering the IT needs of a health care organization:
Barton, B. (2014). Learned in healthcare information technology. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 37(2), 22–24, 33.
Discusses the value, for a learning organization, of enterprise-level quality and change management systems.
Khodambashi, S., & Nytro, O. (2017). Reviewing clinical guideline development tools: Features and characteristics. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 17, 1–13.
Discusses the need for software support in developing and publishing clinical guidelines, and describes several representative tools currently in use.
LeFevre, A. E., Mohan, D., Hutchful, D., Jennings, L., Mehl, G., Labrique, A., . . . Moorthy, A. (2017). Mobile technology for community health in Ghana: What happens when technical functionality threatens the effectiveness of digital health programs? BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 17, 1–17.
A case study examining the use and effectiveness of a mobile health technology program.
Studeny, J., & Coustasse, A. (2014). Personal health records: Is rapid adoption hindering interoperability? Perspectives in Health Information Management, 11, 1–17.
Discusses the interoperability of personal health records, driven by meaningful use criteria, and the barriers to interoperability that currently exist.
Health Information Technology Needs Analysis Scoring Guide
CRITERIA NON-PERFORMANCE BASIC PROFICIENT DISTINGUISHED
Describe the components of a typical HIM system. Does not describe the components of a typical HIM system. Provides a vague or superficial description of the components of a typical HIM system. Describes the components of a typical HIM system. Describes the components of a typical HIM system. Provides a thorough and accurate description, well-supported by credible evidence, that identifies both the clinical and administrative aspects of the system.
Identify the challenges and best practices related to choosing and implementing health information systems. Does not identify the challenges and best practices related to choosing and implementing health information systems. Identifies the challenges and best practices not clearly related to choosing and implementing health information systems. Identifies the challenges and best practices related to choosing and implementing health information systems. Identifies the challenges and best practices related to choosing and implementing health information systems. Provides a perceptive assessment of key challenges and best practices, well-supported by credible evidence.
Identify the clinical and administrative IT needs of various hospital departments. Does not identify typical clinical and administrative IT needs common in typically hospital settings. Identifies typical clinical and administrative IT needs common in typically hospital settings, but not clearly associated with specific departments. Identifies the clinical and administrative IT needs of various hospital departments. Identifies the clinical and administrative IT needs of various hospital departments. Provides a thorough and accurate analysis of current needs sufficient to support sound strategic decisions about health information systems.
Explain how department IT needs are, or are not, being met. Does not identify the department IT needs that are, or are not, being met. Identifies the department IT needs that are, or are not, being met. Explains how department IT needs are, or are not, being met. Explains how department IT needs are, or are not, being met. Provides a perceptive, articulate explanation and makes logically sound inferences from available information.
Summarize the findings from one’s needs assessment, related to current IT system functionality, commonalities, and differences. Does not summarize the findings from one’s needs assessment. Summarizes the findings from one’s needs assessment, without sufficient regard to current IT system functionality, commonalities, and differences, resulting in ambiguity and a lack of direction for decision makers. Summarizes the findings from one’s needs assessment, related to current IT system functionality, commonalities, and differences. Summarizes the findings from one’s needs assessment, related to current IT system functionality, commonalities, and differences. Provides a concise and insightful summary with clear implications for the organization and a sound basis for possible next steps.
Identify potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs. Does not identify potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs. Identifies potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs, based on tenuous conclusions drawn from a cursory examination of the issue. Identifies potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs. Identifies potential gaps between current system functionality and services and likely future needs. Provides a gap analysis based on an astute forecast of future needs.
Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting. Does not write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting. Writing is unclear and disorganized, includes errors in grammar and mechanics that inhibit effective communication, or contains incorrect or improperly formatted source citations and references. Writes clearly and concisely, using correct grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting. Writes clearly and concisely. Grammar, mechanics, and APA formatting are error-free.