Assessment 2: Technology Needs Assessment Summary and Implementation Plan
Assessment 2: Technology Needs Assessment Summary and Implementation Plan
Executive Summary
The needs assessment meeting with chief stakeholders in system change was primarily a comparative analysis of the current health information system’s capacity and how an effective system should perform. An analysis of the current informatics structure depicts an organization embracing technology in practice but hampered by efficiency problems. The organization uses technology to promote data-driven care with the use of information technology and electronic health records dominating practice. However, a system upgrade is needed to enable the organization to provide health care services that meet 21st-century demands.
In research, the literature review describes existing knowledge about the topic, reveals gaps and further research questions to be answered, and provides a rationale for engaging in a new study. The literature review provides evidence to answer clinical questions and make informed decisions in evidence-based practice. Quality improvement studies also begin with searching the literature to gather available knowledge about a problem and explore interventions used in other settings. The appearance of journals that predatory publishers publish has introduced the danger that reviews of the literature include inadequate, poorly designed, and low-quality information being used as “evidence”—raising the possibility of risky and harmful practice. A helpful literature review requires searching various reliable and credible databases such as MEDLINE (through PubMed or Ovid) and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), among others relevant to the topic. The ease of searching using a web browser (now commonly referred to as “googling”) has increased the risk of finding sources published in predatory. Low-quality journals that have not met the standards of research and scholarship can be regarded as credible and reliable evidence ( Oermann, Wrigley, Nicoll, Ledbetter, Carter-Templeton, & Edie, 2021).
System change is a demanding task where minimal error can be costly. The next phase is the implementation, where the proposed changes will be actualized. To complete this project, stakeholders should be actively involved. Critical informatics roles include designing the new system, implementing the new system, piloting, and full adoption into practice. The project champions should facilitate as required while providing the necessary material, financial, and technical support. In any case, the project cannot succeed without everyone’s input.
A detailed assessment shows that the current system enables data recording, storage, and sharing but to a limited extent. It is
characterized by efficiency and capacity hitches, including the inability to support a mobile view and the lack of biometric identification of users. Health information systems should support a mobile view to encourage their use (Balgrosky, 2019). The lack of a biometric function to identify authorized users increases access-related risks. The other problem that the new system should address is data capture limitations. The current system cannot capture data in all formats and sizes. It does not support some video formats, and the maximum file size absorbable is ten megabytes. The new system should absorb documents, images, and videos without limitations. Interoperability problems should also be fixed. Although the current system supports data sharing, the transmission is slow. As a result, data transmission does not occur in real-time to facilitate timely and efficient care.
On improvements for patient safety and health care outcomes, health care providers should be genuinely concerned with issues posing a significant risk to patient data. Technology use is among the key areas associated with ethical and legal risks in health care due to safety problems. Unsecure systems can expose health data to phishing and use for non-health purposes (Priestman et al., 2019). Access hitches must be a priority area when making system changes. Patient data should always be accessed and shared with consented parties (Heslop et al., 2020). Improved security will ensure that health data is only used for health-related purposes.
After addressing security issues, the enhanced capacity stakeholders looking forward to should also be characterized by increased interoperability. In the current practice, health care providers cannot optimize health outcomes without communication, interprofessional collaboration, and information sharing. A highly interoperable electronic health system allows information exchange securely and expediently (Turbow & Hollberg, 2018; Shull, 2019). The information flows across systems without interruptions or leakages. Health care professionals can also access data when needed and in the required formats. Such improvements will encourage data use in the health care organization, promoting data-driven, accurate care.
Overall, the needs assessment meeting with the stakeholders concentrated on what the new system should offer in terms of enhanced capacity. The meeting was primarily a comparative analysis of the current information system’s capacity versus what the organization should be using. Stakeholders envision a scenario where health care is data-driven in the organization and interprofessional collaboration excellent. Health care providers should also have communication platforms within the system, such as dashboards and chat rooms.
References
Balgrosky, J. A. (2020). Understanding health information systems for the health professions. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Heslop, P. A., Davies, K., Sayer, A., & Witham, M. (2020). Making consent for electronic health and social care data research fit for purpose in the 21st century. BMJ Health & Care Informatics, 27(1), 1-5. doi:10.1136/ bmjhci-2020-100128
Priestman, W., Anstis, T., Sebire, I. G., Sridharan, S., & Sebire, N. J. (2019). Phishing in healthcare organisations: Threats, mitigation and approaches. BMJ Health & Care Informatics, 26(1), 1-6. doi:10.1136/ bmjhci-2019-100031
Shull, J. G. (2019). Digital health and the state of interoperable electronic health records. JMIR medical informatics, 7(4), e12712. doi: 10.2196/12712
Turbow, S., Hollberg, J. R., & Ali, M. K. (2021). Electronic health record interoperability: How did we get here and how do we move forward?. JAMA Health Forum 2(3), e210253-e210253. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.0253
Hello stakeholders,
System change is highly engaging and requires extensive planning. It is also important to make the desired changes systematically while engaging all the necessary teams. In the needs assessment meeting, the areas necessitating a system change were identified. The next stage is implementation to ensure that the vision becomes a reality. As a nursing informatics specialist, I have developed a plan to facilitate a smooth transition from the old to the new system. The plan has seven components- completing one phase leads to the next.
The first phase is needs prioritization, where the change areas will be ranked. The second step involves assembling the implementation team. The team will compose individuals skilled in systems change. They should also be available throughout the project. The third and vital step is systems change involving a system overhaul. It is the phase where the necessary software, hardware, and operating system changes will occur. The next phase will be piloting. The new system will go live for the first time in this step. The team will observe how the system runs to determine whether any more changes are required. After piloting, system users will be trained to ensure they are ready and confident to use the system. Readiness will read to system adoption into practice to commence actual work. I will also lead in selecting a team to guide system upgrades and maintenance to ensure that the project is sustainable.