Conversion to EHR Messaging System
EHR [Electronic Health Records] is an electronic record of patient’s details such as medical history. It is regularly updated in line with the patient’s progress, new medications and additional notes on the patient from the doctor. The Goodwill Health Care Clinic intends to transition from its call care system to an EHR system. The reason behind this move is to ensure that patients’ data and information is well-organized, regularly and easily updated and accessible anywhere and at any time. They also need to include extra information such as lab results and the doctor’s prescription which the current call care system does not provide. This response essay will outline and describe several stages that the hospital can apply to ensure successful conversion to EHR.
First, the hospital must conduct an assessment of its current system. Aspects such as the efficiency and effectiveness of the call care system must be evaluated. Additionally, the hospital must also look at the costs and benefits of the current system. All employees that will be affected by the conversion must also be involved in the plan by giving their views on the old system and how they think the new system will impact on their job productivity. At this stage, it is also important to note that some of the employees may not be computer literate and as such, steps should be formulated as to how they will learn to use the electronic system. The goals set by the hospital at this stage should be related to improving the quality of work, productivity and client satisfaction. However, the main goal here is improved and better health care.
The second step involves planning on how to execute the transition. The hospital is required to identify the tasks that have to be performed and delegate them to the employees who are involved in the process. It also has to choose what activities to stop doing and which ones to sustain during the process. At this stage, the hospital must analyze the current workflow and compare it to the desired EHR workflow. A project plan for the process must also be set and a project manager appointed. Additionally, the hospital should create a back-up strategy should the transition fail. Data elements that will be migrated to the new system must also be chosen. It is also important to address issues of patient privacy and security of the information that will be provided by the new system.
After the planning process, the hospital is now faced with the challenge of selecting the best EHR system that can serve the intended purpose. Several points to consider when choosing an EHR system include;
Whether the EHR system is compatible with the specific needs of the hospital,
The cost of the system at purchase and maintenance costs
Vendor’s market presence
The ability of the system to integrate and work with other software such the billing system.
Server options for the system, and
Legal costs of the system
Privacy and security of the system
The next stage involves the actual implementation of the transition process. The EHR system is procured and installed. The system can undergo a pilot test to analyze its usefulness and functionality. All the plans developed during the planning stage of the process such as data migration now come into implementation. The vendor can offer help in several functions of the system like data migration. Additionally, at this stage, employees need to receive training on how to operate the EHR system. This can be achieved by training each employee specific skills depending on the department and on what activities he/she will be involved in while using the system. It is also important to run an actual test on the security and privacy on patients’ information to ensure safety is guaranteed. At this point, the call care system and the EHR run simultaneously until the newer system is fully integrated into all functions of the hospital.
In order to successfully carry out this whole conversion process, several key employees have to be involved in some big roles. The dean of the hospital is the top authority in the transition. He approves all recommendations and plans regarding the conversion. Below the dean, hospital administrators are tasked with the actual implementation. Due to the fact that they are the ones responsible for running the day-to-day activities of the hospital, they are knowledgeable in several aspects that need to be changed or improved. As such, they can provide helpful suggestions during the planning stage regarding the changes required.
Non-medical staff such as the human resource manager also comes in handy when it comes to selecting the employees and what duties they will have throughout the project. The doctors also have to be involved in matters of choosing what the new system should provide in terms of medical content such as medications, results and prescriptions. This will help later when the hospital chooses the best EHR system among the many that are offered in the market.
References
Electronic Health Records. HiMSS. Retrieved from http://www.himss.org/library/ehr/
How to Implement EHRs. HealthIT. Retrieved from http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/ehr-implementation-steps/step-4-conduct-training-implement-ehr-system
Pros and Cons of Electronic Health Records. Advanced Data Systems Corporation Blog. Retrieved from http://healthcare.adsc.com/blog/bid/309915/Pros-and-Cons-of-Electronic-Health-Records
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