Transforming nursing healthcare through technology systems analysis

HIT Projects and Decision Makers

Describe an example of a HIT project implemented at your organization and analyze how that project was identified and moved forward.

One of the most commonly used health information technology (HIT) systems currently in use throughout America's medical industry is the SigmaCare electronic medical records (EMR) system. After being implemented within my organization over three years ago, the SigmaCare EMR system provided immediate enhancements to the hospital's overall ability to process patients efficiently while producing positive patient outcomes. Administrative and operational tasks were expedited through the use of SigmaCare's proprietary Resident Data Exchange (RDX) software, which allows for the creation of real-time links between hospital departments to eliminate redundant data entries. The process of implementing SigmaCare's EMR system throughout the hospital was orderly and organized, guided by the collaborative efforts of administrators and mangers utilizing the SigmaCare Orientation Readiness Engagement (SCORE) program, which equips hospitals to prepare for the implementation process. The SCORE program aligns closely with industry-accepted standards regarding the efficient implementation of information technology systems (Philip, et al., 2010), because SigmaCare and hospital administrators consider the needs of various departments within the organization, including Activities, Administration, Admissions, Nursing, Medical Services, Pharmacy, Dietary, Rehabilitation and Social Services. Through the use of the SCORE program, the directives set forth by hospital management were satisfied during all phases of the transition to SigmaCare's EMR system.

2.) Evaluate the impact of key decision makers on moving the HIT project forward.

The key decision makers in the vendor selection process used to choose SigmaCare's EMR system consisted of the hospital's chief administrative staff, including corporate investors, the heads of each hospital department, and a delegate from the hospital's patient rights group. By engaging in a cooperative process of discussion and debate, with each party respecting the other's interests in the process, these key decision makers ultimately decided that SigmaCare's innovative approach to EMR system development best suited the hospital's particular needs. The fact that the hospital's longest tenured nurses and nursing administrators were also involved in the vendor selection process was integral to the eventual success of SigmaCare's EMR system, because the staff members who utilize electronic recordkeeping and other components of healthcare informatics should have direct input on system's logistical arrangement (Szydlowski & Smith, 2009). When the vendor selection process was completed all parties worked actively to ensure that the implementation phase was free of external risk factors and systemic error (Madsen, 2010), ensuring that the EMR system used throughout the hospital was workable and reliable.