Health information technology adoption and patient care quality improvement

¶ … HITECH Act

What organizations should do to ensure that the correct system is selected

Healthcare institutions across America have increased their efforts of implementing electronic medical records in order to conform to the requirements of the HITECH Act. The implementation process of electronic medical records begins with the selection of the correct system and its appropriateness for those using it. This process has proven to be overwhelming for new users because most of them do not know where to begin (Frances & Glaser, 2009). In addition, the selection of a poor system comes with implications that might become hard for an organization to get itself out of it. Obtaining the appropriate product is worthwhile because it is meant for a long-term relationship. Healthcare organizations must avoid and limit the possibilities of breaking the law besides tackling the costs and challenges of implementing electronic medical records, (Lang, 2010). The HITECH institute recommends the following steps for healthcare organizations, medical clinics, and hospitals to pursue to ensure that the correct system is selected and that the system will be appropriate for those required to use it. A diligent project manager must ensure an organization follows the process. This would filter through such an overwhelming decision (Tan & Sheps, 2008).

The first step is to select a team to head the process. The HITECH Act stipulates that a health information technology (HIT) team will comprise of a staff, provider, a nurse, and a physician. It further guides that users of the new system must be incorporated in the processes of decision-making and implementation. A representative from the billing management and clinicians must be considered in all the processes. The Act suggests that one project manager must be assigned to head the entire process by monitoring the budgets and timeline (Anderson & Aydin, 2005).

The second step is goal identification. Before healthcare organizations look at any product, the health information technology (HIT) team will establish the goals of this new system. In this case, the goal is to enhance the quality of healthcare. The HIT team looks at the current workflow of the organization and establishes weaknesses that the new system will improve. For instance, the project manager could assess the management of lab results. It is common for patients to make call-ins to inquire their lab results. Then, the lab personnel call the patients back with the response. Implementation of HIT might provide results and enable clients have a direct access via portal. This could minimize the number of phone calls made. While the above aspect of HIT streamlines access to patient information, it also improves the quality of healthcare to patients (Constantino & Merchant, 2006).

The third step deals with the listing of the available products. After the team identifies the goals of the HIT system, the team will use resources like peers, professional associations, and regional extension centers to list the possible HIT products. While the internet could be a source of information on HIT systems, it tends to be overwhelming. The HITECH institute suggests that healthcare organizations should consult colleagues who have prior experience with the selection of HIT systems. Nevertheless, just because one organization was successful at implementing a HIT system does not guarantee another organization (Carrin, 2009).

The fourth step involves sending requests for information. The HIT selection team must develop requests for information to supply to the listed vendors. This is done in the form of a cover memo that entails information about what makes the healthcare provision practice unique. If such details are provided upfront, it helps the vendor to explain how their product meets the stipulated needs of an organization (Frances & Glaser, 2009).

The fifth step involves narrowing down the list. The HIT selection team narrows down the list of potential products based on the responses provided in the fourth step. Discussions and demonstrations with the users of the product will shorten the selection process. Organizations must inquire for cloud computing and other similar services such as server-on-site electronic health records. Price and availability of IT support staff within the community and broadband access must be considered in the decisions of using client-based or internet models. The HITECH Act recommends that organizations must select a minimum of two products in performing live demonstrations at the clinic or hospital. In addition, during the demos, the face-to-face interaction with the product and vendor employees is vital in decision-making (Anderson & Aydin, 2005).

The next step is checking references. After conducting successful demos, the HIT selection team requests references for vendors so that people can assess the product at the clinic or hospital. The team must research references that the vendors left out. The HITECH encourages that healthcare organizations must find their own references to obtain an unbiased view point by visiting the product in action. While this might be time consuming, it is worthwhile for the team to visit other organizations using the same product before it makes any final decision (Constantino & Merchant, 2006).

The next step is to select the first choice and backup. The HIT selection team ranks vendors according to their responses in step four (above), references and demos to establish the first choice system. Organizations must choose a backup system in case the agreement with the first priority vendor falls apart (Tan & Sheps, 2008).

The final step is contract negotiation. The selection team requests the first choice vendor to make proposals and negotiate a contract. In this case, the language used in the contract is vital. Therefore, organizations must conduct careful research and understand all the elements of the HIT system contract. This involves price protections and data ownership. This requires healthcare organizations to pursue legal advice in the process (Frances & Glaser, 2009).

People involved in those decisions

In the medical field, decision-making is always based on professional patterns and are not influenced by modern technology. Decisions pertaining to discretionary interventions such as elective surgery are determined by style and geometric differences in resources. Such decisions are shaped by the choices made by patients. Patients must be informed of the happenings and outcomes. Because different treatments are used on different patients, this leads to different outcomes among patients. Patients must be involved in decision making so that they make informed choices concerning their treatment preferences (Constantino & Merchant, 2006).