Nursing Informatics Project: Telehealth System

Part 1

Introduction

In basic terms, nursing informatics, as the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society HIMSS (2021) indicates, could be conceptualized as a specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information and analytical sciences to identify, define, manage, and communicate data, information, knowledge and wisdom in nursing practice. Houston (2017) indicates that nursing informatics is of great relevance in efforts to improve or further enhance care outcomes. The need to develop a small nursing informatics project for my organization is largely founded upon this assertion.

In my institution, the delivery of quality services is in some instances hampered by overstretched facility resources, as will be highlighted elsewhere in this discussion. As a consequence, the need was established to initiate and implement a Telehealth System. It is also important to note that the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 epidemic necessitated a project of this nature. This is more so the case given the need to limit the occurrence and frequency of physical interactions between healthcare providers and patients.

Discussion

Project Description in Brief

In the past, my institution has largely made use of in-person visits, in which case patients interact face-to-face with healthcare providers in the facility. The Telehealth System suggested in this case would complement the in-person visits by connecting patients and healthcare providers at the facility virtually. This is to say that the relevant digital technologies including, but not limited to, smartphones, computers, and apps will be deployed to ease communication and interactions between healthcare providers and patients with patients in this case being attended to from the comfort of their homes or workplaces (i.e. with no need to travel to the facility for in-person engagements with doctors). In other words, this could be perceived as remote delivery of healthcare services. To a large extent, the Telehealth System will be beneficial in efforts to address overstretched facility resources as it will reduce the number of in-person visits at the facility.

SWOT Analysis

From the onset, it would be prudent to note that as Williamson, Laundon, Stephens and Migliore (1997) indicate, the SWOT analysis comes in handy in the evaluation of health information technologies. Indeed, in the words of the authors, the said analysis is very useful when beginning an information systems or technology related project to get a big picture of positive and negative factors in an organization and generate ideas for improvement (215). In the present undertaking, SWOT analysis will be instrumental in efforts to formulate the relevant details for the Scope as well as Charter. SWOT happens to be the condensed version of the terms Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (Williamson, Laundon, Stephens and Migliore, 1997). The SWOT items highlighted above will especially be instrumental in situational analysis as well as assessment.

a) Strengths

1. Enhanced care coordination, i.e. between practitioners and patients

2. Enhanced convenience for patients and the institution

3. Cost savings for both patients and the institution

b) Weaknesses

1. High acquisition and implementation cost. Acquiring the relevant software and hardware tools could be a rather costly affair. Staff training would also have to be undertaken in this case so as to ensure that members of staff are familiar with the relevant system protocols.

2. May not be appropriate or efficient in all scenarios, i.e. in relation to blood work as well as imaging tests

3. Prone to technical failures which could end up disrupting the delivery of healthcare services.

c) Opportunities

1. Could be utilized to promote care for persons across a broader spectrum of illnesses, i.e. persons with mobility problems.

2. Could be deployed in the further promotion as well as enhancement of other institutional services and procedures, i.e. in relation to response to emergencies

3. Could be deployed in an attempt to achieve better protection against, and control of, pandemics such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

d) Threats

1. Loss of personal touch could result in inaccurate assumptions and a suboptimal plan of care.

2. Risk of resistance to change among healthcare workers within the institution

3. Risk of private patient data/information exposure as the said data or information is being transmitted over a network. This could result in filing of lawsuits against the institution.

Strengths

1. Enhanced care coordination

2. Enhanced convenience

3. Cost savings

Weaknesses

1. High acquisition and implementation cost

2. Not appropriate/efficient in all scenarios

3....…the system runs could be made more resilient so as to minimize the probability of being overwhelmed as a consequence of increased utilization.