Resources
Successful implementation of the healthcare information system requires the allocation of the necessary resources according to the developed plan and design (Alexander, Rantz, Flesner, Diekemper, & Siem, 2007). For the purpose of this project, the ad hoc members constitute the major stakeholders that comprise of the system experts, managers, and the end users. The team constitutes a significant aspect of the resource base for the effective implementation of the CIS in the healthcare organization.
In this regard, the CIS Development Steering Committee (CDSC) together with the CIS Core Team (CCT) should possess skills required for spearheading the project. The senior management ought to portray skills such as leadership, communication, and necessary HIS training skills. Additionally, the management team should uphold complementary interpersonal skills that encompass relationship, delegation, and change management skills. The skills would assist in the streamlining the multifaceted project through positively influencing the juniors to accommodate the new CIS, foster the management of the project, and create a vision that seeks to improve the healthcare processes (Ludwick & Doucette, 2009). The senior management’s involvement is expected to take place throughout the 23-months project cycle.
The HIS vendor and the interface expert should depict their technical skills and expertise in areas like software installation, networking, and interfacing. The benefits of the skills would foster technical support through training, customization of the interface, and enhancing the interoperability aspect of the system (Elliott, Martin, & Neville, 2014). The timeframe for the involvement of the technology resources would cover at least 15 months, especially in the design and implementation phases.
The financial management team within the healthcare facility should possess skills like information management, analytical, and cost management. In this case, the financial experts should value accountability, information gathering, and information analysis, and quantitative data analysis. Consequently, the financial aspect of resource management would be nurtured through skills that value cost effectiveness (Ludwick & Doucette, 2009). The financial team’s deployment would be needed throughout the 23-months period of the project.
The skills necessary for the chief physician to facilitate effective implementation of the HIS through the end-users include action, leadership, communication, and information management. The end users including nurses need to showcase their communication, information management, interpersonal, action, and analytical skills for successful integration of the CIS in their practice processes (Alexander et al., 2007). In this regard, the implementation process would focus on the needs of the nurses to ensure ownership of the project for its positive application in their practice. The chief physician should continually involve the healthcare professionals in the institution in the entire project cycle for its successful execution.
Security
The adoption of a new healthcare information system should carefully consider the security aspect to ensure the execution of secure healthcare processes (Ward, Vartak, Schwichtenberg, & Wakefield, 2011). The security feature focuses on safeguarding information and information structures from unauthorized access, disclosure, use, modification, or destruction (Black et al., 2011). Furthermore, instituting the updated HIS security policies is essential to ensure adherence to the current regulations and legal provisions. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) uphold the essence of risk analysis and risk management as important regulatory provisions that healthcare institutions should consider when implementing a CIS (Elliott et al., 2014).
The significance of enhancing the security of the CIS is that it promotes the confidentiality, accessibility, and integrity aspects of clinical workflows. Through confidentiality, the CIS ensures that information is only available to authorized persons. The integrity element prevents alteration or destruction of the electronic health information. The accessibility component only warrants the authorized parties to access and use the electronic healthcare information. Since the security element of the CIS requires continual assessment of the risks involved in electronic health information, monitoring the technology, procedures, and personnel is essential (Velde & Degoulet, 2006).
References
Alexander, G. L., Rantz, M., Flesner, M., Diekemper, M., & Siem, C. (2007). Clinical information systems in nursing homes: an evaluation of initial implementation strategies. Computers Informatics Nursing, 25(4), 189-197.
Black, A. D., Car, J., Pagliari, C., Anandan, C., Cresswell, K., Bokun, T.,… & Sheikh, A. (2011). The impact of eHealth on the quality and safety of health care: a systematic overview. PLoS medicine, 8(1), 188-89.
Elliott, P., Martin, D., & Neville, D. (2014). Electronic Clinical Safety Reporting System: A Benefits Evaluation. JMIR medical informatics, 2(1). 47-59.
Ludwick, D. A., & Doucette, J. (2009). Adopting electronic medical records in primary care: lessons learned from health information systems implementation experience in seven countries. International journal of medical informatics, 78(1), 22-31.
Velde, R., & Degoulet, P. (2006). Clinical Information Systems: A Component-Based Approach. Heidelberg, Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media.
Ward, M. M., Vartak, S., Schwichtenberg, T., & Wakefield, D. S. (2011). Nurses’ perceptions of how clinical information system implementation affects workflow and patient care. Computers Informatics Nursing, 29(9), 502-511.