Electronic Health Record at Alpha
Alpha is a fictional organization that can benefit from a specific electronic health record (EHR) system. NexGen Office is a suitable technological solution because it successfully meets the organizational needs and can support healthcare professionals in performing their objectives and improving patient health outcomes. The paper comments on how the selected EHR system can be implemented and a specific focus is placed on a data entry approach, testing, as well as education and training.
Implementation
Data Entry
To begin with, one should explain how data entry will be completed. An efficient approach is needed to minimize data entry errors because they can significantly harm individuals (Franklin, 2019). NexGen Office relies on an automatic mode to extract data from laboratory databases and transfer them to patient records. Since computer performs this process, there exists a decreased opportunity that some information will be rendered incorrectly. The EHR system also offers a patient portal, which denotes that patients can check their information and contact their physician if they have identified an error.
In addition to that, the discussion of the data entry approach should look at the form and screen design. Moderate colors typically represent the system, while contrasting hues highlight essential buttons and sections. This fact guarantees that healthcare professionals and patients can easily navigate the system and find the required section or information. Finally, these particular design solutions prove that users can intuitively understand how to deal with the EHR.
Testing
One should stipulate that NextGen Office should be subject to specific testing procedures before it is implemented. An implementation team deals with the task of ensuring whether the EHR system correctly performs its functions and satisfies expectations. Firstly, interface testing is required to identify whether the system interface functions properly and without errors (Chapter 5, n.d.). A few managers should simulate working with this application to assess this aspect. Secondly, it is rational to remember that EHRs are connected to various hardware. That is why it is essential to perform integration testing to determine whether NextGen Office correctly cooperates with printers, scanners, monitors, and other appliances (Chapter 5, n.d.). Thirdly, application testing is essential because it identifies whether the EHR performs its functions as expected (Chapter 5, n.d.). This activity deserves attention because it reveals whether the system can be used to achieve the tasks that it should reach. It is possible to undertake a few additional testing procedures, but the three above can help effectively assess almost every information system.
Education and Training
Education and training represent another essential step in the entire implementation process. All the stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and patients, should be subject to appropriate interventions to ensure that they understand the importance of the NextGen Office and know how to use it. In the beginning, Alpha should make sufficient efforts to plan training and education activities. In particular, the organization should find professional trainers and instructors, develop a suitable schedule, and have all the required resources. Instructors and trainers should have sufficient qualifications to work with adults who have specific learning preferences (Chapter 5, n.d.). The entire learning material should be divided into modules and lessons so that learners can easily absorb the materials. Finally, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the education and training process by focusing on both learners and instructors (Chapter 5, n.d.). A suitable approach is to ask the stakeholders to present their feedback to understand whether the intervention was effective.
References
Chapter 5. (n.d.). System implementation [PDF document].
Franklin, R. (2019). Top 5 tools to reduce data entry errors in EHRs. Mobius MD.