Type of Clinical Setting
As a target healthcare institution to consider, a public hospital is chosen, which is located in an urban area. This establishment assists the population in various medical spheres, including both short-term consultations and long-term care. The workload is comparatively high; 3,000 to 3,500 patients are treated at the hospital every year. Regarding the ratio of specialists working in this medical institution, the largest number are UAPs, LPNs, and RNs (240 employees). The number of APRNs and physicians is 180 and 70, respectively.
Description of the Technology
As the main EHR solution used in the hospital in question, the Nextech application is utilized. This system has established itself as a convenient program that allows medical specialists to safely store and process data. This software is actively used in different countries, which indicates its reliability and versatility. With the convenience of working with data, productivity is enhanced by reducing the time to get the right information, and medical and nursing errors are minimized. In addition, Nextech is compatible with the hospital’s internal network, allowing the EHR to be integrated into all departments.
Technology in the Workflow
For ease of access, different departments of the hospital are equipped with PCs and laptops. Physicians and nurses with the appropriate access can enter data into the system, edit it, and transfer it over the intranet. The usability of the program in the workflow is one of the main quality criteria. By applying the appropriate access codes, employees can work with data at any time.
Sociotechnical Analysis
In Figure 1, a sociotechnical analysis is demonstrated, which reflects the functioning of the EHR under consideration in the context of the chosen clinical setting. Based on the needs of the hospital, relevant capabilities are given, as well as potential weaknesses. In the case of significant barriers to application, redesign options should be addressed to avoid mistakes. Infrastructure optimization may be one of the potential solutions to possible issues.
Unintended Consequences
Despite the effectiveness of the EHR in question, some unintended consequences may take place. For instance, system failures caused by incompetent or untimely maintenance can lead to data loss or the need to spend time on manual scanning, which is a waste of time. Workflow changes may also be a possible issue caused by software failures. The inability to process data efficiently due to internal software errors affects productivity negatively and places an increased burden on the hospital’s staff.
Clinicians’ View of the Unintended Consequences
When discussing the aforementioned consequences with the hospital’s clinicians, the staff offers unbiased views of possible barriers. For instance, the employees mention increased workload caused by potential system failures. In addition, some specialists note the need for special training courses; otherwise, the effective operation of the EHR may be impossible. Constant updates can affect staff performance because extra time can be wasted. Finally, straightforward functionality can be a deterrent to the pursuit of patient-centered care, which is a crucial challenge.
Weaknesses in the Infrastructure
When evaluating the infrastructure of the EHR, one can note some potential weaknesses. For instance, the storage system may be outdated, which, in turn, can lead to the leakage or corruption of information. Poor communication with the server can also be the reason for inefficient data handling. Hardware can be weak, which can increase the processing time of requests and threaten to lose valuable information. In addition, in case of weak security algorithms, malware can infiltrate the hospital’s database.
Risk Design Factors
Along with the mismanagement of the EHR, several design factors can contribute to problems. For instance, the lack of a backup option poses a threat to the safety of information. The hardware may be unable to process the required volumes of data, and the connection with the server may not be established reliably, therefore, breaks in the transmission and storage of information are possible. The processing mode must be configured so that the appropriate files are stored in the correct location; otherwise, the risks of data leakage or corruption increase.
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