Overview: Imagine you have been contracted to consult on the recent developments at the Featherfall Medical Center. Featherfall has been struggling of late; it
has had a series of problems that have prompted your hiring. It has faced the following issues:
1. Featherfall has recently violated several government regulations regarding the current state of its technology and how it is being used. The technology
system is vastly out of date, and staff are not always using the technology that is in place or they are using the technology inappropriately. These
problems have lost the institution lots of money for not meeting government regulations and have caused operational and ethical problems from
inefficient and ineffective use of technology.
2. The staff at Featherfall are not well-trained on the use of technology and do not communicate appropriately about technology use. The roles that
pertinent to your consult are the health information management team, the clinical staff (doctors, nurses, etc.), and administrative staff. The health
information management team uses proper coding practices, and the current technology system serves them well, despite its age. However, other roles
in the hospital have had issues with the system. Clinical staff, for instance, have had record-keeping issues both due to lack of training on the system and
the system itself being out of date. Administrative staff within the organization have taken issue with the lack of communication about the technology
and its use between the various roles. When the current technology system was chosen many years ago, the needs of these various roles were not
considered.
In this milestone, you will submit a discussion of the history of healthcare information management/informatics and the current landscape in terms of
technology. This milestone will set the stage for your project.
Specifically the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Preparation for Consult: In this section of your final project, you will prepare for your consultation on the organization’s technology choice. To prepare,
you will analyze the field of health information management for determining standard technologies and guidelines related to technology use in order to
inform your technology selection.
A. Analyze key historical events in the field of health informatics for how technology has been used that could inform the management of health
information. Be sure to support your response with appropriate examples.
B. Determine guidelines for technology use in the field of health information management that Featherfall could implement. Be sure to support
your response with research.
C. Determine the standard technologies currently used in the field of health information management. Be sure to support your response with
research. For example, what record-keeping technologies are typically used in the field?
D. Develop an overview of how the pertinent roles described at Featherfall would interact with technology.
E. Describe the process you would use to evaluate new health information technology systems. Be sure that your process will evaluate new
systems based on how they meet the needs of the organization and how they are compliant with health regulations and laws.
Guidelines for Submission: This milestone must be 2–3 pages in length (plus a cover page and references) and must be written in APA format. Use double
spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. All references cited in APA format.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor tasked with creating assignments and evaluations for medical college students, the following is an answer to the content provided. The content describes an organization, Featherfall Medical Center, which has violated several government regulations regarding its technology use, has inadequately trained staff, and lacks appropriate communication between different roles. As part of the milestone towards preparing for a technology consultation at Featherfall Medical Center, a historical analysis of healthcare information management/informatics, an overview of the current technology landscape, guidelines for technology use in health information management, standard technologies for record-keeping, processes for evaluating new health information technology systems, and how pertinent roles interact with technology should be considered.
Answer:
A. Analyze key historical events in the field of health informatics for how technology has been used that could inform the management of health information. Be sure to support your response with appropriate examples.
Health informatics is the application of information technology to healthcare delivery and decision-making, enabling health professionals to manage, organize, and analyze health data effectively. The history of health informatics dates back to the 1950s when hospitals began using computers for record-keeping and billing purposes. In the 1960s, the concept of medical informatics was introduced, and as technology evolved, the field expanded, and electronic health records (EHRs) emerged.
In the early 2000s, the U.S. government provided financial incentives for healthcare providers to adopt EHRs, resulting in a significant increase in technology use in healthcare. One technological advancement that has occurred is telemedicine, which allows remote consultation and diagnostics, and has grown in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. By understanding the history of health informatics and how technology has been used, Featherfall Medical Center can efficiently manage their health information while complying with regulations and investing in future technologies.
B. Determine guidelines for technology use in the field of health information management that Featherfall could implement. Be sure to support your response with research.
To ensure compliant technology use in health information management, Featherfall Medical Center must adhere to established guidelines. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act provides guidelines on technology use in healthcare, including the development of EHR technology. The HITECH Act encourages healthcare providers to participate in Meaningful Use programs that incentivize the use of certified EHR technologies.
Under the HITECH Act, healthcare providers should adopt EHR technologies that comply with specific security and privacy standards to protect patient information. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) also provides guidelines on technology use. Their focus is on improving the quality and efficiency of health information management by developing standards for policy and practice. Featherfall Medical Center could implement these guidelines to ensure compliant technology use.
C. Determine the standard technologies currently used in the field of health information management. Be sure to support your response with research. For example, what record-keeping technologies are typically used in the field?
Standard technologies used in health information management include EHRs, clinical decision support systems (CDSS), computerized provider order entry (CPOE), and personal health records (PHR). EHRs are the most widely used technology, allowing for the capture and storage of patient information from various sources, including laboratories, radiology, and pharmacies.
CDSS helps physicians make clinical decisions by providing alerts, reminders, and guidance based on patient data. CPOE allows providers to electronically order medications and other relevant items directly through the EHR system. PHRs allow patients to manage their own health information, including medical history, medication list, and immunization records. Incorporating these standard technologies into Featherfall Medical Center’s operations will improve the efficiency of health information management and provide better patient care.
D. Develop an overview of how the pertinent roles described at Featherfall would interact with technology.
The pertinent roles at Featherfall Medical Center are health information management, clinical staff, and administrative staff. Health information management will oversee the organization of patient records and data management systems, including EHRs and CDSS. Clinical staff, including doctors and nurses, will use the EHR, CDSS, and CPOE to monitor patients, make clinical decisions, and order medications. Administrative staff will use technology to monitor the hospital’s financial and operational performance, schedule appointments, and communicate with patients.
E. Describe the process you would use to evaluate new health information technology systems. Be sure that your process will evaluate new systems based on how they meet the needs of the organization and how they are compliant with health regulations and laws.
To evaluate new health information technology systems, Featherfall Medical Center should first identify its needs, including security, affordability, efficiency, and adaptability to new regulations. Additionally, the new technology system should be user-friendly, integrate with existing systems, and improve the quality of care for patients. The system’s compliance with health regulations and laws should also be assessed.
Featherfall Medical Center can work with a consultant or seek input from staff and other healthcare providers to evaluate the new system’s effectiveness before adoption. The evaluation process should include assessing the system’s strengths and weaknesses, analyzing the cost-benefit ratio, and weighing the risk and benefits of implementing it. Finally, testing different aspects of the system, including data migration, system integration, and system performance, should be done before full deployment.
