NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 2 Needs Analysis for Change

Name

Capella university

NHS-FPX 6008 Economics and Decision Making in Health Care

Prof. Name

Date

Nursing Informatics in Health Care

The provision of medical care is a fundamental human right. Underserved populations encounter significant barriers that hinder their access to healthcare services. The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) reveals that 80% of rural Americans have limited access to healthcare services (NIHCM, 2023). Nurse Informaticists (NI) are pivotal in transforming healthcare delivery by integrating nursing expertise with Information Technology (IT) to improve access to care in marginalized areas. The integration of telehealth innovations, such as Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), enhances health outcomes for remote patients. This proposal suggests establishing a NI position to improve health outcomes for rural populations.

Nursing Informatics and the Nurse Informaticist

Nursing Informatics (NI) integrates IT with nursing practice to enhance patient care, communication, and health outcomes. As defined by the American Nurses Association (ANA), this field transforms data into insightful information and uses technology to enhance healthcare equity, safety, efficiency, and patient outcomes (ANA, 2021). The integration of technology, such as telehealth, is essential to strengthen healthcare delivery. It facilitates effective communication between healthcare providers and patients, leading to better access to care. NI is crucial in implementing and optimizing technologies like telehealth and RPM to ensure their integration into healthcare practices and enhance functionality and patient care. These technologies provide healthcare experts with real-time patient data and enable prompt care in remote areas. 

Telehealth platforms are integral to nursing informatics, and they allow distant consultations and continuous patient monitoring, enhancing communication between patients and physicians (Forman et al., 2020). Mohammadzadeh et al. (2022), explore that telehealth solutions, including telemedicine, improve patient access to efficient medical services, patient engagement, and health outcomes. NI ensures the management of telehealth platforms, leading to better collaborative care and patient satisfaction.

They educate patients and healthcare staff about new technologies and equipment and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop improved care strategies (Forman et al., 2020). In our organization, the NI role will revolutionize care delivery and reduce costs by leveraging telehealth tools like RPM and telemedicine. This will enhance interaction between specialists and remote patients, optimize health services, reduce hospital admissions, and support more personalized care through timely interventions and constant monitoring. Adhering to ANA standards, the role of NI is crucial in improving compliance and healthcare delivery (ANA, 2021).

Collaboration of Nurse Informaticist with the Interdisciplinary Team

Several healthcare organizations have integrated NI into their interdisciplinary teams and achieved notable improvements in telehealth and telemedicine initiatives. Their involvement has facilitated the implementation and success of these technologies. For instance, New York-Presbyterian (NYP) has made a substantial impact on medical practices and security. NYP acknowledges that NI’s engagement with IT systems, including management and telemedicine platforms, has enhanced care processes and prolonged the effectiveness of these systems (NYP, n.d.).

Moreover, Kaiser Permanente (KP) Hospital has a digital care team, which includes NI, that delivers remote services and timely support to patients in distant locations. Their contributions have enhanced outcomes by ensuring smooth integration of telehealth services and streamlining workflows. It improves patient outcomes and ensures organizational compliance with standard guidelines (KPnursing, 2024). 

NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 2 Needs Analysis for Change

NIs play a crucial role in refining medical processes and providing training and support to nursing staff. Despite these advancements, many hospitals face challenges such as resistance to change, limited funding, and issues with technology integration. Interdisciplinary teams, including IT personnel, nurses, and physicians, enhance patient care by working together to incorporate telehealth tools, improving patient-staff interactions and access to care (Paterson et al., 2020). NI acts as a bridge between clinical staff and IT specialists, ensuring that telehealth and telemedicine platforms meet the needs of both clinicians and patients. They work with IT teams to design, implement, and integrate these platforms with Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, creating user-friendly solutions that enhance patient care (Lindsay & Lytle, 2022). 

The collaboration between NI, nurses, and doctors provides ongoing support, manages issues, and resolves concerns to enhance operations and deliver effective care to remote patients. Ford et al. (2021) emphasized the importance of constant support and education in supporting the advantages of telehealth tools and improving medical outcomes. NI cooperates with quality improvement teams to evaluate the impact of telehealth by analyzing patient outcomes and clinician satisfaction data.

Need For a Nurse Informaticist in a Health Care Organization

Healthcare organizations can utilize modern telehealth solutions, such as RPM, mobile health applications, and telemedicine tools, to enhance the promptness and quality of care for patients in underserved areas by integrating NI. NI plays a vital role in deploying telehealth technologies by facilitating rapid patient care, continuous guidance, and education. In rural settings, RPM supports the prevention of chronic diseases, early detection of medical conditions, and prompt intervention to prevent complications (Haimi & Edelsburg, 2022). The integration of NI within health systems streamlines telehealth-based workflows and resolves technical issues, ensuring optimal performance for both healthcare providers and patients. NI’s involvement in telemedicine saves time and resources for patients and staff, enhancing care outcomes. 

NI fosters effective communication and data exchange using digital technology, bridging the gap between technology and medical practice to improve organizational efficiency (Haimi & Edelsburg, 2022). NI helps minimize errors, enhance data accuracy, and boost productivity by adapting and optimizing telehealth systems for clinical workflows. However, integrating NI roles can pose challenges, such as resistance to change among nurses and other staff. Overcoming this resistance requires effective communication and education to help staff understand the technology’s benefits and the impact of NI. Privacy breaches can occur when handling patient data through telehealth tools (Ahmad et al., 2021). To mitigate risk, NI must collaborate with IT professionals and interprofessional teams to develop robust security measures. 

NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 2 Needs Analysis for Change

NI professionals engage with interdisciplinary teams by conducting comprehensive training sessions to enhance nursing staff’s proficiency with telehealth tools. It boosts the potential of medical technology and fosters organizational communication and collaboration (Ahmad et al., 2021). NI supports hospitals by preventing data breaches, addressing inefficiencies, and overcoming challenges in integrating technology with clinical practices, which leads to improved patient care and increased productivity.

They collaborate with IT specialists to tailor telehealth systems that meet the needs of both patients and healthcare providers while enhancing efficiency and health outcomes. By identifying clinical needs and challenges, NI ensures that technology aligns with operations and enhances clinical workflows. They facilitate open dialogue and teamwork, ensuring telehealth tools are designed and implemented with input from all stakeholders (Poonsuph, 2022).

Evidence-Based Strategies

NI’s contribution positively impacts healthcare institutions by driving innovation and efficiency in care delivery. NI can implement telehealth solutions to enhance remote patient care, streamline data management, and address the economic aspects of healthcare provision. NI improves communication, prioritizes patient needs, and ensures timely access to medical data through telehealth management, guaranteeing that patients receive prompt and quality care (Curioso et al., 2021).

This approach helps bridge the gap in providing care to remote populations and fosters better health outcomes. NI has a crucial role in protecting patient data by collaborating with leaders and IT experts. They establish Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) for data protection, such as authentication, encryption, staff training on data preservation, and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (Ibrahim et al., 2024). 

According to Cobrado et al. (2024), implementing authorization protocols, data encryption, and role-based access controls limits telehealth app access to authorized users, reducing the risk of data breaches. These measures offer robust protection for the confidentiality of EHR and telehealth applications. Integrating informatics and technology with NI involvement can potentially save around $77 billion annually. Partnership with leaders streamlines processes and optimizes asset distribution, which improves Return on Investment (ROI). EBP supported by NI can facilitate the adoption of tools and ensure financial sustainability. Additionally, NI leverages machine learning algorithms to analyze data, improving patient care and reducing healthcare costs (Saxena et al., 2023). 

Summary of Recommendation

The proposed role of NI significantly enhances health outcomes by broadening care access for remote populations. NI bridges the gap between patient care and informatics, improving healthcare delivery through the adoption of telehealth technologies such as RPM, mobile health apps, and telemedicine. By leveraging these tools, NI enables healthcare providers to offer continuous support, monitoring, and timely interventions, which in turn boosts patient outcomes, increases hospital efficiency, and reduces medical costs (Paterson et al., 2020).

Additionally, NI ensures the protection of patient data, adherence to HIPAA regulations, and addresses safety concerns. EBP demonstrates that integrating health IT solutions with NI enhances healthcare delivery, reduces complications, and improves health outcomes (ANA, 2021; Ibrahim et al., 2024). Poonsuph et al. (2022) highlight NI’s role in reducing health disparities by making telehealth tools accessible and adaptable for various patient populations, ensuring timely and equitable medical care. 

Conclusion

Nursing Informatics (NI) enhances health outcomes by integrating telehealth technologies like RPM and mobile health apps, improving care access for remote populations. NI bridges the gap between patient care and informatics, ensuring real-time support, monitoring, and data protection. Research supports NI’s positive impact on healthcare quality, reducing complications and improving outcomes. NI’s role is crucial in reducing health disparities, optimizing care, and addressing technological challenges in underserved areas.

References

Ahmad, R. W., Salah, K., Jayaraman, R., Yaqoob, I., Ellahham, S., & Omar, M. (2021). The role of blockchain technology in telehealth and telemedicine. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 148, 104399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104399

NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 2 Needs Analysis for Change

ANA. (2021). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice. nursingworld.org. https://www.nursingworld.org/~49c602/globalassets/catalog/book-toc/nursing-informatics-3e-sample-chapter.pdf

Ford, D., Warr, E., Hamill, C., He, W., Pekar, E., Harvey, J., Morris, R., McGhee, K., King, K., & Lenert, L. (2021). Not home alone: Leveraging telehealth and informatics to create a lean model for COVID-19 patient home care. Telemedicine Reports, 2(1), 239–246. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmr.2021.0020

Forman, T. M., Armor, D. A., & Miller, A. S. (2020). A review of clinical informatics competencies in nursing to inform best practices in education and nurse faculty development. Nursing Education Perspectives, 41(1), 3–7. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.nep.0000000000000588

Haimi, M., & Edelsburg, A. (2022). Application and implementation of telehealth services designed for the elderly population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Health Informatics Journal, 28(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/14604582221075561

Ibrahim, Aziz, Hamed, A., Donia, Mohamed, N., Hassan, G. A., Shaban, M., El-Nablaway, M., Aldughmi, & Aboelola. (2024). Balancing confidentiality and care coordination: Challenges in patient privacy. BMC Nursing, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02231-1

KPnursing. (2024). Kaiser Permanente Nursing: Clinical informatics. Kpnursing.org. https://kpnursing.org/_SCAL/leadership/clinicalinformatics/index.html

Lindsay, M., & Lytle, K. (2022). Implementing best practices to redesign workflow and optimize nursing documentation in the electronic health record. Applied Clinical Informatics, 13(3), 711–719. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1868-6431

Mohammadzadeh, N., Rezayi, S., & Saeedi, S. (2022). Telemedicine for patient management in remote areas and underserved populations. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 17, e167. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2022.76

NIHCM. (2023). Rural health: Addressing barriers to care. nihcm.org. https://nihcm.org/publications/rural-health-addressing-barriers-to-care

NHS FPX 6008 Assessment 2 Needs Analysis for Change

NYP. (n.d.). NYP Digital Health: A Suite of Telehealth Services | NewYork-Presbyterian. Www.nyp.org. https://www.nyp.org/digital-health

Paterson, C., Bacon, R., Dwyer, R., Morrison, K. S., Toohey, K., O’Dea, A., Slade, J., Mortazavi, R., Roberts, C., Pranavan, G., Cooney, C., Nahon, I., & Hayes, S. (2020). The role of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic across the interdisciplinary cancer team: Implications for practice. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 36(6), 151090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2020.151090

Poonsuph, R. (2022). The design blueprint for a large‐scale telehealth platform. International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications, 2022(1), 8486508. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8486508

Saxena, P. D., Mayi, K., Arun, R., Kumar, S. S., Mishra, B. R., & Praveen, K. B. (2023). Impact of artificial intelligence on healthcare informatics: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of Informatics Education and Research, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.52783/jier.v3i2.384