NURS FPX 6416 Assessment 1 Needs Assessment Meeting with Stakeholders

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX 6416 Managing the Nursing Informatics Life Cycle

Prof. Name

Date

Needs Assessment Meeting with Stakeholders

Introduction

Good morning, everyone. My name is ______, and I am a nurse informaticist project manager. Of my several roles, the most important is evaluating our current technological infrastructure and proposing changes using evidence-based literature and healthcare advancements. Currently, our organization is utilizing a manual paper-based health records system, and we are looking to adopt an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. The electronic system of healthcare records has a broader scope in the healthcare industry as it offers healthcare providers an efficient way to manage patients’ information systematically.

Additionally, EHR assists in streamlining the workflow, eventually improving care coordination and minimizing medical errors (Upadhyay et al., 2019). It will also support clinical operations, including quality management, evidence-based decision-making, and a reporting system. Thus, this change is vital in our organization with a realistic implementation timeline of 12 months, and after that, we will take steps to evaluate and sustain the outcomes. In this video presentation, I will present the findings of a needs assessment meeting that we conducted to bring an EHR system into our organization.

NURS FPX 6416 Assessment 1 Needs Assessment Meeting with Stakeholders

The vision statement is “Implementation and sustainability of the EHR systems to manage healthcare provider’s workflow, improve quality of patient care, prevent patients’ safety, eventually advancing our organization in the healthcare sector.” The connection between the change project and the organization’s vision is essential for stakeholders to align their efforts with long-term goals, providing a clear purpose and motivating stakeholders to ensure the change supports the organization’s strategic direction. This coalition heightens stakeholders’ buy-in and fosters an environment of shared goals. 

Questions and Explanations

Current and Desired State of the Health Information System

As I stated earlier, our organization currently uses manual paper-based record-keeping. All patient-related documents, including history, medical assessments, treatment and medication charts, and patient outcomes, are documented in specialized forms and gathered in individual files. Our current information system is stable for three reasons: healthcare providers are familiar with it because of the years of experience, this system is not susceptible to technical glitches and cybersecurity issues, and it has minimal upfront costs for implementation and maintenance.

Moreover, the system efficiently collects data for the quality monitoring process (Muinga et al., 2021). However, stakeholders have identified several issues requiring an electronic system. Records in paper form require human resources and are time-consuming for data entry, retrieval, and updates, eventually delaying patient care and increasing workload for healthcare providers. Besides, paper records have limited accessibility due to their presence in specific locations, hindering timely decision-making in emergencies.

NURS FPX 6416 Assessment 1 Needs Assessment Meeting with Stakeholders

Because of this, the current system lacks interoperability, where information sharing among healthcare providers and departments within the organization becomes difficult. Literature mentions that a lack of interoperability in health information systems minimizes care quality and increases resource wastage risk (Torab-Miandoab et al., 2023). The best solution envisioned by the stakeholders is the implementation of EHR, which will help streamline the workflow, ensuring that data is adequately secured, enhancing interoperability, and reducing human workload. The eventual goal is to deliver quality healthcare, preserve patient safety, and implement viable change management. 

Risk Assessment of the Current System 

In the meeting, stakeholders identified several patient safety risks associated with the current health information system. Handwritten entries in paper-based systems are the primary cause of medical errors, especially errors related to medication administration and treatment plans, which may put patients’ safety at risk.

Moreover, as discussed earlier, paper-based records are available only in specific locations, such as the Health Information Management Services (HIMS) department, which may delay access to the information in emergencies. Such a delay may result in sub-optimal care, eventually harming patient outcomes (Crocombe & Bhattacharyya, 2018).

NURS FPX 6416 Assessment 1 Needs Assessment Meeting with Stakeholders

Simultaneously, stakeholders with a paper-based current records system also recognize the ethical risk to patient privacy. Failure to safeguard paper records from unauthorized access results in privacy breaches, which raises ethical concerns and impacts patients’ trust in healthcare organizations. Medical malpractice lawsuits are significant legal risks since manual entries in paper-based records systems are prone to documentation errors.

According to the literature, 20% of medical lawsuits are due to documentation errors in healthcare settings, which include missing and inaccurate entries (Ghaith et al., 2022). As described earlier, resource intensiveness and interoperability are other practical risks determined by the stakeholders. These risks are detrimental to patient safety and pose significant challenges for the healthcare organization. Thus, it promotes the need for immediate change implementation. 

Information System User Best Practice 

Further in the meeting, we discussed the evidence-based best practices associated with implementing EHR systems to enhance patient care, improve outcomes, and make the system user-friendly. User training and education are considered critical EBP that improves staff knowledge about the EHR systems and makes healthcare providers comfortable with technological infrastructure. An interventional study based on EHR implementation knowledge and training conducted in a health center enhanced providers’ confidence in care, reduced medical errors, improved quality of care, and further benefits for patients’ safety (Musa et al., 2023).

Another best practice associated with EHR systems is employing robust security measures to protect patient data. These measures include data encryption, access controls, and regular security audits following HIPAA regulations and other relevant standards (Keshta & Odeh, 2021). Protecting patients’ health information is significant to gaining patients’ trust and preserving organizational reputation in the healthcare industry. Such evidence-based practices help organizations maximize the positive outcomes of the EHR system, advance patient care, achieve better upshots, and meet regulatory and ethical benchmarks. 

Technology Functionality 

Further in my presentation, I will discuss the software and hardware functionality expectations of stakeholders related to the Electronic Health Record system. For the software, stakeholders demanded a comprehensive platform offering spontaneous user interfaces for compelling user experiences, strong clinical decision support (CDS) tools to make appropriate and timely decisions, and interoperability features for seamless data exchange. Moreover, they necessitated secure gateways to protect PHI. On the other hand, hardware requirements are accessibility on various devices, especially smartphones, so that providers can utilize information in all circumstances and secure data systems, and data backup and recovery options are paramount. 

Workflow and Communication 

Since, in our stakeholders’ meeting, we acknowledged some of the issues with paper-based manual systems related to providers’ workflow and communication, it was significant to discuss the benefits and challenges that may result from implementing a new health information system, electronic health records, in this regard. The benefits of digital record-keeping systems include enhanced efficiency and reduced workload. For example, our organization may observe reduced human efforts and workload burden on administrative staff when an EHR system is introduced compared to managing manual paper-based records.

Additionally, EHR may improve communication and collaboration among healthcare providers as there is a comprehensive patient portal accessible to every provider with updates on patients’ treatment, eventually preventing communication gaps and improving coordination of care within the interdisciplinary team (Vos et al., 2020). In contrast, challenges may involve resistance to change.

For instance, clinicians may struggle to adapt to new data entry methods, and their comfort with paper-based entries may escalate the resistance. Another potential challenge is related to technical glitches and system downtime. For instance, system failures, data exchange issues, or software malfunctions. These circumstances may interrupt workflow and communication, ultimately resulting in staff frustration. Therefore, it was concluded to mitigate these challenges. 

Mitigation of Resistance to Change

Various change management principles can assist in addressing resistance to change and benefit stakeholders in several ways. Clear communication is an integral part of the change management process. Effective and transparent communication about the project’s goals, benefits, and outcomes may considerably impact stakeholders’ attitudes toward the change and foster a clear understanding of the project.

It gives them clarity and reassurance about the positive outcomes, minimizing resistance to change (Schulz-Knappe et al., 2019). Another important change management principle is the provision of comprehensive training and resources. Stakeholders with excellent and complete information and skills to implement new information systems are change drivers within the organization.

Their confidence and reduced anxiety to adapt to new systems enable them to practice efficiently and see the difference their care is making. Thus, they intend to implement and sustain the change within the organization. Likewise, creating feedback channels and addressing their concerns timely enhances their trust in the change process. Hence boosting stakeholders’ engagement. Finally, recognizing and celebrating their achievements through rewards and fringe benefits boosts stakeholders’ morale and motivates them to value the change (Yang et al., 2022). These strategies mitigate the resistance to change and encourage a smoother transition to applying the new information system. 

Data Capture 

Let us move to the next part of our presentation. Here, we will discuss how EHR implementation will enhance the data-capturing process. One of the ways is that EHR systems can automate data entry. For example, the data entered by a healthcare provider is automatically updated to a patient portal for future use. This impacts by reducing the workload for manual inputs, minimizing delays in care, improving the quality of care and nursing performance (Bauer et al., 2020), preventing human errors, and saving time, which can be used in direct patient care. Secondly, the new system would provide structured data collection formats to certify the data’s consistency and accuracy. Additionally, the system can prompt users for missing information to capture complete data. 

Process and Outcomes

So, we’re at the last part of our presentation, where we will discuss how EHR implementation will bring positive patient outcomes. As we discussed in the beginning, our change management aims to improve the quality of care, preserve patient safety, and enhance patient satisfaction. Our current paper-based records system partially fulfills these objectives; however, a significant gap must be addressed using EHR systems. Adopting Electronic Health Records (EHRs) simplifies the accessibility and sharing of information within the healthcare team.

This is essential to reduce treatment delays, resulting in early diagnosis and patient interventions. Simultaneously, clinicians can access patient records, including history, laboratory test results, and treatment plans, leading to highly informed and timely decision-making. EHRs also enable CDS tools based on evidence-based recommendations, reducing the probability of medical errors and incorporating best practices for patients’ healthcare. This proposed implementation of EHR systems creates a patient-centric environment where healthcare providers are more focused on patient care than completing documentation. This, ultimately, progresses patient outcomes, diminishes complications, and enriches the quality of care.

Conclusion

To conclude, we discussed the fundamental relationship between our project scope and organizational vision: associating the information systems change with our vision will lead to enhanced patient care, efficient operations, and greater compliance with healthcare standards. We must emphasize change management principles such as clear communication, training and education, and feedback and recognition to mitigate resistance to change. These principles are instrumental in guaranteeing our stakeholders understand the purpose and benefits of the project and will implement it to make the change sustainable. Moving ahead in the process, we are committed to a transparent and inclusive approach that fosters a shared vision for EHR implementation in our organization.

References

Bauer, J. C., John, E., Wood, C. L., Plass, D., & Richardson, D. (2020). Data entry automation improves cost, quality, performance, and job satisfaction in a hospital nursing unit. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 50(1), 34–39. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000000836 

Crocombe, D., & Bhattacharyya, M. (2018). The impact of delayed paper communication to primary care from secondary care and out of hours services. London Journal of Primary Care, 10(3), 59–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/17571472.2018.1490314 

Ghaith, S., Moore, G. P., Colbenson, K. M., & Lindor, R. A. (2022). Charting practices to protect against malpractice: Case reviews and learning points. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 23(3), 412–417. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2022.1.53894 

Keshta, I., & Odeh, A. (2021). Security and privacy of electronic health records: Concerns and challenges. Egyptian Informatics Journal, 22(2), 177–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eij.2020.07.003 

Muinga, N., Abejirinde, I.-O. O., Paton, C., English, M., & Zweekhorst, M. (2021). Designing paper‐based records to improve the quality of nursing documentation in hospitals: A scoping review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(1–2), 56. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15545 

NURS FPX 6416 Assessment 1 Needs Assessment Meeting with Stakeholders

Musa, S., Dergaa, I., Yasin, R. A. S., & Singh, R. (2023). The impact of training on electronic health records related knowledge, practical competencies, and staff satisfaction: A pre-post intervention study among wellness center providers in a primary healthcare facility. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 16, 1551–1563. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S414200 

Schulz-Knappe, C., Koch, T., & Beckert, J. (2019). The importance of communicating change: Identifying predictors for support and resistance toward organizational change processes. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 24(4), 670–685. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-04-2019-0039 

Torab-Miandoab, A., Samad-Soltani, T., Jodati, A., & Rezaei-Hachesu, P. (2023). Interoperability of heterogeneous health information systems: A systematic literature review. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 23(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-023-02115-5 

Upadhyay, S., Stephenson, A. L., & Smith, D. G. (2019). Readmission rates and their impact on hospital financial performance: A study of Washington hospitals. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 56, 004695801986038. https://doi.org/10.1177/0046958019860386 

Vos, J. F. J., Boonstra, A., Kooistra, A., Seelen, M., & van Offenbeek, M. (2020). The influence of electronic health record use on collaboration among medical specialties. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 676. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05542-6 

NURS FPX 6416 Assessment 1 Needs Assessment Meeting with Stakeholders

Yang, T., Jiang, X., & Cheng, H. (2022). Employee recognition, task performance, and OCB: Mediated and moderated by pride. Sustainability, 14(3), 1631. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031631