Introduction
Adopting a new Electronic Health Record (EHR) system is a daunting task for any medical facility, especially in this age where technology continues to evolve at such a rapid pace. This paper focuses on selection of the EHR system for a medium sized facility with 50 employees using a unique approach that combines effective team building along with strategic planning. Ultimately, this attempt is signified by the great impacts it promises and the profound change it could usher in towards the delivery of medical services.
As the administrator of the centre, my responsibilities include coordinating collaboration between different health specialists to ensure optimal selection of the EHR system. Such introduction reinforces the critical position that effective team building and strategic planning has towards improving the implementation process of such EHR systems. It sets forth a plethora of examination concerning the tactics and aspects necessary to navigate this complex decision making process.
New EHR System Plan
The new EHR system requires a better plan that incorporates everything from mechanistic factors to placing high value on the collaborative efforts of various professionals working within the facility. An important step in this journey is team building, where powerful teams are formed that are willing to work towards the assessment and selection of the EHR system. The plan creates an environment where altered perceptions are bound together for the purpose of assessment and decision making.
There must be accurate representation of key professional roles when constructing the teams as stated by Aguirre et al. (2019). The composition of the ensemble should include IT specialists as special insights will be required, medical services to offer clinical insights, and administrators who will ensurethat the selection fits within organizational objectives. This guarantees a comprehensive approach as it brings together innovative clinical administrative expertise.
Workshop Strategies for Reaching Consensus
This strategy includes three group-based methods that help in resolving misunderstandings that might occur during the selection process. As the first step, group building workshops will be conducted aimed at trying to enhance communication, improve collaboration, and develop a sense of collective responsibility among the staff (Aguirre et al., 2019). These workshops set the stage for greater collaboration and free exchange.
Worked-with-bunch discussions will serve as a medium for inside-out deliberation. In these guided discussions, staff members are free to contribute their insights, raise issues, or generally think of solutions that can be implemented (Aguirre et al., 2019). This strategy promotes more collaboration and less conflict since decision making is likely to be participatory.
Third, the plan tries to give more concretenss to the tools which advocates for consensus-building methodology. These decision making production systems may include simple voting procedures or other systems that are consensus based (Kim et al., 2019). These methodologies are guaranteed to eliminate as much difference of opinion as possible on the Onboard system so that the group goal of the facility is met.
New EHR Challenges
Executing a new EHR system is an innovative transition and a complex hierarchical change that demands a nuanced understanding of change management theories, techniques, and leadership strategies. Regarding EHR reception challenges, this section evaluates the essential job of change management in steering the centre through this transformative excursion.
The challenges associated with EHR adoption are multi-dimensional and multi-faceted. For instance, medical care professionals are accustomed to traditional systems, and resistance to change is a significant threat. Familiarity and inertia may interfere with the smooth assimilation process of the new EHR system in HS 450 M2 Assignment Implementation of Strategic Planning. On-field work processes will also be disrupted during the changeover period, which may affect patient consideration and operational productivity.
Training of staff is yet another challenge because only by an intentional and focused intent on their part would learning new skills and adaptability within the EHR system be possible. To meet these challenges, there are two clear theories regarding the management of change: Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model and Lewin’s Change Management Model.
Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model
Kotter’s model focuses on the importance of creating awareness of criticality, establishing a powerful guiding coalition, and communicating an evocative vision for change (Lundquist & Haaheim, 2020). In this regard, for EHR adoption, the model maintains visible communication about the need for the new system, engages in positive champions to champion the process of change, and creates a shared vision that is in concert with the mission and objectives of the facilities.
Lewin’s Change Management Model
Lewin model’s framework relies on the three steps of thawing, changing, and refreezing. The thawing phase entails developing the willingness to change by accepting one’s needs. The change step entails implementing a new system, and refreezing means incorporating the changes into the organization’s culture (Burnes, 2019).
Lewin’s Model for EHR Implementation
When applying Lewin model’s steps to the implementation of an EHR system, a systematic approach to preparing for the change is necessary to make the change permanent. This requires conducting intensive training seminars, providing assistance during the transition, and promoting the advantages of the new EHR system.
Risk Assessment
This requires a comprehensively focused departmental strategic plan to effectively investigate any likely risks associated with preparing the centre to receive this new EHR system and enable a seamless process of integration. The next section outlines a few key recommendations for implementing such a plan, with deeper elaboration on the mitigation of risk exposures in selective areas, hierarchies, processes, and training and communication strategies.
Departmental Strategic Plan
The first step in mitigating risks associated with EHR reception involves the turn of events and execution of a robust departmental strategic plan. This plan should encompass a reasonable vision, objectives, and significant steps to direct the centre through the complexities of the transition (Xu et al., 2021). It must line up with the generally authoritative goals, addressing specific challenges one of a kind to the facility’s structure and operations.
Risk Mitigation Strategies
Mitigating Data Security Risks
The implementation of encryption and access controls should form the very backbone of this strategic plan, considering the most important concern of security. Encryption ensures that confidential patient information remains private during the process of transmission and storage, whereas access controls restrict system areas to authorized personnel. This two-dimensional approach greatly reduces the opportunity for unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential legal consequences.
Redesigning Workflows for EHR Integration
Work process disruptions more often than not come hand-in-glove with the implementation of a new EHR system. This risk could be assuaged if the strategic plan contains a clear discussion about the redesign of hierarchical workflows. The approach will involve a careful review of the existing process and enhancement of smooth workflows in line with the functions of the EHR system. This proactive approach would minimize disruptions, maximize functional efficiency, and ensure an easy transition of medical care providers and administrative staff.
Additional Strategies for Risk Mitigation
Comprehensive Training Programs
Formal training programs are a major part of fitting out staff with competencies and knowledge that shall enable them to apply EHR meaningfully. The strategic plan should conceptualize a broad-based training session, taking into consideration the variety of professional roles within a facility. This includes practical training and workshops that have ongoing support support in place to ensure an able and confident user base.
Communication Strategy
Successful communication forms the core of the whole reception process of EHRs. The strategic plan should describe a communication strategy that would keep all stakeholders informed and engaged continuously (Bruinen de Bruin et al., 2020). Regular information, local events, and channels open to receive complaints develop a culture of transparency and cooperation, diminishing probable resistance and vulnerability.
Procurement Process
- Understanding the Healthcare Procurement Process
The procurement process is essential for medical care organizations (HCOs) seeking significant projects or purchases, such as the reception of a new EHR system. Understanding the nuances of a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Information (RFI), and Request for Quotation (RFQ) is vital in helping HCOs recognize their needs.
Request for Proposal
An RFP is utilized when the HCO needs a comprehensive proposal from possible vendors (Sönnichsen & Merciful, 2020). This is exceptionally gainful for complex projects like EHR execution, as it allows vendors to showcase their capabilities, proposed solutions, and cost structures.
Request for Information
An RFI is used to assemble fundamental information about possible vendors without focusing on a definite proposal. In the HS 450 M2 Assignment Implementation of Strategic Planning, HCOs can utilize RFIs to assess the merchant landscape, understand accessible options, and thin down expected candidates for additional assessment.
Request for Quotation
An RFQ suits supplemental and simpler requirements, primarily when the HCO is seeking some precise price quotation. The process is imperative in ascertaining the cost-effectiveness of the solutions availed by various vendors and aids in the economic decision-making process.
Conclusion
This task has now established some insight with regards to the selection and implementation of a new EHR system. Among the key takeaways is the understanding of how strong group building with strategic planning and change management will ensure success in EHR adoption.
Thin-slicing has demonstrated that medical services organizations can strategically build heterogeneous teams and use them together with change management theories to devise and implement strategic plans to mitigate risks, and use requisition processes to assess the magical integration of the reception of the EHR and prepare transformational steps toward understanding supplanting decisional and functional effectiveness.
References
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