Healthcare information systems
The considerations to generate a blueprint of the cancer-related information system include the following:
Clinical needs
The information system should be fit for clinical practice. This means that it needs to be usable for end-users (advantageous to patients and not burdensome for healthcare providers), cost-efficient for the organization, and interoperable to allow secondary data uses. Speed is of importance and therefore, such a system should be fast enough so as to make the work of frontline staff easier. After all, the hospital’s personnel cannot resist a system that makes their work easier.
Purpose
The health information system (HIS) should be designed in such a way that it meets and furthers the organization’s purpose. The information system needs to fit into the organization’s strategic plan. According to Haux et al (2013), healthcare organizations let their goals define the first criteria for their HIS technology. In this case, these encompass issues to do with coding, medical management, care quality and patient satisfaction. As such, the hospital will be able to attest to Meaningful Use.
Customization/adoption
The ability to alter and customize the workflow of a health information system is normally vital for success. Notably, each practice has dissimilar processes and requirements, and there is no one-size-fits-all HIS (Lorenzi, & Riley, 2013). Therefore, there is the need to consider the different customization choices and how the system can be changed to suit the hospital’s preferences. Nonetheless, the HIS should not be able to change in manners that compromise standards of security. In this regard, the system should be designed in a way to maximize productivity in clinical scenarios.
Costs
Whereas the initial investment must fit into the hospital’s budget, there are also long-term expenses related to HIS that need to be put into consideration, and they include networking, hardware, training and support resources that all contribute to the price. The hospital should consider these extra services so as to get a complete picture of what the technology will cost. When considering cost, return on investment should be calculated as well. A good process will encompass an approximation of productivity loss that will follow implementation, advantages from any incentive programs and the length of time it will take to regain the initial investment.
Use
It is important to consider the use of the health information system. The system should be usable, and this is made possible when it is designed to meet the needs of those who utilize it. For this reason, it is crucial to focus on the specific needs of end-users. Importantly, there should be a sufficient assessment and needs analysis so as to enhance usability. A health information system designed with an end-user in mind is effective (Borycki, Kushniruk, & Kuziemsky, 2015). That said, the system should be easy to use and thus improve the day-to-day work of the hospital.
Key attributes
The health information system should have key attributes, and these are basically characteristics that are desirable by the end-users of the system. These attributes encompass various functionalities, user interface, and system properties, coupled with the way they are executed. Interface design includes activities, people and context of usage. These key features will serve to ensure reliability, validity and accuracy of the HIS.
Functions of the major types of clinical information systems used
Considering the main types of clinical information systems that the hospital is currently using is paramount. This is because it will ensure that the HIS is designed in a way that it incorporates these other systems, as well as ensure that it performs optimally. This will in turn increase the possibility of the system being used as intended by the hospital’s staff, potentially increasing the benefits and reducing risks associated with technological systems.
Needs of various health information management (HIM) stakeholders
The health information system should be able to meet the needs of various HIM stakeholders. In this regard, the input of high-level strategic leadership of senior management encompassing administrative and clinical leaders as well as various professional stakeholder groups (i.e. physicians, nurses, managers, and administrative staff) is important so as to facilitate co-ownership and guarantee commitment. Therefore, there is the need to focus on efforts that promote the participation and empowerment of different groups by actively identifying inclusive solutions since they have the greatest potential of attaining coordinated execution efforts.
Hardware/ Software
There is the need to consider the hardware/software as they play a crucial role in supporting the HIS applications and use. When designing and installing the HIS, software, hardware, user interface, and communication-enabling infrastructures and related devices need to be configured in such a way as to best attain effective and efficient information services integration all through while connecting individuals and staff within the hospital (Haux et al., 2013). As such, it would be paramount to ensure that all software and hardware can access the HIS seamlessly. In this regard, for this hospital, the layer of technology must be supportive of the users, Helping in the performance of activities thus aiding them to flourish in the environment that is driven by technology.
Structures needed
It is vital to consider the structures needed for the HIS to be a success. These structures encompass a mixture of efficient data, databases, intelligent data-mining algorithms, rule engines as well as online analytical processing tools. These structures are vital to managing the increasingly intricate and information-intensive decision circumstances doctors are facing currently.
References
Borycki, E., Kushniruk, A., & Kuziemsky, C. (2015). Context Sensitive Health Informatics:
Many Places, Many Users, Many Contexts, Many Uses. Amsterdam, Netherlands: IOS Press.
Haux, R., Winter, A., Ammenwerth, E., & Brigl, B. (2013). Strategic Information
Management in Hospitals: An Introduction to Hospital Information Systems. Berlin, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media.
Lorenzi, N. M., & Riley, R. T. (2013). Managing Technological Change: Organizational
Aspects of Health Informatics. Berlin, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media.
