Considering the fact that there is limited scientific evidence that electronic health records reduce costs, improve productivity, saves time, reduce hassles as well as improve the quality of care; healthcare workers who are impacted by the decision to use them are reluctant to set goals (Amatayakul, p. 55., 2012). The process of selecting and implementing these electronic health records demoralizes goal these health workers to set goals. In handling and motivating these stakeholders, it is important to note that goals have to be specific, measurable, attainable and realistic.
The stakeholders have to understand the things that the electronic health records can do and the practicable things in order to set their goals.
Education always increases motivation. When the stakeholders have the right information on the implications of overstretched, underestimated and moderate goals, goal setting would not pose a challenge to them anymore. These stakeholders have to be informed that too moderate goals do not yield sufficient benefit to the return on investment, which they seek through selecting and implementing an electronic health records system (Saranto, 2009). Additionally, to high and over ambitious expectations always result in disappointments, especially when the system fails to yield the expected results.
In my opinion, by going through the process listed in Chapter 5, the immediate values that an organization can gain include reduced costs and quality of care. This is because organization would avoid staff recruitment benefits, increase revenue as well as improve productivity. Clinically, there would be a better access to clinical information, improved disease management as well as more education tailored to the patient’s needs. In my personal experience, after attending a hospital implementing the electronic health records, my previous health information were easily retrieved and I had sufficient time with the physicians.
References:
Amatayakul M. (2012). Process Improvement with Electronic Health Records. London: CRC Press Publishing.
Saranto K. (2009). Connecting Health and Humans: Proceedings of NI2009: Volume 146 of Studies in health technology and informatics, ISSN 0926-9630. Washington, D.C.: IOS Press.
