Health Information Management (HIM) is one of the busiest and most challenging functions in most healthcare organizations (Maki and LaTour 135). In order to ensure that any health care organization runs properly, it is imperative to guarantee that staff resources are organized in an efficient manner. Moreover, patient information and records are maintained in healthcare information systems electronically (Green and Bowie 196). Therefore, there has to be proper tools, techniques, and concepts connected to designing and implementing efficient and effective work processes in any organization. The following work design tools are some of the essential aspects required to properly run any HIM department efficiently.
1. Work-flow diagram:
A workflow diagram is comprised of a sequence of connected steps, and each step follows the former one without any gap between them and it ends right before the next step starts (Song 201). These steps are usually connected with arrows. The steps in a workflow diagram are usually presented in form of symbols, and different symbols are used to symbolize the various aspects of the workflow. A workflow provides a virtual representation of the actual work. These diagrams show how the steps in a particular process fit collectively (Song 231).
This makes them very useful for communicating how particular processes work and how a particular task is done. They also provide a greater understanding of a process and how various sections of the process can be improved (Coplan and Masuda 208). For example, clinical workflow can be used by healthcare organizations to bring together electronic health record technology in cases such as ambulatory care. This way, it is easy to determine the appropriate pattern of actions that clinical staff should follow in emergency situations. HIM professionals are also able to monitor how well the organizational units and individuals work together (Coplan and Masuda 218).
2. Process flowchart:
This is a type of diagram that represents a process by giving a visual about how the different steps connect with each other by the use of arrows (Maki and LaTour 297). These steps are usually represented in boxes of various shapes. Flowcharts are essential communication tools especially on how various processes work, and also how a particular task is done. Flowcharts are also used to analyze and visualize various systems and procedures, such as: decision-making, accounting, monitoring, funds allocation, and delivery of services (Maki and LaTour 137).
Flowcharts are used in the managing, documenting, designing, or analyzing processes or programs in various fields (Green and Bowie 56). In HIM, process flowcharts can be used by the human resource department during the hiring process so as to establish the finest aspirant for the post. They can also be used as a performance evaluation tool to determine whether a certain process is working or not and thus help in the decision-making process.
3. Top down process map:
This is an outline of the process that a team wants to improve or measure, or an ideal process that a team would want to effect (Green and Bowie 196). This skill is used to explain the way work is done and how to improve business efficiency through new ways. A top down process map provides a clear way on how steps should follow each other, clarifies the working relationships between organizations and people, and targets specific steps that require improvement (Song 216).
This process can be applied in HIM, whereby cases such as insurance authorization and verification of patients are followed through correctly. It can also be used when a healthcare organization wants to find out how many Medicare patients have been admitted.
4. Swim lane diagram:
It is a visual component that is used in flowcharts that distinguishes the responsibilities of the sub-process of a major business process visually (Song 256). It can be arranged vertically or horizontally. The difference between a swim lane diagram and other flowcharts is that the decisions and processes are usually grouped by being placed in lanes (columns). Parallel lines are used to divide the flowchart into lanes, and each lane represents a sub-process, group, or person. The lanes are then labelled to indicate how the chart is organized. In a case where related flow charts are used, standard symbols are used to show a clear linkage between them (Green and Bowie 173).
In Health Information Management, swim lane diagrams can be used in applications so as to help make clear what the overall layout of the process is and to optimize efficiency and floor capacity (Song 206). In instances where more that one department is involved, swim lanes can clarify the steps necessary and who is responsible for them, how long each step will take, and how cheating, mistakes, or delays are expected to occur.
5. Use case:
This refers to a list of steps that define interactions between a role and a system so as to achieve a goal (Green and Bowie 173). The system is usually a website. There are parties outside of the system that usually interact with the system. These are called actors. A use case should comprise of all the system activities that are significant to the users. Therefore, a proper use case captures who (actor) should do what (interact) with the system, for which purpose (goal) (Maki and LaTour 99). A complete use case therefore specifies how exactly to use the system, and it ends when the set goal is fulfilled.
In most healthcare organizations, it is common to find health information systems serving one department each, such that integrating the various systems can end up being hard (Maki and LaTour 87). In such cases, patient health information could end up being spread over a number of systems, which makes it hard to retrieve that information, while at the same time the organization experiences extra costs. To solve this problem, it is important to come up with a flexible, cost-effective healthcare information system. Use case is therefore applied herein, such that various software systems are applied, and they integrate the various information systems into a comprehensive system that is easy to access and run by the authorized personnel (Maki and LaTour 135). This way, an organization gets to save on costs and other resources.
Works Cited
Michelle A. Green, Mary Jo Bowie. Essentials of Health Information Management: Principles and Practices. Florence: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.
Scott Coplan, David Masuda. Project Management for Healthcare Information Technology. New York: McGraw-Hill Prof Med/Tech, 2011. Print.
Shirley Eichenwald Maki, Kathleen M. LaTour. Health information management : concepts, principles, and practice. Chicago: AHIMA Press, 2010. Print.
Song, William Wei. Information Systems Development: Asian Experiences. New York: Springer, 2010. Print.
