Health care information systems
The selection and acquisition of an information system for our health care institution requires a distinct process and a lot of dedication from the management. The information system to be acquired must adhere to our organization’s goals. The selection process is determined by the organization’s stakeholders and its objectives. There is a strict process that is used when selecting and acquiring an information system. This is because the information system selected must be reliable and fast. It should also provide comprehensive information for consumers and patients while also providing security, confidentiality and privacy to thee information. It is important that all stakeholders know the costs, acquisition process, benefits and possible alternatives for the organization.
First, a committee is formed to oversee the whole selection and acquisition process on behalf of the organization. The committee will be responsible for coordination, management, planning and organization of the acquisition process. Our committee should comprise of six individuals, each selected from the various departments in our organization. Only serious individuals should be selected to this committee because they determine the success or failure of this whole process. The second step will be to clarify the duties and expectations of the committee towards achieving the selection and acquisition of an information system. The senior management in the health care organization has to clarify the committee’s charge by mentioning the objectives in measurable terms for easy understanding. The clarification is a guide and also a projection of when the project will be completed. It also helps in prioritization of our new system’s requirements, identification of ideal inputs, calculation of the budget and the exploration of acquisition alternatives.
We also have to establish a list that will act as a guide when selecting a good information system for our organization. The organization’s objectives must be thoroughly assessed in order to determine the information system that bests suits the organization. An information system must always be compatible with the organizational objectives. We have to assess the organization’s information management needs. This helps determine the objectives that the new system has to address. The committee should then conduct a comprehensive assessment of all alternative information system products. This helps gain knowledge on the different information systems that can be adopted by the organization. Various information system vendors in the health care industry must be investigated to help determine a reliable vendor to produce a quality information system.
Next, the committee should visit some health care organizations that are similar to ours and have implemented successful information systems. After this process, different vendors should be scheduled to come to the organization and demonstrate their products. This should be done when physicians and nurses are observing so that they can evaluate the potential information systems.
After the completion of this process, we have to evaluate each proposed information system vendor. This helps us to determine a vendor who will provide the most appropriate information system at a cost effective price. The benefits must be assessed in the long run so as to establish the most durable and efficient information system. They have to assess the vendor’s recommendations and analysis before making a conclusion. Finally, the committee must assess the compatibility of the various potential information systems to the organization’s objectives. The most compatible and effective system should be selected for the organization. The acquisition process starts as soon as the best information system is selected. The information gathered from vendors’ reports, analysis and recommendations is compiled into a repository of a project. It is then used as part of the contractual negotiations with the selected vendor.
All stake holders are involved in the selection process of the information system. The top managers or physicians are involved in planning and overseeing the selection process. The committee, which includes members for every stakeholder such as patients, physicians, nurses, managers, record keepers and even members of the neighboring community, should all provide their views on how they want the information system to be selected. The financial officers should provide correct analysis of the value of the information system and how its purchase affects the organization. The physicians and nurses must provide their evaluation of all potential information to determine its efficiency in handling patient information in bulk, ease in terms of use and how the secure the system is to keep patient information. Patients should also be asked about the efficiency of the information system in terms of use and the security of confidential information.
As we finalize the briefing, it is necessary to consider that the information system we select is compatible with our organizational goals. The information system must meet our health care organization’s needs in the future. It should also meet our specific technical and software requirements, operated by qualified IT personnel. The system must hold all patient information, easy to operate and very secure. This project is carried out as part of our organization’s long term plans and it must help improve service delivery.
References
Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2009). Health Care Information Systems: A Practical Approach for Health Care Management (2 ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Winter, A., & Haux, R. (2010). Health Information Systems: Architectures and Strategies (2, illustrated ed.). Munich: Springer.
