Patton-Fuller Community Hospital Networking Virtual Organization
The current business system of Patton Fuller Community Hospital involves a lot of manual processes and information that’s stored in paper format. Each department also has its own system that is inaccessible to other departments, which makes the different departments unable to share information with each other. These also result in the slow access and processing of information as well as in the lack of security measures to ensure the safety and privacy of the employees’ and patients’ information.
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) System
It is recommended that an ERP system be implemented at the Patton-Fuller Community Hospital. An ERP system allows for the integration of business management functions, which include human resources, accounting and finance, purchasing, manufacturing, order processing, engineering, inventory/materials management, and planning among others (eResource, 2010).
Among the benefits of having an ERP system in place is that it provides the organization with an improved technology that will allow for the faster processing of data and the handling of large amounts of data (Roman, 2009). In particular, the scalability of an ERP system will be capable of handling employee information, as well as the large volume of information that the pharmacy of Patton-Fuller Community Hospital tracks and archives. It can also be used to keep track of inventory information and access to controlled substances. It can keep track of equipment information, including purchases and warranties. In addition, it can be used to keep track of stored video footages instead of having them stored on VHS tapes. Similarly, this will eliminate the need for storing and transporting of data in DVDs, which exposes the data to security issues. The ERP system can handle the electronic storage and transfer of all this data.
An ERP system also eliminates the need for manual processes that are labor-intensive and that can result in the duplication of efforts. An ERP system will allow critical business processes in various departments to be streamlined and allow for the more efficient collection of data. For example, with an ERP system and its email alerts and notifications, Patton-Fuller staff will be able to easily collect, store, and distribute important notices from the CDC and the State Health Department with regards to infectious disease outbreaks. Similarly, the system can ensure that emails are encrypted when they contain any of the defined PHI (Protected Health Information).
An ERP system also allows for the integration of multiple, disconnected systems (Roman, 2009). This means the integration of different systems and data sources, which in turn eliminates the need for entering the same information into several systems. This will also allow for the sharing of information among the different departments of Patton-Fuller Community Hospital. For example, this will enable the pharmacists to easily access a patient’s complete medical history, which they currently still have to request from Medical Records and which can result in delays when a pharmacist provides the patient with their medications. Similarly, with information sharing, even the food service people will have access to information about the type of food that may be inappropriate for certain patients.
The ERP system also allows for the easier interfacing and integration to external and internal entities. For example, the Pharmacy Director can use the system to electronically submit records to the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) during an investigation.
In addition, an ERP system allows for the customizations of reports and reporting capabilities in order to address the users’ complex requests for data. As well, an ERP system allows users to generate reports on their own without having to seek assistance from IT. This would also include a data mining feature, which will enable hospital researchers to go through all of the hospital records as part of their research initiatives.
An ERP system also has a user-friendly interface that allows users to have easier and faster access to information. For example, users will be able to search for information in pretty much the same way they would do on Google. Moreover, the bureaucracy involved in accessing data is eliminated as branch campuses are provided with direct access. As well, users are provided with real-time data, which allows for better decision-making processes.
Finally, an ERP system can provide the organization with a higher level of security and data integrity. It also allows for data restrictions to be improved. Roles can be defined to ensure that only authorized people have access to certain types of information. In addition, an ERP system enables the creation of process workflows, which ensure that information goes through the proper channels and is properly handled to ensure compliance with the various laws and policies in place.
Similarly, workflows and rules can be created that would allow for item thresholds to be set such that when those thresholds are reached, orders can be automatically placed for the said items. This can address the concern of the Food and Nutritional Services Manager with regards to food running out.
Knowledge Management System
It would also be recommended to implement a Knowledge Management System to enable the organization to maximize the use of the ERP system. A Knowledge Management System refers to “a class of IT-based information systems developed to support the following KM-related processes in organizations: knowledge creation, storage/retrieval, transfer and application” (Leknes & Munkvold, n.d., p. 2). When integrated with the ERP system, the KMS is responsible for the creation, organization, storage, and transfer of knowledge that’s related to the organization’s core processes.
A KMS has the potential of facilitating product or service and process innovation. By having an integrated ERP system and KMS, more efficient implementation methodologies may be developed, which in turn lead to strategic business advantages and increased user satisfaction through the use of an innovative ERP system. In the same regard, the cross-referencing of the KMS and the ERP system enables the identification of the different types of knowledge that the organization requires, which in turn allows for the specific knowledge resources needed by users to be provided.
In particular, a KMS enables the successful transfer of knowledge, which may be hindered by the lack of the recipient’s retentive capacity, which results from insufficient hands on training; the lack of the recipient’s absorptive capacity, which results from information overload; the lack of the recipient’s motivation, which results from system inadequacies; a barren organizational context, which is caused by an inadequate change management and user training; and unproven knowledge, which is caused by unreliable systems (Leknes & Munkvold, n.d.).
Internal training programs are also necessary for the proper implementation of an ERP system, and a KMS can help facilitate these trainings. KMS allow for knowledge within the organization to be shared and for novice employees to access information that will help them learn about their job and how to perform certain tasks. For example, a KMS can help employees easily gain access to information on how to use the hospital’s equipment. A KMS can serve as the mechanism to ensure that communicated information has really been received and understood by the recipients. This will promote awareness of the various policies – such as the HIPAA – that is imposed by the hospital and in turn ensure compliance. As well, with the Patton-Fuller Community Hospital according much importance to their employee’s career development, a KMS will ensure that the employees’ career development plans are tracked and monitored and that the employees are provided with the means for them to improve and develop new skills, which will aid in their advancement.
With the easier and faster information access that ERP and KM systems allow, better and timelier services may be provided to customers, which in this case would be the patients. It also leads to improved services for the staff and other stakeholders. Furthermore, an ERP system can improve communication, both within the organization and between the organization and its external stakeholders. It leads to improved collaboration; thus, improving relationships among the different stakeholders involved – the hospital staff, physicians, suppliers, and insurance companies among others.
References
eResource. (2010). ERP related questions. Retrieved from http://www.eresourceerp.com/ERP-
benefits.html
Leknes, J. & Munkvold, B. E. (n.d.). The role of knowledge management in ERP
implementation: A case study in Aker Kvaerner. Retrieved from
http://is2.lse.ac.uk/asp/aspecis/20060153.pdf
Roman, K. (2009). Benefits of implementing an ERP: Top 10 benefits an ERP implementation
can bring to your institution. Retrieved from http://www.collegiateproject.com/
articles/ERP%20Benefits.pdf
