Assignment Details

Week 1: Readiness Assessment and Benefits and Implementation Issues

Utilizing the information in the above scenario, provide a needs analysis for replacement of the current EHR system and a readiness assessment in preparation for the implementation of the replacement EHR system at your health care organization (HCO).
In as much detail as possible, describe the benefits and challenges of replacing the current EHR system with a new one and its implementation across the organization.

HCI490 Scenario
1
Most hospitals and practices have implemented an electronic health record
(EHR) system to ensure compliance with meaningful use and other
requirements under the HITECH Act and the Affordable Care Act. The benefits
of an EHR system are numerous; however, there can be significant barriers to
their acquisition and use. Many health care institutions are re-evaluating their
current EHR system in light of new requirements, concerns about the ability
of current vendors to support changes, and also mergers and acquisitions of
institutions and practices. You will use the following scenario to complete
each week’s assignments in this course.
Scenario
Yorkshire Clinic is an acute care clinic located in Tacoma, Washington. The
clinic is comprised of a group of 10 physicians, 2 physician assistants, 1 nurse
practitioner, and several ancillary staff. Yorkshire Clinic serves a patient
population of approximately 14,000. An EHR system was implemented 5
years ago to qualify for government incentives under the Health Information
Technology for Economic and Clinical (HITECH) Act of 2009.
Ms. Janet Hendricks, the Chief Executive Officer of Yorkshire Clinic, has
received complaints from the medical staff about the current EHR system and
has concerns about the responsiveness and ability of the vendor to make
upgrades. She has set the goal for the HCO to evaluate, select, and
implement a new EHR system. Ms. Hendricks and the physicians have
discussed the option, and they realize that replacing the current EHR could
improve the quality and safety of patient care and alleviate future issues. In
fact, they all believe in the need to replace the current EHR system so much
that Ms. Hendricks has incorporated an EHR system replacement/upgrade
into Yorkshire Clinic’s strategic plan.
Ms. Hendricks and the physicians realize that replacing the current EHR
system and implementing a new one will be costly and will take time, but
they are willing to make the investment. There is widespread support for the
endeavor, and everyone has agreed to be part of the steering committee to
guide project development.
The various stakeholders include physicians, nurses, administrators, and
patients. There have been several meetings in which the end users have been
afforded the opportunity to ask questions and provide their feedback about
the initiative. There is growing enthusiasm among physicians and clinicians
HCI490 Scenario
2
about the improvements and advantages of replacing the current EHR
system.
Ms. Hendricks has made it clear that patient needs are driving the project.
She wants to ensure that EHR design is driven by patient care and
satisfaction. She also wants to make sure that proper workflow planning
occurs and the areas where EHR use could be best applied are determined.
Leadership at Yorkshire Clinic also recognizes that training and support will be
imperative to success. Ms. Hendricks wants to ensure that training is
budgeted for and scheduled accordingly.
Deciding to replace an EHR system and then doing so can be a daunting and
extensive process, and it requires an extensive amount of planning and
organizational commitment. By developing a viable plan, risks associated with
new EHR implementation can be minimized. Throughout this course, you will
develop a plan to select and implement a new EHR system in Yorkshire Clinic.
Each week, you will build upon your plan, and in the final weeks of this
course, you will provide a final report detailing your findings.