NRS 514 Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Nursing technology plays a critical role in nursing and healthcare through improved quality services and patient outcomes. In light of the advancement in technology, nurses, like other professionals, are expected to equip themselves with informatics competencies critical to the provision of quality care to patients. Nurses need to have nursing informatics – NI skills, that go beyond simple data mining and entry. To this end, this paper examines the extent to which advanced registered nurses leverage informatics in the delivery of evidence-based nursing practice. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

The Role of The Advanced Registered Nurse in Promoting Evidence-Based Practice.

Nursing informatics is a highly technical role that needs nursing professionals with high skills and knowledge of data and technology. Nursing Informaticists have numerous responsibilities as elaborated below. In the United States of America, over 95% of all healthcare facilities use some kind of certified health record system.

These systems are the backbone of the operations of these facilities as they influence the way practitioners and stakeholder deliver and manage healthcare (Bashir, & Bastola, 2018 Benchmark – Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper). However, these traditional health record systems are plagued with rampant inefficiencies leading to numerous medical errors. Furthermore, the inefficiency of these traditional health record systems impacts the provision of quality care for patients and the general patient experiences. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Nursing Informaticists help to eradicate the rampant inefficiencies of the traditional health record systems. One of the critical issues that healthcare facilities have had to deal with is the problem of medical errors, mostly occasioned by wrong customer data/information. According to Ng et al. 92018), nurses, physicians, and other medical professionals rely on patient data/information to make critical decisions on patients’ health, intervention, and outcomes. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Wrong information captured in these traditional health record systems automatically results in wrong decisions by nurses and doctors. The role of nursing informatics specialists is to reduce or eradicate errors related to patient information by transitioning patient records/data from paper form to digital format. A transition from the manual entry of information in paper form to digital records greatly reduces any chances of errors. The nursing informatics specialists must ensure that patient records/data are errorless. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

The Role Informatics Plays in The Ability To Capture Data.

In the past, healthcare facilities have struggled with the issue of the lack of an effective patient record system. The healthcare system in America, for example, suffers the burden of non-improvement in patient records. The Electronic Health Record- EHR is a promising nursing technology projects that seek to uplift and evolve patient records using advanced nursing technology. The EHR is a nursing electronic system specifically designed to help nurses or other users to access complete and accurate patient information/data from an integrated record system.

The system provides clinicians, researchers, nurses, physicians, and support staff with an integrated system from where they can gain access to patient information and make better decisions. For my chosen organization, the data collected from the CPRS system will be used to improve the quality of treatment and care for patients at the facility. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

CPRS is a computer application developed by the Veterans Affairs-VA based on the Vistas technology and architecture. The major function of CPRS is to avail easy access of patient information to an array of healthcare workers from an integrated system. Besides, the CPRS aids nurses and other healthcare workers to review and scrutinize patient data with the view of creating effective clinical decisions (Mosier, Roberts & Englebright, 2019 Benchmark – Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper).

The provision of quality care to patients starts with accurate, and timely collection of patient information. Inaccurate or untimely delivery of patient data directly affects the quality of care given to patients and the overall patient outcomes. Patient data safety and retrieval determines the efficiency of care, the treatment plans and patient diagnoses, and the implementation of appropriate care delivery.

Systems and Staff Members Involved in The Design and Implementation Process.

Nursing Informatics must align nursing best practices with patient outcomes and clinical care. The most critical objective of nursing informatics is to improve clinical care and patient outcomes through the adoption of best practices. To achieve excellent clinical care, Mosier et al. (2019) argues, nursing informatics specialists are critical to processes such as the review of clinical workflow, process designs, creating effective treatment plans based on patient information and data, and developing new diagnostics. All these processes have a direct impact on the quality of care given to patients. Working in collaboration with other medical professionals, nursing informatics specialists create the best course of action for patients that lead to value-based and patient-centered care.

Nursing informatics specialists work to improve protocols, policies, procedures, and processes. A study by Jabour et al. (2021 Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper) established that data is the lifeline of any medical facility because all decisions are made using data/information. Healthcare facilities use the available data/information to make critical decisions about patients and the direction of growth of such facilities. Most importantly, information is used to evaluate and measure the performance of all protocols, procedures, policies, and processes in caregiving facilities.

For example, it is the responsibility of nursing informaticists to measure the way all specific parts of a healthcare organization are performing with emphasis on patient outcomes (Jabour et al., 2021 Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper). Based on the performance of each part, nursing informaticists can initiate changes to specific parts to streamline activities. Emphasis is put on eliminating bottlenecks, reducing inefficiencies, and improving the overall care and safety for patients.

Strategies for Implementing the New EHR Proposal.

Implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) is a driver for the improvement of health care delivery and the reduction of health care costs. Unlike in developed countries, developing countries face substantial challenges in adopting EHRs. Start with a full assessment of your facility and its ability to readiness to adopt EHR. Find out if the available infrastructure, clinical processes, education, and training can support EHR implementation.

One of the causes of a botched EHR implementation is the failure by management to evaluate its needs from the outset. The planning process needs to involve high-level executives; in the planning phase, they will need to assess the current state of their medical practices and capabilities. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Secondly, EHR system implementation is a critical exercise that needs strategic thinking planning, and negotiations between departments. There needs to be strong leadership to direct the project and quickly resolve complexities along the way. Successful EHR implementation requires that you create a steering committee. In this EHR implementation plan template, the steering team comprises a project manager who might also be the practice manager, as well as an application analyst, application developer, QA test engineer, physician advocate, nurse advocate, and billing advocate.

The third strategy in implementing an EHR is constructing the information technology infrastructure for your EHR should incorporate robust security protocols and quick disaster recovery strategies to guarantee efficiency and high uptime. Its architecture should include components such as registries, interoperability, security, privacy, and safety. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Leadership Skills and Theories Needed to Facilitate Collaboration with The Interprofessional Team

In the past, healthcare facilities have struggled with the issue of the lack of an effective patient record system (Jabour et Al., 2018). The Computerized Patient Record System, CPRS, is one of the promising nursing technology projects that seek to uplift and evolve patient records using advanced nursing technology. The CPRS is a nursing electronic system specifically designed to help nurses or other users to access complete and accurate patient information/data from an integrated record system (Mosier, Roberts & Englebright, 2019).

CPRS is a computer application developed by the Veterans Affairs-VA based on the Vista technology and architecture. The major function of CPRS is to avail easy access of patient information to an array of healthcare workers from an integrated system. Besides, the CPRS aids nurses and other healthcare workers to review and scrutinize patient data with the view of creating effective clinical decisions (Mosier et al., 2019). The provision of quality care to patients starts with accurate, and timely collection of patient information. Inaccurate or untimely delivery of patient data directly affects the quality of care given to patients and the overall patient outcomes. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Implementation of EHR from a Staff, Setting, And Patient Perspective

Nursing informatics is a recent but critical specialty in nursing. It is a specialty that combines nursing science with nursing information technology to develop systems that improve patient care while reducing medical errors. Patient medical data has emerged as a critical factor in reducing medical errors and improving patient outcomes.

Nursing informatics is a branch of technology that allows health facilities to efficiently collect and store patient data/information leading to improved safety, quality of care, and patient outcomes (McGonigle, 2018 Benchmark – Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper). Nursing informatics is a critical information management system in the medical field as it is the driving force behind development, improvements, and improved decision-making and better clinical outcomes.

Leadership Skills and Theories

As nurse leaders become increasingly aware of the correlation between a stronger team and stronger achievements in patient quality and safety, understanding how to incorporate steps for strategic, long-term success into day-to-day practice is key. In any given day, a nurse leader will problem solve for issues related to bedside care, patient safety, budget constraints, and staffing shortages. Being able to perform well under pressure and balance the myriad of daily challenges is no small endeavor for even the most experienced nurse leader. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Besides analyzing reports and dashboards, nurse leaders also focus on their people. Without a team that feels supported, motivated, and inspired, the nurse leader and the organization will experience negative consequences. A good nurse leader will incorporate a healthy balance of managing people and processes into their daily routines by ensuring staff is recognized for quality improvements, that feedback is encouraged to promote continued success in improving patient care, and a physical presence is maintained (onsite visits, rounding or huddles) to show support and appreciation.

The Technologies Required in Implementing an EHR

One of the critical technologies in the implementation of the CPRS system is a VAMC-Veteran Affairs Medical Center tool. A VAMC tool ensures a smooth transition between the Order Entry, OE and Results Reporting, RR. The process, as Ng et al. (2018) notes, is important because all existing orders, medications, lab reports, dialogs, clinical notifications, and orderable items are automatically converted into CPRS. This way, no data belonging to patients are lost since there is no manual conversion.

To prevent errors and mistakes in the CPRS system, it is critical to have a functioning electronic signature system. All orderable items must be assigned different categories of electronic signatures for clarity and efficiency. The system automatically flags all unsigned orders for the appropriate caregivers to act. This is an interface designed to provide timely feedback on lab test results, allergies, existing orders, medications, existing consultations, and any other relevant patient data. Here, the process of order entry is extremely streamlined so that only the pertinent patient data is used to fill an order. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Conclusion

When health care providers have access to complete and accurate information, patients receive better medical care. Electronic health records improves the practitioners’ ability to make correct diagnoses, reduce and even prevent medical errors, ensure patient data confidentiality, and enhance access of patient data for effective and comprehensive care. EHR tool also allows interoperability between different professionals in the medical and nursing industry, thereby improving the quality of patient experiences and outcomes. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Benchmark – Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper References

Bashir, A., & Bastola, D. (2018). Perspectives of Nurses Toward Telehealth Efficacy and Quality of Health Care: Pilot Study. JMIR Medical Informatics, 6(2), e35. https://doi.org/10.2196/medinform.9080
Dohan, M. (2017). The Importance of Healthcare Informatics Competencies (HICs) for Service Innovation in Paramedicine: A Mixed-Methods Investigation (Doctoral dissertation). Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper
Jabour, S. M., Chander, G., Riekert, K. A., Keruly, J. C., Herne, K., Hutton, H., Beach, M. C., Lau, B., Moore, R. D. & Monroe, A. K. (2021). The Patient Reported Outcomes as a Clinical Tool (PROACT) Pilot Study: What Can be Gained by Sharing Computerized Patient-Reported Mental Health and Substance Use Symptoms with Providers in HIV Care? AIDS and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03175-2
Kim, Y.-M., & Delen, D. (2018). Medical informatics research trend analysis: A text mining approach. Health Informatics Journal, 432–452. https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458216678443
McGonigle, D. (2017). Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge. [MBS Direct]. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781284142990/ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2008.09.010
Mosier, S., Roberts, W., & Englebright, J. (2019). A systems-level method for developing nursing informatics solutions. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(11), 543–548. https://doi.org/10.1097/nna.0000000000000815
Ng, Y., Alexander, S., & Frith, K. H. (2018). Integration of mobile health applications in health information technology initiatives. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 36(5), 209–213. https://doi.org/10.1097/cin.0000000000000445

Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper Instructions

One way informatics can be especially valuable is in capturing data to inspire improvements and quality change in practice. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) collects data related to adverse events and safety concerns. If you are working within a practice setting to implement a new electronic health record (EHR) system, this is just one of the many considerations your team would need to plan for during the rollout process.

In a paper of 1,500-1,750 words, discuss the following:

Consider an opportunity for tracking care improvement.
What key information would be needed in the database? Example: Time lapse from medication order documented in the EHR to delivery of medication to the patient for the cardiology service. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Describe the role informatics plays in the ability to capture this data.
What type of project management strategies and methodologies can be implemented to support informatics initiatives to help improve quality within the clinical practice?

Discuss which systems and staff members would need to be involved in the design and implementation process.
What is the role of the advanced registered nurse in promoting evidence-based practice and leading quality and performance improvement initiatives within this setting?

Outline strategies for implementing the new EHR proposal. Consider communication changes, transitioning to the new EHR, and managing resources (human, fiscal, and health care resources).

Discuss what professional, ethical, and regulatory standards must be incorporated into the design and implementation of the system. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Describe the measures and steps you would take to evaluate the success of the EHR implementation from a staff, setting, and patient perspective to measure effectiveness and ensure continuous quality improvement in practice?

Explain what leadership skills and theories would be needed to facilitate collaboration with the interprofessional team and provide evidence-based, patient-centered care?

You are required to cite five to 10 sources to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content. Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper

Also Read: NRS 514 Topic 8: Interprofessionalism and Interrelationships in Informatics and Information Systems

NRS 514 Benchmark Electronic Health Record Implementation Paper