Evaluating Electronic Health Record Initiatives

The given report concludes that electronic health record initiatives are considered the most effective project in hospitals. It helps keep electronic records of patients, enables medical professionals to gather information about their medical needs, and provides quality care accordingly. The implementation of such a system can minimize errors and costs in operations. To implement it effectively, a project manager will require human, technical, and financial resources. Monitoring progress properly is essential to minimize issues and complete the project successfully.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
Project goal, objectives and strategies........................................................................................1
Work breakdown structure and scheduling.................................................................................2
Risk analysis and contingency plan............................................................................................5
Project resources.........................................................................................................................6
Budget.........................................................................................................................................7
Communication and reporting.....................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Electronic health records (EHR) is considered as an essential technology that helps
professionals in reducing medical errors and minimizing cost of operations as well. Over a
period of time, many hospitals have implemented this technology that has helped in raising
efficiency and providing quality care to patients (Nelson and Staggers, 2016). Present study
discusses the goals, objectives and strategies of current project. Furthermore, it will conduct
SWOT analysis in order to evaluate the feasibility with implementing electronic health record
initiatives. In addition, it will prepare work breakdown structure and will make contingency plan
to manage the risk. Report will discuss resources and budget that are required to complete this
project in an effective manner.
TASK
Project goals, objectives and strategies
Technological advancement has created situation for each industry to implement new
technologies and make changes in operational process. There are various public hospitals which
are unable to provide quality care to patients. In order to improve the services of hospital,
management has planned to implement electronic system at workplace (Fleming and et.al, 2014).
This software is able to keep health records electronically. Recording of data in the electronic
system is helpful for professionals in making correct decisions and providing quality treatment to
patients on time. It minimizes the medical errors and enhance safety in health and social care
sector.
Aim of implementing electronic health record project is to reduce the medical errors and
minimizing cost of operations. Hospital staff aims to provide quality care services to patients but
for that, they have to understand medical situation of the person carefully (Nguyen, Bellucci and
Nguyen, 2014). By implementing electronic health record system at workplace, practitioners can
be able to improve their understanding about medical needs of the person. This can support in
improving their health conditions. Objective of this project is to increase accurate and fast
diagnosis as well as provide quality treatment at lower cost to the patients.
The strategic highlight of project is to provide structured overview about EHR standards.
It will enhance the consistency will avoid duplication as well as ambiguity in hospitals
(McPherson and Pincus, 2017).
1

SWOT Analysis
Electronic health record initiatives are the main needs of health and social care sector.
Implementing this electronic system can be beneficial in improving the quality standards and can
support in minimizing medical errors in public hospitals. SWOT analysis is the method that can
assist in evaluating feasibility with implementing electronic health record initiatives in the
organization (Boonstra, Versluis and Vos, 2014).
Strengths
 Immediate access to detailed clinical
information
 Records can be used by medical
professionals in order to examine
condition of patient and providing them
treatment accordingly
 Reduction in duplication of work
 Reduction in medical errors
Weaknesses
 Poor knowledge of EHR among staff
members
 High cost
 Enhancing employee's workload
Opportunities
 Ability to provide treatment to patients
via internet
 Digital agenda targets can be beneficial
in improving living standards and
health care services.
Threats
 Society members may get failed to
accept E-health innovations.
 Reforms of NHS
 Frequent technological changes
From the above SWOT analysis, it can be interpreted that implementing electronic health
record project is feasible because by this way, medical professionals will be able to identify
medical needs of patients properly (Linzer and et.al, 2015). This will support them in providing
quality care to the diligent. This can fulfil their aim of minimizing errors and improving life
expectancy rate in the country. EHR is a feasible project that can help in improving the
efficiency level of health and social care sector significantly.
2

Work breakdown structure and scheduling
Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Initiation phase 15 days Fri 06/08/18 Thu 06/28/18
Set aim and objectives 5 days Fri 06/08/18 Thu 06/14/18
Identify stakeholders 4 days Fri 06/15/18 Wed 06/20/18 2
Understand existing
environment of hospital 6 days Thu 06/21/18 Thu 06/28/18 2,3
Planning phase 37 days Fri 06/08/18 Mon 07/30/18
Assembling right EHR
team 7 days Fri 06/29/18 Mon 07/09/18 4
Identify cost of EHR 5 days Tue 07/10/18 Mon 07/16/18 4,6
Analysis risk 10 days Tue 07/17/18 Mon 07/30/18 7
Define EHR requirement 8 days Tue 07/31/18 Thu 08/09/18 8
Communicate
information 7 days Fri 08/10/18 Mon 08/20/18 9
Execution phase 22 days Fri 06/08/18 Mon 07/09/18
Install electronic
software 5 days Tue 08/21/18 Mon 08/27/18 10,9
Organize training for
staff members 4 days Tue 08/28/18 Fri 08/31/18 2,6,12
Incremental adoption of
electronic health records 6 days Mon 09/03/18 Mon 09/10/18 12,13
Testing of software
before implementing in
actual working
environment
7 days Tue 09/11/18 Wed 09/19/18 14
Closure phase 11 days Fri 06/08/18 Fri 06/22/18
Controlling and 4 days Thu 09/20/18 Tue 09/25/18 15
3

monitoring
Performance reporting 5 days Wed 09/26/18 Tue 10/02/18 17
Completion of project 2 days Wed 10/03/18 Thu 10/04/18 18
Initiation phase
 Set aim and objectives
 Identify stakeholders
 Understand existing environment of hospital
Planning phase
 Assembling right EHR team
 Identify cost of EHR
 Analysis of risk
 Define EHR requirement
 Communicate information
Execution phase
 Install electronic software
 Organize training for staff members
 Incremental adoption of electronic health records
 Testing of software before implementing in actual working environment
4

Closure phase
 Controlling and monitoring
 Performance reporting
 Completion of project
Risk analysis and contingency plan
There are various risks that can be faced by hospital in implementing EHR system at
workplace. These risks are discussed as below:
Human resource risk
It is considered as one of the major issues that can take place in this project. Staff
members of hospital do not have knowledge about electronic health records system and they are
unaware with software (Kern, Edwards and Kaushal, 2014). Thus, there are high chances of
occurring mistakes which may create problem in providing quality care to patients. If medical
professionals and nurses get failed to manage electronic records well then doctors will not be
able to understand the medical requirements of persons.
Technical risk
Public hospitals use old computers.. In such system, it may be possible that these old
machineries do not support software. Software selection, designing and configuration can create
difficulty in implementing the project properly (Lehmann and et.al, 2015).
Financial risk
It is another kind of risk that can take place in this project. It is essential for the project
manager to utilize financial resources properly otherwise, it will not be completed within
stipulated budget.
Scheduling risk
Implementing electronic records is the new project in which manager has to schedule
activities properly so that it can be completed on time. In the absence of effective scheduling,
this proposal will not get completed within specified time period (Casalino and et.al, 2016).
Risk Management Plan/ Contingency Plan
Risk Responsi
ble
persons
Level of
risk
Likeliho
od
Risk
factor
Impact of risk Mitigating strategy
5

(1 to 5,
1= low,
5= very
high)
Human
resource
risk
Project
manager
3 3 9 High Hospital should arrange
training programs for
clinical officers so that
they can work on this
new software easily.
Technica
l risk
Technica
l
superviso
r, project
manager
4 3 12 High Designing should be
proper and there should
be continuous
monitoring. Feasible and
flexible design should be
prepared. Before
implementing software,
project manager should
test the machine so that
no complication arise.
Financial
risk
Account
manager,
project
manager,
sponsor
3 2 6 Moderate Project manager should
utilize financial resources
effectively. They have to
monitor cash flow
activities so that no
complications arise.
Scheduli
ng risk
Project
manager
2 2 4 low There should be proper
monitoring of activities
so that EHR project can
6

be implemented on time.
Project resources
For completing EHR project in an effective manner, project manager requires several
resources. These are described as below:
 Human resource: Project manager will require skilled clinical staff members who can
work on this new software easily (Implementation of an electronic health records system
in a small clinic: the viewpoint of clinic staff, 2009). Individuals will require
administrative staff members, nursing, management staff, clinical redesign unit, etc.
 Financial resource: Project will require financial resources for buying hardware, giving
training to staff members, payment to vendors, salaries to medical professionals, etc.
With the help of adequate funds, project manager will be able to manage project well and
it will help in effective implementation of new electronic health record software
(Effectively Managing EHR Projects: Guidelines for Successful Implementation, 2017).
 Technical resource: For completing this project in an effective manner, manager will
require technical resources such as computer, hardware, software, etc. All these elements
will help in implementing the electronic health records properly.
 Time resource: Project manager will require time to finish this project within specified
period of time (Casalino and et.al., 2016).
Budget
Staff number of staff
pay per
hour=25*30 total cost of employee
Administration 25 18750 18750
Information
technology 12 9000 9000
Nursing 1500 1125000 1125000
Medical 250 187500 187500
Hotel services 200 150000 150000
Allied health 250 187500 187500
7

Clinical redesign unit 4 3000 3000
Management staff 20 15000 15000
total staff cost 1695750
per bed charge 300
patient admission 300
Cash inflow
Revenues 2700000
Cash outflow
Salaries to staff members 1695750
hardware cost 80000
purchasing cost of items 25000
Training from vendors 100000
support from vendors 175000
total vendor cost 325000
Utility bills 50000
Total expenditures 2450750
Net cash balance 249250
Communication and reporting
Communication plan plays a significant role in the project management. Effective
coordination allows managers in circulating right information to all involved persons and
minimizing confusion.
Stakeholders Purpose Communicating Frequency Communication method
8

person
Clinical/
administrative
staff members
To make them
aware with the
importance of
new electronic
health record
software
Project
manager
At initial phase
of project
Face to face meeting with
all staff members in
conference room
Technical
team members
To identify
technical
requirements
for
implementing
electronic
software in
hospital.
Project
manager,
project sponsor
During
implement phase
Email and face to face
meeting
Project
sponsors
To make them
aware with
benefits of EHR
initiatives for
them and for
improving care
services of
hospital. To
make them
aware with the
progress of
project
Project
manager
Every month Email, Fax
Patients To make them
understand with
Project During
implementation
Face to face meeting in
9

benefits of
changes on
quality of care
manager phase hospital hall
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that electronic health record initiatives are
considered as the most effective project. It helps in keeping the electronic records of patients. By
this way, medical professionals can gather information about medical needs of patients and they
can provide them quality care accordingly. This EHR system will be beneficial in minimizing the
errors and cost of operations in hospital. In order to implement the project in an effective
manner, project manager will require human, technical and financial resources. It is essential to
monitor progress of the project properly so that issues can be minimized and project can be
completed effectively.
10