Description
- SCORING GUIDE
Use the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.Prepare a 3-4 page proposal for a new software system that explains the forces driving the change, the ethical considerations behind the proposed change, the risks to the organization of not accepting the proposed change, and the benefits of accepting the proposed change.Introduction
Organizations, such as the Joint Commission and the National Committee for Quality Assurance, collect and report extensive data on quality indicators used by the industry, government, and consumers. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), passed by Congress in 1996, protects the privacy and confidentiality of patient health records. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services oversees this compliance and offers comprehensive support and guidance for health care leaders and organizations.The use of health information technology and electronic health records continues to improve quality of care indicators and offer expanding career opportunities in the health care field. However, keeping abreast of rapid advancements in technology (for both management and clinical applications), along with their ethical implications, demands increased time and attention from health care operations managers. The consequences of data security breaches can be detrimental in legal costs and loss of reputation and trust within the industry and community.Preparation
Imagine that you work in a mid-sized clinic that is well established, having been in operation for over 25 years. The physicians who practice in the clinic have been doing so for the same length of time, although several younger physicians have recently joined. You have been trying to get the physicians to upgrade the outdated health information technology (HIT) system for the practice. There have been reports of compromised patient information from other organizations using the same software. Complaints have been increasing from other health facilities and insurance companies that the software is not compatible with their electronic health records (EHR) systems. This compromises efficient and confidential sharing of patient information. Patients have expressed dissatisfaction that the practice does not offer a patient portal to allow them direct access to their records and information and to self-scheduling features. You feel that a personal health record (PHR) would meet the patients' need as well as alleviate a lot of extra work for the staff. The office and administrative staff are increasingly frustrated, as they understand how much of their daily workload duties and flow could be improved with an entirely new system. The physicians have been resistant to change the system because it will require extensive time and money to integrate. Although it is obvious that there are multiple ethical concerns present, they are uncomfortable with managing such a large change in the practice, especially in training themselves and the staff on how to use it effectively and efficiently.You just received a notice from the software company informing you that by the end of the year, they will no longer support that software. The company is also offering a significant discount to upgrade to their latest software system. You must convince the group of physicians that the time to upgrade is now, but you need to position a proposal in a way that will show them the risks of not taking action.For this assessment, you do not need to research or recommend any type of software. Rather, your task is to explain why the new software is needed in terms of the driving forces, the ethical principles involved, the risks associated with not accepting your proposal, and how the upgrade will benefit the entire organization.Research federal regulations around the use of technology and data, HIPAA, and probable consequences should patient information be hacked. (The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights identifies real cases of HIPAA violations on its Web site.) Find at least three authoritative resources to use as support for your proposal.Structure this assessment in a clear, logical order, using headings and subheadings as appropriate. Follow APA guidelines for citing and referencing your resources. Include a title page and references page.Instructions
Prepare a proposal for the implementation of a new electronic patient health record system. In your proposal, complete the following:- Explain the external forces that are driving the proposal. (Hint: federal regulations are not the only forces you should consider.)
- Explain the ethical considerations that are driving the proposal.
- Describe the risks and their associated ethical challenges related to not accepting the proposal. (Hint: there are many risks here. Be sure you consider the risks from multiple perspectives.)
- Explain how the proposed change will benefit and ensure ethical integrity for the organization, employees, and patients.
- Additional Requirements
- Include a title page and references page.
- Number of pages: 3–4, double-spaced.
- At least three current scholarly or professional resources.
- APA format for citations and references.
- Times New Roman font, 12-point.
- Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence.Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria: - Competency 1: Explain how ethical theories and principles influence health care organizational management practice.
- Describe the risks and the associated ethical challenges for a health care organization related to not making changes.
- Competency 2: Describe how external forces and internal organizational factors influence ethical health care management practices.
- Explain the external forces that influence change in a health care organization.
- Explain the ethical considerations that influence change in a health care organization.
- Explain how change benefits and ensures ethical integrity for a health care organization, its employees, and its patients.
- Competency 4: Communicate ideas effectively.
- Correctly format citations and references using current APA style.
- Write content clearly and logically, with correct use of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
- Resources: Library Resources
- Forrestal, E. J., & Cellucci, L. W. (2016). Ethics and professionalism for healthcare managers. Health Administration Press.
- Chapter 12.
- Kern, L. M., Barrón, Y., Dhopeshwarker, R. V., Edwards, A., & Kaushal, R. (2013). Electronic health records and ambulatory quality of care. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 28(4), 496–503.
- Polito, J. M. (2012). Ethical considerations in Internet use of electronic protected health information. The Neurodiagnostic Journal, 52(1), 34–41.Resources: Internet Resources
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). HIPAA enforcement. http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/complia...
- The Joint Commission. (n.d.). http://www.jointcommission.org/
- American Health Information Management Association. (2016). http://www.ahima.org/
Explanation & Answer
View attached explanation and answer. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Case Study Analysis
Institutional Affiliation
Instructor’s Name
Student’s Name
Course Name
Assignment Due Date
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Case Study Analysis
Case Summary
The use of health information technology and electronic health records continues to
improve the quality of care indicators and offers expanding career opportunities in the healthcare
field (Forrestal & Cellucci, 2016). As a result, organizations are increasingly required to keep
abreast of the rapid advancements in technology that continue to occur, identifying how they can
be leveraged for growth and development. According to the case scenario provided, the
healthcare institution increasingly leverages Health Information Technology systems for
practice. While this has proven largely advantageous, the system currently proves outdated,
presenting a myriad of risks and threats to the organization that necessitate advancement and
updating. However, the management is increasingly wary of implementing and integrating a
Personal Heath Record, given the significant amount of resources that are injected into
integration and implementation. In this paper, the external forces driving and necessitating the
implementation of a new PHR system will be provided. The ethical considerations, as well as the
risks associated with not updating the system, will be presented. Lastly, an overview of the
benefits and advantages that can be accrued from the implementation of the new system will be
provided.
External Forces Driving the Proposal
Drawing from the case scenario provided, it can be argued that different factors, both
external and internal, drive the integration of the new PHR system. For the purposes of this
discussion, only external factors will be analyzed. First, the institution is legally required to
protect and safeguard the information and data of its patients. With the integration of technology
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in healthcare, legal provisions such as HIPAA (The Health Insurance Profitability and
Accountability Act) have been passed to protect patient interests. The HIPAA Act of 1996 is a
federal law...
