MHA FPX 5064 Assessment 1 Health Information Technology Needs Analysis

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Capella University

MHA-FPX5064 Health Information Systems Analysis and Design for Administrators

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Departments and IT Needs Analysis

The following section provides an in-depth analysis of various departments within the Independence Medical Center and their corresponding information technology (IT) needs. Each department’s clinical and administrative IT requirements are assessed to determine whether these needs are adequately met. The analysis also identifies gaps and areas that require improvement to enhance efficiency, interoperability, and the overall quality of patient care.

Table 1

Departmental IT Needs and Status Evaluation

Departments	IT Needs (Clinical)	IT Needs (Administrative)	Needs Met or Not Met?
Admissions/Intake	Collects patient data and coordinates workflow between multiple departments.	Utilizes EHR, patient intake forms, and data collection tools.	Partially met. EHR functions exist but do not align seamlessly with actual workflow processes.
Human Resources	Maintains staff records, training, and credentialing data.	Uses word processing, payroll/timekeeping, and HR management systems.	Mostly met. However, redundancy occurs since systems are separate from clinical records, requiring duplicate data entry.
Nursing Services	Accesses doctors’ orders, medication, lab, and discharge information; schedules 24/7 coverage.	Employs CPOE, EHR, patient scheduling, and supply systems.	Generally met. However, discrepancies in nurse satisfaction suggest workflow inefficiencies.
Imaging Department	Uploads and stores patient images in records.	Uses Radiology Information System (RIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).	Met. Systems effectively manage image data.
Billing	Validates reimbursements and maintains accurate financial and medical records.	Uses EHR for data capture.	Not met. Errors frequently occur in billing data, leading to additional manual corrections and financial strain.
Clinical Laboratory	Manages lab tests, orders, results, and communication with clinicians.	Uses Laboratory Information System (LIS) and EHR integration.	Partially met. LIS is efficient, but EHR fails to properly store or display lab results.
Facilities & Maintenance	Oversees security, transport, and meal distribution.	Relies on building management systems, EHR integration, and supply chain tools.	Met. Systems adequately support departmental needs.
Rehab & Therapy	Monitors and documents patient progress.	Uses EHR.	Not met. Frequent system inaccessibility hinders documentation and continuity of care.
Medical Records Department	Maintains patient data for billing, legal, and administrative purposes.	Uses EHR for data storage and sharing.	Met. The department effectively manages data access and transfer.
Emergency Services	Communicates diagnostic orders and coordinates patient transfers.	Uses Clinical Decision Support (CDS), EHR, and Management Information System (MIS).	Partially met. CDS often lacks updated patient problem lists.
Operating Room	Tracks patient care processes and integrates scheduling and pharmacy orders.	Uses EHR, CPOE, and scheduling software.	Met. Systems adequately support surgical workflows.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU)	Monitors patient conditions and orders tests.	Uses EHR and central supply systems.	Partially met. The problem list in EHR is often outdated, affecting decision-making.
Information Systems Technology	Manages bandwidth, servers, and telemedicine tools.	Uses EHR and database infrastructure.	Not met. Communication gaps prevent timely IT issue resolution.
Hospital Pharmacy	Tracks medication inventory and communicates with clinical teams.	Uses pharmacy management systems integrated with EHR.	Partially met. Integration issues between pharmacy systems and EHR persist.
Behavioral Health Unit	Documents and tracks mental health treatment progress.	Uses EHR.	Not met. System reliability and accessibility are ongoing issues.

Summary of Findings

The primary objective of a Health Information Management (HIM) system is to ensure that health data is accessible, accurate, and usable across all clinical and administrative departments. This enables healthcare organizations to deliver high-quality, efficient, and patient-centered care. As stated by Deokar and Sarnikar (2016), Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have become the backbone of health IT systems across the United States, transforming how patient data is collected, shared, and utilized.

Health Information Technology (HIT) provides numerous advantages, including error reduction, improved clinical outcomes, enhanced data tracking, and greater operational efficiency (HealthIT.gov, 2020). However, these benefits are only realized when systems are interoperable and effectively integrated across all units within a healthcare organization. Sherifi et al. (2021) highlight the importance of synchronizing HIM and health informatics systems to ensure seamless data flow among departments.

At Independence Medical Center, several departments report challenges stemming from limited interoperability between clinical and administrative systems. For example, the Rehabilitation Department struggles with EHR accessibility, hindering patient progress documentation. The Emergency and Intensive Care Units face issues where the Clinical Decision Support System (CDS) is not consistently updated, causing delays in treatment decisions. Additionally, the Billing Department experiences frequent data inaccuracies, leading to costly manual corrections and inefficiencies.

Moreover, communication gaps between the IT department and other units contribute to delays in addressing system issues. According to Walker et al. (2016), implementing an interoperable and integrated HIM system is critical for optimizing healthcare delivery and ensuring that providers have real-time access to accurate data. Vila Health (n.d.) further emphasizes that disconnected systems hinder patient care coordination and administrative productivity.

To address these gaps, Independence Medical Center should consider the following actions:

Upgrade or replace outdated systems to promote interoperability between departments.
Integrate EHR with ancillary systems such as LIS, RIS, and pharmacy management tools.
Provide continuous staff training to enhance proficiency in using all IT systems effectively.
Establish stronger communication protocols between clinical staff and IT personnel to ensure timely issue resolution.

Implementing these strategies will improve efficiency, reduce redundant data entry, and ultimately enhance the quality of patient care (Zeng, Reynolds, & Sharp, 2009; Wagner, Lee, & Glaser, 2017).

References

Deokar, A. V., & Sarnikar, S. (2016). Understanding process change management in electronic health records implementations. Information Systems and e-Business Management, 14(4), 733–766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10257-014-0250-7

HealthIT.gov. (2020). Health IT and health information exchange. https://www.healthit.gov/topic/health-it-and-health-information-exchange

Sherifi, D., Ndanga, M., Hunt, T. T., & Srinivasan, S. (2021). The symbiotic relationship between health information management and health informatics: Opportunities for growth and collaboration. Perspectives in Health Information Management, 18(4), 1c–11.

Vila Health. (n.d.). Health information technology needs analysis. https://media.capella.edu/CourseMedia/VilaHealth/MHA5064/HealthInformationTechnologyNeedsAnalysis/transcript.html