Design for an information system - Research Paper Example

? Design for an Information System for an Electronic Health Care Data System for an Urgent Care Facility Information systems is a fast growing facet of computing whose overriding premise is the linkage of the theoretical framework of computing and the real life applications. Broadly, an information system in the context of an organization is the harmonization of user needs, standard operation procedures, data, software, and hardware to process and manage digitized information. The need to computerise traditional health care information systems is overwhelming. Health care systems need pooling of patient records, better and more easily accessible electronic health records, patient scheduling and billing services for patients. The need for robust and highly functional computerised systems for an urgent care facility are especially critical, and system developers have already made considerable inroads in implementing the use of computerise systems for the management of the facilities. System development depends on a number of methodologies whose overarching mandate is to ensure the entire process of development to implementation goes smoothly, achieves the initial objectives and gives a desirable benefits-to-costs match. In this study, we look at the computerization at SFO Medical Clinic, a Californian clinic that among other services offers urgent care to its broad range of patients. The goal of this paper is to identify and document a fully functional information system for a small company. Table of Contents Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 SDLC Models and Complexity of Software Development 4 Preliminary Investigation 5 Requirements analysis 5 System Design 6 System Development 7 System Integration 7 System Testing 7 Gaining User Acceptance 8 Installation and Deployment 8 System Maintenance 8 Conclusion 8 References 10 Introduction Development of an information system requires more than knowledge and expertise in drafting excellent designs. Information systems have a far-reaching impact, with the principal aim to improve or replace existing systems. Therefore, the need to emphasize functionality over design is the supreme purpose of developing an information system. The goal of making highly functional and more efficient is self-evidenced in the information system methodologies and the varying approaches to software development through the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). A SDLC is the major concept that fortifies user-oriented software development process. Urgent health care facilities, whether serving children, young people, aged, or emergency cases, require an intricate understanding of local systems. Urgent care facilities are unique in that they serve patients in situations where timely and planned treatment procedures are not possible (NHS Manchester, 2008). Through collaborative contribution to the elements pertaining to a certain urgent health care facility, an efficient information system is achievable. An information system for an urgent care facility should exhibit specificity to the needs of the patients, handiness of use for the staff operating the system, and safety in operation. The information system also helps in prevention redundancy in recording of patient data, and provides a secure retrieval system, which also stores data on patients for easy recording and modification in subsequent visits. In this report, we consider the urgent department wing of the SFO Medical Clinic, in San Francisco, California. The urgent care arm experiences issues typical of such facilities in the US. The purpose of this report is to document the design and implementation of a new information system for an urgent health care facility. SDLC Models and Complexity of Software Development The SDLC aim is to result in a high quality information system, which meets all user needs and performs markedly better than the existing information systems, manual or otherwise. However, viewpoints differ as to the best model for the system development, a factor that is solely responsible for the different SDLC methodologies in use today. Some of these models include waterfall, spiral, agile software development, incremental, and so forth (Berra, 2011). Each seeks to fill a gap in the system development process for a better information system. Although a number of SDLCs exist, this report uses the waterfall model, in which the output of one stage acts as the input for the next stage (Kay, 2002) Preliminary Investigation During preliminary investigation, different alternatives are put into careful consideration, along with the cost/benefit impacts. Moreover, the investigation uncovers how the objectives help resolve the problem necessitating the design and development of a new information system (Kay, 2002). For instance, despite a heavy technology uptake by the health sector, some sectors of the health care system continue to lag behind in the use of technology. For instance, even though 92.9% of urgent care centres use computerised system in management, only 67% use computerised systems for clinical processes (UCAOA, 2010). In addition, waiting times continue to be a serious issue for the urgent care facilities, as well as the increase in demand for urgent health care services (Weinick, Bristol, & DesRoches, 2009). For successfully completion of the preliminary stage of system development, input from all stakeholders is necessary, ranging from users, clients, consultants and industry players. In the end, the preliminary analysis aids in answering the question whether just improvement of the existing system is necessary or if a new system should be put in place altogether. Cost and benefit analysis is of critical importance at this stage in system development. By investigation of the current health care systems, despite considerable computerisation procedures, a number of operational, logistical, and functionality gaps still exist. The combination of factors requires improvement of the system to pioneer a new platform for the effective management of the urgent health care needs. A robust urgent care information system requires integrating the participation of medical professionals, academic institutions, government arms, industry players such as insurers and drug and medical equipment manufacturers, and the entire health care community. The aim of the new system is to create: 1. Safer and more efficient system 2. Patient-oriented information systems 3. Reliable information system with few duplication and redundancy 4. Security and privacy in the information system Requirements analysis During the system analysis and requirements analysis stage, clear articulation of the project goals with regard to user needs is done. Given the case under discussion, an information system with agile compatibility across a number of potentially different health care data systems is necessary. Therefore, a system that allows the access of many users enables sharing of resources using multiple or common file formats, network security tools, and patient information privacy, and adequacy in storage is critical. A robust database system is necessary for the effective implementation of a successful urgent care information system, to offer a single access point. Privacy of information is a huge ethical and legal issue, for both the private and the public sector. Over the last decade, proponents for security and privacy protection in computer systems have advocated for the consideration of security and privacy issues right from system design. Criminal activity pertaining to computing systems continues to raise, especially with regard to systems with multiple access privileges. For an urgent care facility, issues on privacy of the patients and the staff in the system makes privacy a big issue, and the access of the system by many staff members underscores the importance of security in the urgent facilities. System Design System design involves the creation of an intervention into the current system. In this process, means to harmonize the different elements pertinent to the new information process assume a practical and actionable plan. For the urgent health care, the design will involve how the new system will operate, how it will merge with the industry and facility guidelines among other factors. A major purpose of the new design is to create a seamless integration with the existing electronic system, in a way that brings cost benefits to the facility. The design aims at allowing the sharing of resources, secure access, patient information privacy, and easy management. The new system will also require efficient resource access through remote access, although the basic systems for remote access to information are already existent. Shared file access requires format options that are compatible for the network terminals. Fortunately, most operating systems offer similar compatibility to resource formats and network transport protocols. The diagram below shows the basic steps in design of a new urgent care information system, the design covers the basic steps of the system design life cycle, with a slight adaptation to the urgent care facility under study System Development During the system development stage, the design phase is made to come into practical use. In developing an information system for an urgent care facility, the first step is the acquisition of requirement resources, for instance, new operating softwares, network components, format conversion tools, network security systems, testing and improving the current database systems, writing necessary codes to run the system effectively, and refining the system to eliminate bugs and operation errors (USGOV, 2003). Considerable amount of cost implications abound at this stage in the development of the designed system. In addition, it is necessary to develop some test procedures for diagnosis of the program in future routine and maintenance tests. System Integration Before system testing can take off, a system integration process is of paramount importance. During this stage of system development, the system goes into rigorous tests for conformity to user requirements. In addition, the different people who deal with the system get the chance to work with it and test it, making recommendations where necessary. Once the integration is successful, the system design moves to the testing stage. System Testing System testing involves running the system for identification of errors and bugs. The errors are eliminated until the system is considerably effective and consistent with the initial objectives of the new information system. At this important stage, the system moves from the hands of the developers to the actual users for validation. The process may involve staff training, installation of the system and receiving user feedback for further improvements to the system. The operability of the system also comes in handy to ensure its use is practical for the intended purpose. Overall, the system should achieve user requirements and the specific objectives outlined at the start of the system development process. Gaining User Acceptance User acceptance enables in understanding how well the design will be received by the users of the technology. The urgent care information system needs to address issues pertaining to running the urgent care facilities, for instance, reducing the waiting time. The increase in accessibility to medical health records through existing electronic systems is also critical to the achievement of the information system’s acceptance. After successful testing and correction of the errors in the system, the system is finally deployed for actual use for the intended purpose. Installation and Deployment At the installation level of system development, the new system has enough logistical and user backing to replace the existing system. Henceforth, the earlier system is discarded to give way for the new system, and more comprehensive training and management of the system given importance. For an urgent care facility, the installation and deployment process would involve the education of the medical staff on the use of the system, opening the information system to use by the authorized staff members and full enforcement of the system policy to reinforce consistency with the facility’s policy guidelines. System Maintenance Maintenance is arguably the longest process in the system development life cycle, as it continues for the entire period of use of the system. The maintenance involves identification and elimination of errors, amendments to the system functionality, and regular checks by experienced staff to make sure the system still retains its integrity. Conclusion The process of designing a new information system takes into consideration a multiplicity of factors, which involve a large number of stakeholders. System development life cycle assumes a number of methodologies which focus on making the system development process run smoothly and finally achieve the set objectives. The stakeholders have to participate in the system development process, as they will be very critical in implementation of the final system. In addition, the stakeholders have to approve of the final system and after a series of steps to make the system practical and operable in real-life application of the system. Urgent care facilities already enjoy a huge amount of computerization in most of its sectors. However, logistical challenges with regard to waiting times and computerisation of some of the aspects of the medical institution make the necessity for an improvement of the system plausible. For instance, urgent care facilities require rapid response to medical emergencies, and therefore the waiting times need utmost minimisation. In addition, despite high computerisation of the management aspects of the health facilities, clinical departments have lower computerisation levels, and an improvement in the section would greatly help in providing the wide pool of resources necessary for a smoother information system. The system design in this report passes through the waterfall model of the system development life cycle, from the project initiation to the final step of gaining user acceptance. References Berra, Y. 2011. Software Development Life Cycle. Google Docs. Retrieved on March 21, 2012 https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:bfhOl8jp1S8J:condor.depaul.edu /~jpetlick/extra/394/Session2.ppt+&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShCfW0_MLC 4wRbczfUxrndHTkbwguF9fZuaUCe0RDyOCWyO2PTmaPhHnZ4jRhZZ75maV O_7gVAD2ex5-QIhrj1683hMefBNkak7FkQJCAwd-i0_aQfEVEEKP177h 4mmkvMMWJ7&sig=AHIEtbRhMlZ-TUyioKEhLQQxXk1WoSJXWA&pli=1 NHS Manchester. 2008. Urgent Care System Reform for Central Manchester. Manchester City Council. Kay, R. 2002. Quickstudy: System Development Life Cycle. ComputerWorld.com. Retrieved March 21, 2012 from http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/71151/System_ Development_Life_Cycle UCAOA. 2010. Urgent Care Statistics and Benchmarking. Urgent Care Association of America. Retrieved on March 23, 2012 from http://www.ucaoa.org /resources_stats.php USGOV. 2003. Information resources management. US Department of Justice. Retrieved March 21, 2012 from http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/irm/lifecycle/ch1.htm Weinick, R, Bristol, S and Bristol, C. 2009. Urgent care in the US: Findings from a National Survey. BioMed Central. Retrieved March 23, 2012 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2685126/ Read More