Major Components of Information Management - Research Paper Example

IM/IT Analysis Information System for Healthcare Management Introduction Information technology has lately developed by becoming an important and strategic resource for organizations across the globe. Many organizations have adopted information technology to enhance an open information flow within their departments and the outside world. For an effective control of information technology, an organization needs to carry out information technology governance. This is where the organization focuses on the use of information technology systems to manage their risks and enhance the performance (VanVactor, 2012). It is fundamental to focus on the use of information technology to enhance the quality of care. Major Components of Information Management / Information Technology (IM / IT) Governance With a Major Focus on Health Care Improvement The use of information technology in health care aims at collecting, storing, retrieving and transferring of relevant data from patients and health care practitioners. This is possible using the five components of information technology within the health care system. These include hardware, software, data, procedure and the people (Heeks, 2006). Hardware This is the machinery involved in health care provision. The Central Processing Unit (CPU) of a computer with all the accompanying equipment forms the major hardware component of information technology used in health care. The efficient management of operations in any health care institution requires the execution of technologically appropriate machines. Some of the machines include electronic recorder, emergence responder electronic health recorder (ER-HER) and newborn screener. The electronic health recorder is a machine used in presenting the laboratory outcomes and defines their association with other health records. This machine ensures that laboratory results are accessible and interpreted in a patient-centric manner (VanVactor, 2012). The newborn screener specifies and describes the flow of information and delivers systems and capabilities meant to support the screening and reporting of the newborns. Additionally, it assists in the exchange of information within the settings of health care institutions. On its part, the emergence responder electronic health recorder (ER-HER) is a machine that aids the registration, determination of patient’s history and diagnosis of various illnesses. The machine also facilitates the exchange of relevant data between the sick people and those who look after them (Heeks, 2006). Software These are the computer programs together with the manuals that aid the improvement of health care provision in a health institution. These instructions are read using machines but are conveyed through software. The programs in software are stored in an input or output medium known as a tape or a disk. Various types of software are developed for particular health provision functions. The examples include the software for the picture archiving and communications system (PACS). This software enables health practitioners to capture and integrate the radiological and diagnostic images, store them before disseminating them to clinical information respiratory and the medical records. It converts the information acquired from computed tomography scans, MRIs and x-rays into a readable format for interpretation. Additionally, there is software responsible for the clinical decision support system (CDSS). This is where health care practitioners obtain recommendations on treatment and diagnostic tests in real time. This software offers simple alerts, warnings on drug prescription and full clinical protocols and pathways. The radio frequency identification (RFID) is software that tracks patients while within the jurisdiction of a health care institution. It also links the laboratory results via the wireless communication method to a central unit (VanVactor, 2012). Data These are the information pieces for use by specific programs to draw results. They are stored in a machine-like hard disk. They can serve reading and the interpretation function. It is clear that many health care institutions lack appropriate technologies to convey hospital records electronically. Consequently, accessibility of patient’s information by health care practitioners is proving to be a challenge. As a way of addressing this, all health care administrators must seek to install and improve information technology that is Internet reliable. When adopted, an e-health can prove to be an efficient and effective way to improve the health care services quality and to offset incurring costs (Heeks, 2006). For increasing and upgrading of quality of data between and within health care institutions, significant sums of money should be invested in information technology in health care systems. Additionally, innovations in the field of information technology also play a decisive function in sustaining data availability. Some health care institutions have resorted to strategies of fusing old ways of communicating with new systems of processing words. However, the ultimate intervention in ensuring efficient maintenance of data in health care institutions requires putting down operational reforms that are timely and possible (Heeks, 2006). Procedures Procedures refer to policies that are usable in the governance of the operations of computer systems. The sources of these procedures include legislations from the Congress and acts of parliament. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has put down strong emphasis on the need of the United States to adopt electronic technology in handling of their health records. In this regard, this legislation empowers the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT and the NIST to identify a compliant program to certify technology in health information. Besides, the Act certified NIST to develop the conformance and functional testing requirements, test tools and test cases to support information technology certification in health care (Heeks, 2006). People The success of any health care governance structure is dependent on persons participating in the execution of programs. Apparently, the people are the most influential and significant component in the management of information technology governance within a health care institution (Heeks, 2006). Elements of a Health Care IM/IT Strategic Plan The main objective for a strategic plan in any health care system is set long-term goals of the organization. An organization can achieve this by first identifying its key initiatives before providing the definition of accountability for the results. A strategic plan for an ideal health care institution should have some unique elements. The fundamental constituents of a health care information technology include the attainment of the set objectives and goals of that health care institution (VanVactor, 2012). However, complexities of the present day health care systems present real time challenges in the development of successful strategic plans towards the same. For the development of a working and efficient strategic plan, a health care organization needs to identify and develop specific tools that it will use to attain its objective. However, as it builds these tools, an organization must ensure that the tool is an easy to use one besides being answerable to all members of staff. The tool must also be regularly followed up to ensure efficient monitoring of results. The first element is the achievement, adoption and exchange of information with meaningful health care information technology. The second element is the inspiration of trust and confidence in the health care information technology. Then there is the empowerment of individuals with technologies health information in a bid to improve their systems in terms of health care and health. Additionally, health care strategic plan seeks to achieve fast technological advancement and learning (VanVactor, 2012). Steps for the Achievement, Adoption and Exchange of Information For an organization to adequately achieve and adopt efficient exchange of information, it can follow some specific steps. The first step is to fast track the implementation of health care information technology records. To achieve this, government and other policy providers must ensure that health care organizations get adequate financial incentives. They should also offer support in the implementation of IT installation in the health care institutions. Besides, the health care institutions must take measures to develop and train their workforce to update with the latest information technology. Nevertheless, the information technology so adopted must be certified by a meaningful professional body and the results be communicated to all the stakeholders (Heeks, 2006). The second step is to facilitate the exchange of information as a way of supporting consequential use of IT health records. This is achievable through fostering business models in order to generate the exchange of health care information across and within the health care institution and among the health care practitioners. The providers and practitioners can also monitor the exchange of the health care information and seal the loopholes for the unviable options. Additionally, they must ensure that the exchange of health care information involves individual exchange of information models in the advancement of health care systems and interoperability of data (VanVactor, 2012). In the third step, support is given to the adoption of information technology and exchange for members of the population who require unique attention and the public at large. In this regard, the government and health care provision agencies need to ensure that public agencies receive and share the relevant information technology in the health care system. Additionally, they should also track the disparities and attempt to eliminate them. They can also support the adoption of information technology in long-term behavioral health (VanVactor, 2012). Steps for the Improvement Care, Population Health and Reduction of Health Care Costs by Use of Information Technology The first step is to support the use of information technology in the enhancement of the performance of health care systems. This is achievable through the identification and implementation of health IT practices that improve public health, efficiency and care. One can also create efficiencies that are organizational in nature to reduce the government and other provider’s burdens. Step 2 involves better management of public health, efficiency and care throughout the information technology systems. The success of this depends on the identification of specific measures that correspond with the National Health Care Quality Strategy and Plan. The third step is where a health care organization demonstrates a payment structure that is information technology enabled in the health care reform. This is achievable through community demonstrations of the advancements of technology systems. Finally, an organization needs to show support to new approaches. An organization can identify the information systems that are vulnerable, and consequently develop strategic solutions to them (Heeks, 2006). Recommendations I would recommend to health care providers and the government to think of all health care organizations as systems. The organization will operate as an independent entity but with interrelated components and elements to achieve its objectives. This will ensure that the health care organization partners with likeminded organizations and other information technology firms to update itself with the latest technological solution to the dynamic world (VanVactor, 2012). Organizations are operating in an environment dominated by trade imbalances and dynamic trade patterns. It is fundamental for health care institutions to interact freely with the environment to sustain the systems of growth, IT development and the fulfillment of its goals (VanVactor, 2012). Conclusion Information technology has provided a good opportunity for the improvement of quality. Recent studies have shown that most health care organizations do not take information technology investments as a priority as compared to other industries such as aviation and banking. However, several health care organizations have verified that the use of varied information technology applications can substantially improve the quality of health care. It is advisable that several organizations consider the idea of integrating the information technology systems in their operations. Computerization of health systems is the best approach to enhancing quality. References Heeks, R. (2006). Health information systems: Failure, success and improvisation. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 75(2), 2005. VanVactor, J. D. (2012). Strategic health care logistics planning in emergency management. Disaster Prevention and Management, 21(3), 299–309. Read More