Case Study: How should UCPGP assure that the EMR is interoperable with other providers in the community

Case Study Name: Institution: Section A How should UCPGP assure that the EMR is interoperable with other providers in the community? The UCPGP is quite complex considering that they offer a wide range of services and the staff number is quite large. However that notwithstanding, for their system to work at it full potential, they require to device a way through which the database can be accessed by other health providers within the community. In other words, using the IT environment they need to create that allows interoperability of the system by the rest of the health providers within the community, so as to achieve maximum productivity. This will help stream line the workflow by reducing ambiguity, since the right data is will be availed at the right time it is required (Murphy, 2013). To achieve this, the system will have to provide a mechanism that is practical while exchanging the health information through the internet. Health information is sensitive data; however the system should be simplistic in nature allowing the providers to share the information easily but in an encrypted format (Healthit, 2012). This therefore requires the system be secure enough to protect the data from unauthorized personnel. In terms of connectivity, it should achieve internet scale, while still eliminating the need for network authority that is central to providing complicated services (Healthit, 2012). It is also important the UCPGP consider to standards as they set up the system interoperability platform (Murphy, 2013). Any system that is not based on standards is bound to fail much easily, as it is not regulated professionally. It is crucial to use the highest internet standards such as those that are used when communicating through email. These standards should particularly cover the interaction of the application with the users (e.g. e-prescriptions). They should regulate how the different systems on the network interact, furthermore, they should also cover how data is managed and processed. Last but not least, they should cover the way the system applications integrate with the consumer devices, such as smart phones, tablets and personal computers. What benefits in terms of quality, client satisfaction, provider satisfaction, and costs might accrue as a result of the EMR? How would you determine that these benefits are realized? Compared to the paper system that the UCPGP had before introducing EMR, the latter benefits supersede the former. To the health providers the EMR provides quick access to the patients’ health records. By providing access remotely to the records of the inpatients it improves the efficiency of the care provided to the patients. The system also provides the medical providers with the clinical alerts and reminders, as well as medical information thus enhancing the overall decision making processes (Murphy, 2013). The tools that are inbuilt in the system are performance oriented, with quality real time reporting. The efficiency of the system ties to the interoperability between the various departments such as those of family medicine, optometry and dentistry in the LincPoint facility. Allowing the providers access to lab results, the registry among other facilities, in a safer a reliable manner. To the patients at the UCPGP, they don’t have to keep filling out forms during each visit. If they so chose, they can access the system database at the comfort of their homes with the convenience of the e-prescription. When they need advice on various health issues they can consult the providers at the click of a button through the patients’ portals, therefore reducing the time lag of making life threatening decisions. In the case of referrals, it is done electronically allowing specialist to closely monitor (Glaffel, 2010). In terms of the cost benefit analysis, the EMR does have quite a substantive trim on the cost of running. The initial cost of the EMR can be a staggering high as compared to the paper system. However, once the system is up and running the real benefits in terms of cost starts showing. Although its implementation does not necessarily mean that the system will be paper less, the amount of paperwork to be done and the time spent doing it is reduced by more than a third. Section B How would you conduct an evaluation of system functionality and usability? The usability and functionality of the EMR system is of paramount importance as it provides a basis for improvements in the future. For the system to be classified as usable, it has to help the providers and other user such as the patients to complete their tasks with utmost effectiveness and ef...