Health Level Seven International (HL7) is a not-for-profit, standards-developing organization dedicated to providing a comprehensive framework and related standards for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information that supports clinical practice and the management, delivery, and evaluation of health services.
After reading “Strategic Initiatives” (see Module 4 assigned readings), refer to the journals listed:
Search the GCU Library and the websites of professional health care informatics organizations, such as the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Useful periodicals include:
Health Data Management
Health Management Technology
Healthcare Informatics
Healthcare IT News
Locate a case study that discusses how a health care organization solved a communication problem with a hardware solution while maintaining existing software.
Prepare a professional report (1,250- words) as if you are the informatics director of a 300-bed facility and the chief operating officer (COO) has given you the following directives:
Improve communication and coordination between admitting, laboratory, pharmacy, and clinicians to increase throughput; assume that each department has its own system currently in place.
Propose a solution that maintains existing software in each department and is supported by the HL7 initiatives.
In addition, define your focus and select a hardware solution; it may consist of a phased approach or an approach that directs attention only to one of the groups, or it may involve all of the aforementioned departments.
Provide a solution; emphasize interoperability.
Discuss how HL7 will improve communication and coordination between the departments.
Address the challenges of incorporating interoperability mandates from the Office of the National Coordinator.
Consider the challenges of an environment that is best of breed and the desire to move to a standard EHR across a health care enterprise.
Your solution may not implement new EHR software, but must provide a hardware solution to increase throughput.
Be creative with the context and formatting.
Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.
This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.
RUBRICS
1
Unsatisfactory
0.00%
2
Less than Satisfactory
74.00%
3
Satisfactory
79.00%
4
Good
87.00%
5
Excellent
100.00%
70.0 %Content
10.0 %Problem Description
The information has minimally been addressed.
The information provided is mostly complete and lacks specific information necessary to assist the audience in understanding the topic’s importance.
The information provided is appropriate and provides specific information necessary to assist the audience in understanding the topic’s importance.
The information provided is complete and clear and provides specific information necessary to assist the audience in understanding the topic’s importance.
The information provided is comprehensive and provides specific information necessary to assist the audience in understanding the topic’s importance.
20.0 %Analysis
Includes little knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge is not evident. Analysis of the criteria is not outlined or outlined poorly. Does not distinguish pros and cons.
Includes little knowledge about the topic with few supporting details and examples. Little subject knowledge is evident. Ignores or superficially evaluates the criteria. Draws unwarranted or fallacious conclusions. Recognizes pros and cons without providing rationale.
Includes knowledge about the topic with supporting details and examples. Some subject knowledge is evident. Surface level of evaluation of the content is offered. Describes basic pros and cons.
Includes essential knowledge about the topic with supporting details and examples. Subject knowledge appears to be good. Analysis is direct, competent, and appropriate for the criteria.
Covers topic in depth with extensive details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent. Thoughtfully analyzes and evaluates major points of the criteria. Draws warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions. Identifies the salient arguments (reasons and claims) and provides explicit examples and details.
20.0 %Solution
Content includes little or none of the assignment criteria. Major points are unclear. No support is evident.
Assignment content omits some required criteria. Major points lack clarity. Little or no effective support is evident.
Most of the required assignment content is present. Major points are adequately clear and addressed. Some support is evident and relevant.
All of the required assignment content is present. Major points are clear and effectively addressed. Support is comprehensive and relevant.
All of the required assignment content is present. Major points are exceptionally clear and thoroughly addressed. Significant and best possible support is evident, relevant, and convincing.
10.0 %Research
No outside sources were used to support the assignment.
Few outside sources were used to support the assignment. Limited research is apparent.
Research is adequate. Sources are standard in relevance, quality of outside sources, and/or timeliness.
Research is timely and relevant, and addresses all of the issues stated in the assignment criteria.
Research is supportive of the rationale presented. Sources are distinctive. Addresses all of the issues stated in the assignment criteria.
10.0 %Language Use and Audience Awareness (includes sentence construction, word choice, etc.)
Inappropriate word choice and lack of variety in language use are evident. Writer appears to be unaware of audience. Use of “primer prose” indicates writer either does not apply figures of speech or uses them inappropriately.
Some distracting inconsistencies in language choice (register) and/or word choice are present. The writer exhibits some lack of control in using figures of speech appropriately.
Language is appropriate to the targeted audience for the most part.
The writer is clearly aware of audience, uses a variety of appropriate vocabulary for the targeted audience, and uses figures of speech to communicate clearly.
The writer uses a variety of sentence constructions, figures of speech, and word choice in distinctive and creative ways that are appropriate to purpose, discipline, and scope.
20.0 %Organization and Effectiveness
7.0 %Thesis Development and Purpose
Paper lacks any discernible overall purpose or organizing claim.
Thesis and/or main claim are insufficiently developed and/or vague; purpose is not clear.
Thesis and/or main claim are apparent and appropriate to purpose.
Thesis and/or main claim are clear and forecast the development of the paper. It is descriptive and reflective of the arguments and appropriate to the purpose.
Thesis and/or main claim are comprehensive. The essence of the paper is contained within the thesis. Thesis statement makes the purpose of the paper clear.
8.0 %Argument Logic and Construction
Statement of purpose is not justified by the conclusion. The conclusion does not support the claim made. Argument is incoherent and uses noncredible sources.
Sufficient justification of claims is lacking. Argument lacks consistent unity. There are obvious flaws in the logic. Some sources have questionable credibility.
Argument is orderly, but may have a few inconsistencies. The argument presents minimal justification of claims. Argument logically, but not thoroughly, supports the purpose. Sources used are credible. Introduction and conclusion bracket the thesis.
Argument shows logical progressions. Techniques of argumentation are evident. There is a smooth progression of claims from introduction to conclusion. Most sources are authoritative.
Clear and convincing argument that presents a persuasive claim in a distinctive and compelling manner. All sources are authoritative.
5.0 %Mechanics of Writing (includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use)
Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning. Inappropriate word choice and/or sentence construction are used.
Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistencies in language choice (register), sentence structure, and/or word choice are present.
Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but are not overly distracting to the reader. Correct sentence structure and audience-appropriate language are used.
Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. A variety of sentence structures and effective figures of speech are used.
Writer is clearly in command of standard, written, academic English.
10.0 %Format
10.0 %Paper Format (Use of appropriate style for the major and assignment)
Template is not used appropriately or documentation format is rarely followed correctly.
Appropriate template is used, but some elements are missing or mistaken. A lack of control with formatting is apparent.
Appropriate template is used. Formatting is correct, although some minor errors may be present.
Appropriate template is fully used. There are virtually no errors in formatting style.
All format elements are correct.
100 %Total Weightage
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Communication is an essential element of healthcare institutions as it allows for teamwork among the various departments, ultimately leading to better patient care. In recent years, technology has played a significant role in revolutionizing the way information is shared among departments. Health Level Seven International (HL7), a not-for-profit, standards-developing organization, has been at the forefront of providing a comprehensive framework and related standards for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information that supports clinical practice and the management, delivery, and evaluation of health services. This report will present a hardware solution proposed by the informatics director of a 300-bed facility to solve a communication problem while maintaining existing software and supported by HL7 initiatives.
Question:
– Locate a case study that discusses how a health care organization solved a communication problem with a hardware solution while maintaining existing software. Prepare a professional report (1,250- words) as if you are the informatics director of a 300-bed facility, and the chief operating officer (COO) has given you the following directives:
To improve communication and coordination between admitting, laboratory, pharmacy, and clinicians, to increase throughput, assume that each department has its system currently in place. Propose a solution that maintains existing software in each department and is supported by HL7 initiatives.
Answer:
The healthcare sector is facing increasing challenges in streamlining communication and coordination in the various departments to increase throughput and improve patient care. A study by DeCesare, Nerenz, and Brown (2017) revealed that many challenges exist in healthcare facilities leading to lower efficiency, higher costs, and lower overall patient satisfaction. Issues such as resource utilization, inadequate communication systems, and inefficiencies in coordination between departments plague the sector. The informatics director of a 300-bed facility has proposed a hardware solution to improve communication and coordination between departments and increase throughput while maintaining existing software.
The proposal by the informatics director is focused on maintaining existing software in each department and supported by initiatives by HL7, the not-for-profit, standards-developing organization. The proposal focuses on a hardware solution that will enhance interoperability among the various systems, embracing HL7 initiatives. Interoperability enables different systems to exchange data and work together, regardless of the software and hardware used by each department, thereby eliminating traditional barriers.
The proposed hardware solution is a middleware that acts as the glue between the various systems used in the facility. The middleware is a software solution that will be installed between the existing software systems and will facilitate the transfer of data among the different departments. The middleware system ensures that data is transferred in a standard format, therefore facilitating communication between systems that may use dissimilar data formats. The middleware system will be customized to the needs of the facility, taking into consideration the existing software and hardware in each department. The utilization of middleware is a phased approach that embraces HL7 initiatives, which ensure the overall success of the project.
HL7 initiatives provide a comprehensive framework and related standards for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information that supports clinical practice and the management, delivery, and evaluation of health services. Using HL7 initiatives ensures that the proposed hardware solution meets necessary standards, and it is supported across the industry to guarantee compatibility.
The challenges of incorporating interoperability mandates from the Office of the National Coordinator are numerous. Such challenges include clinicians’ resistance due to the investment in existing software, the complexity of integrating different software systems, security concerns, and general data privacy issues. By maintaining existing software in each department and proposing a middleware solution, clinicians’ resistance to change is taken into consideration, and data privacy issues will be addressed. Security concerns will be managed through the use of a secure middleware system.
The desire to move to a standard EHR across a healthcare enterprise is critical in streamlining activities and enhancing communication between departments. A best-of-breed environment has its challenges that limit interoperability. The proposed hardware solution is interoperable, and as such, it ensures that the facility can move towards a standard EHR system while addressing the challenges of a best-of-breed environment.
In conclusion, healthcare has many challenges relating to communication and coordination between departments, leading to unsustainable outcomes. The proposal by the informatics director of a 300-bed facility suggests the use of middleware to enhance interoperability between departments. The solution is focused on using existing software, thus addressing the resistance to change by clinicians, and is supported by HL7 initiatives. The proposed middleware solution eliminates traditional barriers and enhances communication, ultimately leading to enhanced throughput and improved patient care.
